The FAR cultivar evaluation booklet is now in its sixth season and continues to provide quality usable information for growers. The collation of cultivar information in an easily accessible and readable independent document is viewed by many as a valuable management tool.
The 2007/2008 season was generally better than average for crop performance. However yields were back in Southland and in some dryland locations in Canterbury as a result of hot and dry summer conditions.
There were three new feed wheat cultivars this season; Gladiator, Richmond and Robigus. However of the newer cultivars Einstein and Phoenix are still the top performers. The new feed barley cultivar Oxbridge has performed well. Quench in its second year has also performed well.
The autumn sown feed wheat trials at the FAR Arable Site were abandoned due to grass grub damage causing too much variability in plant growth, even with frequent applications of Diazinon. Stripe rust was again observed more readily in some established cultivars. Aphid spread BYDV was observed at low levels this season.
Following on from a request to explain the basis for calculating grain protein content from nitrogen content, a section has been added to the glossary. Some end users of feed wheat use a higher factor for feed wheat compared with milling wheat. However the conversion factor used is displayed on each table stating protein contents.
The Cereal Performance Trials (CPT) was again a cooperative effort between FAR, several of the major seed companies and the Flour Millers Association. FAR manages CPT2 which is the second stage of cultivar testing where the commercial (and a few pre-commercial) cultivars are evaluated. CPT1 is a collaboration between the seed companies for testing advanced breeders material from which the most favourable cultivars progress into CPT2.
Last season there was a section in the booklet describing the Feed Manufacturers Association involvement in CPT. There is an update on the progress of the research on the feed characteristics of cereals in this edition.
Although FAR endeavors to mail the Cultivar Booklet as early as possible, FAR is reliant upon all the trials being harvested prior to having the necessary data to publish. FAR has therefore published a series of Harvest Snippets as the results have become available; these can be downloaded at https://www.far.org.nz/resources/publications/updates
FAR welcomes any queries or suggestions to further improve these booklets, or if you require any additional information that we have not included please contact us.
Best of luck with the coming season!
The FAR team.