Early-sowing wheat in Victoria

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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GRDC Project Code CSP00178, CSP00160

Region South

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