Wirrinya

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The Wirrinya Regional Site is operated in association with the Wirrinya Soil Committee and members of the local Branch of NSW Farmers Association (currently in recess). The committee is:

Chairmen: Matt Duff 02 6856 1122

Co-ordinator: Andrew Rice 02 6866 1288

District Agronomist: Ken Motley 02 6850 2926  

 

The average climatic conditions for the Wirrinya Regional Site, from the Bureau of Meteorology at FORBES (CAMP STREET), can be seen in Figure 1 and 2. Figure 1 reveals that the average annual rainfall for Wirrinya is 526.5 mm, whilst Figure 2 reveals the maximum and minimum monthly temperatures.






The research agenda for 2007 (approx 40KB PDF)

 

The research agenda for 2006

  1. Wheat Hi Inputs Trial (DPI Neil Fettell & CWFS)
  2. Early & Main Season Wheat Variety Trial (CWFS)
  3. Lucerne Variety Trial & 3 Perennial Grasses Trial (DPI Tammworth & CWFS)
  4. Stripe Rust management Trial (DPI Ken Motley & CWFS)
  5. Mustard/Canola Variety Trial (CWFS)

The research agenda in the past

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 N 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.
  • Canola response to phosphorus (P) 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".
  • Response of wheat to zinc (Zn) at Wirrinya - this trial found no positive yield or grain quality response to Zn fertiliser, despite soil test indicating very low soil Zn levels.

 

2000

  • Topdressing canola with urea: Amounts and Timing - from two year of data this trial has found that top dressing urea on canola 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 urea on canola
  • Phosphorus response in field peas - the results from this trial demonstrate that the application of P up to 40 kg P/ha can increase field pea yields.
  • Wheat response to zinc - two years of trials on low Zn soils has show no indication of a wheat yield response to Zn fertiliser.

 

2001

  • Sulfonylurea herbicides and zinc/phosphorus 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 populations increased yield without affecting grain quality.

 

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.

 

2003

The results for the Wirrinya regional site from 2003 can be viewed in the below compendium papers:

  • Sulfonylurea herbicide and Zinc/Phosphorus fertiliser interactions in wheat in the Central West NSW cropping belt (2001 to 2003)
  • Wheat stripe rust and fungicide control

 

2004

The main areas of interest in 2004 include:

  • 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 leaf rusts.
  • 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.
  • The affect of wheat densities on grain quality - the aim of this trial is to investigate the response of grain yield and grain quality (screenings) to increasing plant populations.