SPRING CEREALS

GRAIN SORGHUM

In the dryland farming areas grain sorghum is the most important summer grain. Not all crops are grow to maturity and the expected yields are unpredictable largely because of the unpredictability of the summer rains in NSW. It provides excellent fodder and being fed to stock in dry seasons. Sorghum growing has shown a dramatic increase in the recent years and after wheat and barley, is the most important crop in the dryland belt.

The grain is used in feed mixes for poultry, pigs and cattle. The genetics of grain sorghum has changed dramatically and almost all seed sown is from hybrids.

BIRD SEED

Millets for bird seed are almost all produced in dryland farming districts. The seasonal conditions necessary for millets are almost identical with those required for grain sorghum. As with many less significant crops there is a trend for a small number of farmers on adjoining properties to adopt similar cropping practices so that a "millet area" is established. Seed millets are largely grown on the border region between Queensland and NSW.

OILSEED SUNFLOWERS

Dryland farmers of the summer rainfall belt, crop significant quantities of sunflowers for the edible oil seed industry. Quick growing varieties have been developed and can survive a large variety of soil types. Farmers with lighter sandy soils have a better chance of success with sunflowers than with grain sorghum if they require a summer cash crop. The major pests are Galahs and cockatoos. The yield is only about half that expected from grain sorghum, however, as the market potential is good they are a good proposition in the summer rainfall belt.

WHEAT

Not all winter cereals are grown in the winter rainfall belt. By careful seedbed preparation and astute weed control farmers can store moisture from summer rains in the soil to aid winter crop production. Large improved wheat seeding machines have been developed allowing the farmer to sow the entire farm within a few days. This reduces risk as wheat growing relies on a small amount of precipitation to ensure sufficient soil moisture for uniform germination. If soil preparation has been thorough, wheat may grow in areas with precipitation as low as12 cm per annum. Distribution of the rain is most important with the critical times (NSW ) being June, August and September. Quick growing wheats or early maturing wheats have been developed which mature in November even when sown in July. The use of such quick growing varieties reduces risk.

The growing season for wheat is increases in the southern parts of NSW and Victoria. In Victoria, the growing season may extend from April to November. Northern wheats are used predominantly in the bread baking industry. Bakers require 11% protein in wheat flour and it has to have special characteristics which will permit the loaf to rise. Biscuit wheat is quite different and is grown in the southern areas of NSW. Biscuits do not rise and therefore, require a low protein wheat.

Two other types of wheat are grown in small quantities specifically for winter grazing and the other for breakfast cereal industry. The latter is high in protein but with a protein lacking the chemical properties necessary for bread making. The classification of wheats is shown below:

DIAGRAM 1 A NUMBER OF HEADERS AND TRUCKS ARE USED IN A COORDINATED EFFORT TO HARVEST THE WHEAT IN LARGE PADDOCKS IN WESTERN NSW. THE AIM IS TO HARVEST AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO SAVE COSTS AND ANY DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS FROM THE WEATHER



DIAGRAM 2 A TYPICAL HEADER, HARVESTING WHEAT. WITH MINOR MODIFICATIONS THE SAME HEADER CAN BE USED TO HARVEST CANOLA




TABLE 1
AUSTRALIA'S WHEAT CLASSIFICATION

CLASS  PRIME  HARD  ASW 

SOFT
DURUM
GENERAL FEED


PURPOSE


HARD





GRADE
Aus Prime  Hard Aus Hard White Aus Standard  Aus Soft  
  
Aus Durum Aus General Purpose Aus Feed
PROTEIN
RANGE: 
 13-15%
#1

#1 #1

11.5-14% 
13%

#2


#2

#2




11-13%

11.5%



REGIONS OF
PRODUCTION:		 Qld NSW Vic* SA
Qld* WA NSW* Vic SA
Qld WA SA NSW  NSW VIC SA WA  NSW SA
Qld NSW Vic WA  Qld SA NSW Vic WA

Source: Australian Wheat Board

The distribution of wheat types is shown in diagram 3. This shows clear regional variations between wheat type with the prime hard wheat being grown almost exclusively in northern NSW and southern Queensland.

DIAGRAM 3 DISTRIBUTION OF WHEAT VARIETIES




See SOILS – WHEAT


DISEASES

RUST: Rust is potentially the most serious disease affecting wheat production in NSW. New rust resistant varieties are being continually used and improved. It is caused by a fungus which like all other successful parasites has the ability to adapt to new hosts.

Fortunately, there are still several varieties of wheat with an inherent resistant to rust. Breeders use these varieties with existing susceptible varieties to obtain a combination of characteristics necessary for economic wheat production. Another fungus attacks the roots of wheat causing "rootrot". A serious epidemic of this disease can be prevented by crop rotation.

Farmers are able to control another fungus disease called "take all" or "stinking smut". This disease is controlled by "pickling" wheat prior to sowing. The seeds of a number of crops are treated with fungacidal dusts before sowing.

WEEDS

Weed build up can cause serious competition with wheat, reducing yields however, most weed problems are reduced using crop rotations. If a farmer chooses to increase the cropping phase rather than the ley phase on a rotation he has to employ strategies to kill the weeds. Several herbicides are available and the farmer has to decide whether the cost of the herbicide is less than the expected marginal return.

See BLACK OATS

See OATS AND BARLEY

See SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER SEED

See LINSEED AND RAPESEED

See CANOLA





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