• Our Research
    • Research Strategy
    • Research Sites
    • Current Research Projects
    • Research Results
    • Research Collaborations
    • Research Resources
    • Seed Industry Research Centre
    Current Research
    Current Research
    Research Results
    Research Results
  • Resources
    • Biosecurity
    • Crop Action
    • Nutrient Management
    • Maize
    • Templates and Calculators
    • Cereals
    • Weeds
    • Pests
    • Seeds
    • Diseases
    • News
    • Environment
    • Soil
    • Schools
    Podcast
    Podcast
    Environment and Compliance
    Environment and Compliance
  • Levies & Returns
    • Arable Crops Levy
    • Maize Levy
    • Cereal Silage Levy
    • Farmer Annual Return Form
    • Wholesaler Annual Return Form
    Levies
    Levies
    Annual Returns
    Annual Returns
  • Events
  • News
  • About Us
    • Governance and growers
    • Business Strategy
    • Our People
    • Careers
    • Growers Leading Change
    • Women in Arable
    • Arable Ys
    • Arable Kids
    • Arable Research Groups (ARGs)
    • New Zealand Grown Grains
    Our People
    Our People
    Growers Leading Change
    Growers Leading Change
  • Ask FAR AI
  • Weather
  • Log In
Ask FAR AI
Weather
Log In
  • Homepage
  • Resources
  • No 68 Crop Sequences Effect Of Break Crops On Following Wheat Profitability

No. 68 Crop sequences - effect of break crops on following wheat profitability

Feature placeholder

Key Points

  • The Crop Sequence project was set up to examine the influence of five spring sown break crops on the performance of following wheat crops. Arable Extra No.72 carried the yield data from the trial.
  • The five break crops produced large differences in the gross margins of the two following wheat crops.
  • Take-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt)) was implicated in a number of the yield differences and as a consequence second wheat margins were considerably lower than first wheat margins.
  • First wheat, following spring sown barley and ryegrass (no clover content), gave inferior gross margins to first wheat established after brassica seed crops, linseed and peas.
  • There was evidence that whilst the first wheat margin following short term ryegrass (2 years) was inferior, second wheat margins following ryegrass were often superior to arable break crops, such as peas.
  • Overall, this tended to even up the 2 year margins for wheat following short term grass compared to wheats following brassica or peas. However, the loss in the productivity of the first wheat (after grass) tended to have a greater influence on overall two year margins than the gain in the second wheat.
  • Since many growers would not consider second wheat production, the slightly lower productivity of first wheat following short term grass could be a significant fact emerging from the trial.
  • Spring sown barley did not constitute an effective break crop, giving rise to significantly lower gross margins in following wheat crops.
  • Soil quality measurements revealed that whilst the five spring crops produced small differences in soil quality, these differences were not carried over to subsequent years (through the following two wheat).

Click here to view PDF...

Related Resources

19 October 2025

H81 Managing small broomrape in clover

This Arable Update describes the biology of small broomrape and initial data on control options including herbicides and their application timing.

Read more
19 October 2025

H80 Irrigation management for perennial ryegrass seed crops

This Herbage Update summarises three seasons of irrigation experiments investigating yield penalties from early versus late-season drought and identifying mechanisms to guide irrigation strategies for improved water-use efficiency.

Read more
19 October 2025

FAR Technical Report Issue 2 - Moisture Monitoring Project 2024/25

This report outlines findings from the moisture probe trial including the performance of each of the systems tested in Year 2 (2024-25) and outlines key points to consider when choosing a moisture monitoring system based on findings from both year’s work.

Read more
19 October 2025

Crop Action: Issue 19, 2025

Crop Action keeps you up to date with arable crop development and actions right across New Zealand.

Read more
19 October 2025

Cereals Update 235: Managing SDHIs for prolonged performance in autumn sown wheat

This Arable Update outlines practical strategies for using SDHIs effectively in the field while protecting their long-term efficacy.

Read more
19 October 2025

Cereals update 234: Managing Septoria: Latest results on SDHI performance

This Update outlines the latest results on how Zymoseptoria tritici (Zt), the fungus that causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), is responding to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI - Group 3) fungicides in New Zealand wheat crops.

Read more
19 October 2025

Cereals update 233: Managing triazoles for prolonged performance in autumn sown wheat

This Arable Update illustrates how alternating and mixing Modes of Actions and active ingredients can help sustain disease control, protect yield, and deliver financial returns.

Read more
19 October 2025

Cereals update 232: Managing Septoria: Latest results on triazole performance

This Update outlines the latest results on how Zymoseptoria tritici (Zt), the fungus that causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), is responding to triazole fungicides in New Zealand wheat crops.

Read more
19 October 2025

Farm-saved seed royalty system

Farmers who save and replant legally protected cereal varieties can voluntarily declare their usage and pay a breeder royalty. The declaration system applies to all farm saved seed barley, and to farmer saved wheat if the resultant wheat crop does not pass through an end-point royalty collection agent. 

Read more
19 October 2025

Crop Action: Issue 18, 2025

Crop Action keeps you up to date with arable crop development and actions right across New Zealand.

Read more

Ask FAR AI

Ask FAR is a new way to get information from the FAR website. Just ‘Ask FAR’ a question and you’ll get a quick, accurate response based on FAR research and resources. Ask FAR also provides links to the original documents for more information. It’s quick, easy and reliable. Ask FAR now!

Start Chatting
  • Research
  • Levies and Returns
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Schools
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

©2022 Foundation for Arable Research