Key Points
- Two trials were established in late spring in the Manawatu looking at sowing rates of Otane wheat and Dash barley.
- The highest plant populations (300/m2 for Otane, 275/m2 for Dash) resulted in the highest yields.
- As Arable Update Cereals No.134 showed, wheat sown earlier in the spring has a better opportunity to develop roots and tillers to achieve high yields. Later sown crops need a higher population to compensate for the poorer root structure and reduced tillering ability.
- As there was little disease pressure and no lodging, due to the drier than average conditions, the higher populations did not suffer the stresses that may have occurred in a wetter season.