CSIRO Dual Purpose Trial

This trial was designed and conducted by CSIRO and was looking at the grain and graze potential of both cereals and canola at two different sowing dates (ie. early and late sowing).  The trial compared 10 different cereal and canola varieties (incl hybrids) and was sown in 2010 at “Delegate Station”, Delegate.  The plots were grazed periodically prior to flowering / maturation and yields harvested.  The trial aimed to demonstrate the grazing potential of these dual-purpose crops in specific windows during the growing period which can be combined with a harvestable yield potential.

The trial demonstrated that time of sowing did have an impact on yield and GM (gross margins) for the cereals however overall there was little yield differences between the early and late sowing varieties with the canola.
The attached results summary shows the gross margins per ha and $ per ha for grain ad grazing for all the cereal and canola varieties analysed.

A second trial was conducted in 2011 at the same site, looking specifically at disease control in winter type varieties of cereal and canola.  One sowing date was used (early April).  Several different “in-crop” disease treatments were trialled, including a boron spray, seed treated insecticides and fungicides.  Please see attached results summary for more details.

Project Leader: John Kirkegaard, CSIRO
Project Funder: GRDC
Project Collaborators: MFS, Agritech, John and Peter Jeffreys