The Gunning Gap Regional Site is operated in association with the Gunning Gap Ag Bureau. The site had been conducting farmer driven research since 1999 and the committee is:

Chairmen: Clem Hodges 02 6857 6627

Co-ordinator: Brad Davis 02 6895 1050

Extension Officer: Lisa McFadyen 02 6895 1001

District Agronomist: Ken Motley 02 6850 2926

The average climatic conditions for the Gunning Gap Regional Site, from the Bureau of Meteorology at FORBES (Camp Street).

The Extension Activities Agenda for 2009

The research agenda for 2007 (approx 40KB PDF)

The research agenda for 2006

Soil Amelioration - Sodicity & Acidity (CWFS)
Barley Variety & Agronomy Trial (DPI Neil Fettell & CWFS)
Barley Seeding Rate Trial (DPI Neil Fettell & CWFS)
Barley Nitrogen Rate Trial (DPI Neil Fettell & CWFS)
Early and Main Season Wheat Variety Trial (CWFS)
Stripe Rust Management Trial (DPI Ken Motley & CWFS)
Lucerne Variety Trial (DPI & CWFS)
Field Pea Variety & Seeding Rate Trials (S3) DPI Eric Armstrong & CWFS)

The research agenda in the past

The main research that had been conducted, and published in the Annual Research Compendium, by the Gunning Gap Regional Site group in the past includes:

1999

Urea topdressing: importance of timing prior to rainfall, and benefit of Agritain® treatment - this trial investigated the impact of rainfall timing on the effectiveness of topdressing urea nitrogen uptake, and the possible role of Agritain® treated urea to over come the problems with the timing of topdressing. The results from this trial sowed that topdressing in canola was effective regardless of the rainfall event and that Agritain® was found to provide little benefit for increasing canola yield.
Lupin time of sowing demonstration at Wirrinya and Gunning Gap - the aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of sowing date on the yield of lupins. The results at Gunning Gap showed there to be no yield advantage from an April sowing, whilst, an early sowing in May and June gave higher yields. The Wirrinya trial was not harvested.
Effect of sowing date on the performance of canola varieties in Forbes - in 1998 and 1999 the early sown Oscar and Rainbow were the highest yielding varieties in the Forbes district.
Canola response to phosphorus in the Forbes district - the results of this trial highlight the potential for canola yields to be increased with extra P fertiliser rates, above 20 kg P/ha. However, fertiliser research has indicated high rates of starter fertiliser, such as MAP and DAP, can have a negative impact on seedling germination due to fertiliser "burn".

2000

Topdressing canola with urea: Amounts and Timing - from two years of data this trial has found that top dressing canola with urea can be just effective as N applied at sowing. The results also showed that the timing of rainfall events does not appear to influence the effectiveness of top dressing canola with urea.
Wheat response to zinc - two years of trials on low Zn soils has show no indication of a wheat yield response to Zn fertiliser.
Lime response on a sandy acid soil (to be a 5 year trial) - the results of this trial show no yield, protein or screenings response.
Sodic soil amelioration using lime and gypsum (to be a 5 year trial) - in this trial the soil ameliorants had no significant effect on the yield of Janz wheat.

2001

Sulfonylurea herbicides and zinc (Zn)/phosphorus (P) fertiliser interaction in wheat in Central West NSW - this trial found (1) Chlorsulfuron (eg Glean®) based herbicides reduced wheat yields (2) No zinc response was recorded (3) P responses were closely correlated with soil P levels and (4) Increasing Zn and P did not reduce the Chlorsulfuron effect.
The effect of sowing rate on the performance of H45 and Diamondbird wheat - this trial was conducted to provide further information about sowing rates and optimum plant densities. The trial discovered that plant populations are poorly correlated with sowing rate and that high plant population's increased yield without affecting grain quality.
Canola response to Phosphorus at Gunning Gap - this trial investigated the potential for canola yield responses from high rate of P fertiliser. In this trial a P response curve was generated and it indicated that there was no yield response to P fertiliser rates above 20 kg/ha
Sodic soil amelioration using lime and gypsum (2nd year) - in this trial the soil ameliorants had no significant effect on the yield of Tilga barley.
Lime response on a sandy acid soil (2nd year) - the results of this trial show no yield response, however the trail was badly affected by rhizoctonia root rot.

2002

Sulfonlurea herbicides and zinc/phosphorus fertiliser interactions in wheat in the Central West NSW cropping belt - the results of this trial were affected by drought. The trial found no significant response to Zn and P.
Sodic soil amelioration using lime and gypsum (3rd year) - this trial found that the addition of lime or gypsum resulted in significant yield increases in Tilga barley.
Lime response on a sandy acid soil (3rd year) - this trial has found no yield response to lime over the past 3 years, except in 2002 in the 4.5 t/ha treatment. The application of lime has not had a positive net benefit in $/ha over the last 3 years.

2003

The trial results for 2003 are presented in the following compendium papers:

Sulfonylurea herbicide and Zinc/Phophorus fertiliser interaction in wheat in the Central West NSW cropping belt (2001 to 2003)
Wheat stripe rust and fungicide control
Lime response on a sandy acid soil - Gunning Gap
Sodic soil amelioration using lime and gypsum - Gunning Gap

2004

The main areas of interest in 2004 included:

The use of fungicides for the strategic and tactical control of leaf diseases in wheat - the aim of this trial is to investigate the use of seed dressings and foliar fungicides to prevent the incidence of stripe rust.
The interaction between field pea density and phosphorus nutrition - the aim of this trial is to investigate yield responses to increasing plant population and increasing rates of phosphorus.
The use of seed dressing in canola - the aim of this trial is to investigate the yield response of canola to several different seed dressings.
New barley varieties and their agronomy - the aim of this trial is to investigate the agronomy (seeding rate and nitrogen requirements) of new breeding lines compared to commercial varieties.
Lime response on a sandy acid soil (5th year) - the aim of this trial is to investigate the use of 3 rates of lime to ameliorate soil acidity and to improve crop yields. The trial also investigates the costs of production.
Sodic soil amelioration using lime and gypsum (5th year) - the aim of this trial is to investigate the use of 3 rates of lime and 1 rate of gypsum to ameliorate soil sodicity and to improve crop yields. The trial also investigates the costs of production.