Take advantage of early rains with early sowing

With decreasing late autumn rain, growers can take advantage of early autumn falls by sowing winter wheats and slow-maturing spring wheats.

Key points:

• Early autumn rainfall is providing an opportunity to establish crops earlier than currently practised.
• ––Winter wheats can be sown from late summer to late April, depending on seasonal conditions.
• Trials have shown that early-sown crops can have the same or better yields compared with mid-maturing fast wheats sown from late April onward.
• ––Early-sown crops can provide a grazing opportunity without significant yield penalty.
• ––Winter wheats have a vernalisation requirement, which means they need low temperatures to develop beyond tillering. This results in consistent flowering time, even when sown very early.

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Region South

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