Lifting yields from 5t/ha to 8t/ha … or more

Growing irrigated wheat in southern New South Wales and northern Victoria is more than simply adding water to dryland varieties. Higher yields require increased monitoring and correct management practices to avoid yield penalties.

Key points

• –Growing 8t/ha of irrigated wheat requires more monitoring and management than 5t/ha.

• ––Variety selection is integral to success for high grain yield potential and need for irrigation adaption.

• ––Nitrogen supply at sowing should be 100-120kg N/ha, including the amount already in the soil and amount to be applied.

• ––To avoid lodging, avoid shoot numbers exceeding 800/m2 at the first node stage (growth stage 31) through precise seed rate calculation and placement. Use varieties with a lodging rating closer to 1 than 9.

• –Maintain three green leaves per shoot at flowering through use of nitrogen topdressing, timely irrigations, foliar fungicides for stripe rust and other diseases.

• ––Use a layout which allows irrigation and drainage in less than 12 hours.

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Region South, North

• 4.71 mbGRDC FS Irrigated Wheat Murrumbidgee HR
• 497.79 kbGRDC FS Irrigated Wheat Murrumbidgee LR