Pulse Variety Performance in 2014

Author: | Date: 24 Feb 2015

Key Messages

  • Yield performance of 2 potential new Lupin varieties confirmed the yield gain required to justify their release, depending on other agronomic and seed quality traits considerations
  • Early to mid-season flowering, and early maturing field pea varieties were the highest yielding varieties in the 2014 season
  • Yield performance of Chickpea varieties was adversely affected by the poor seasonal conditions in the eastern Geraldton port zone
  • Adoption of recently released high yielding pulse varieties will reduce production risks for pulse crops in WA across a range of seasons.

Background

The Department of Agriculture and Food regional officers conduct Crop Variety trials throughout WA, reporting the results back to National Variety Trials.

Five chickpea, 11 Field pea and 16 lupin trials were conducted in 2014. This paper reports the results of trials which were statistically sound with low variability.

The 2014 season was highly variable throughout the Western Australian grain belt.

Chickpea

Table 1. Adjusted trial yields in t/ha and expressed as percentage of Site mean

Region/Nearest Town Agzone 2 Wongan Hills Agzone 4 Mullewa NVT long term yield potential
Variety Name Average Yield (t/ha) % Site Mean Average Yield (t/ha) % Site Mean 2009 to 2013
Ambar 0.53 99 0.71 111 1.207
Genesis 079 0.63 116 0.59 92 1.189
Genesis 090 0.38 70 0.37 58 1.089
Genesis 836 0.53 97 0.74 116 1.155
Neelam 0.64 119 0.62 98 1.247
PBA Maiden 0.59 110 0.68 106 1.169
PBA Slasher 0.54 99 0.73 114 1.195
PBA Striker 0.56 104 0.78 122 1.257
Site Mean (t/ha) 0.54 0.64 -
LSD (t/ha) 0.11 0.08 -
CV% 13.92 8.32 -
Sowing date 15 May 2014 12 May 2014 -

Source: Ian Pritchard, DAFWA and NVT

The yields of chickpea in both trials was low, reflecting the below average rainfall recorded at each site. None of the named varieties tested, including unnamed breeding lines, were statistically higher yielding than Genesis 836 in either trial (Genesis 836 has been the ‘standard’ variety in WA since 2005).

No conclusions can be drawn as a consequence. The long term data from NVT, 2009 to 2013, provides a more reliable guide to the relative performance of desi chickpea varieties in WA. This data suggests PBA Striker and Neelam are the varieties with the highest yield potential in WA with ascochyta blight resistance.

Field Pea

Table 2. Adjusted trial yields in t/ha and expressed as percentage of Site mean

The data shows yield performance in 2014 of the named Field Pea varieties.

Region/Nearest Town Agzone1 Mingenew Agzone1 Three Springs Agzone2 Wongan Hills Agzone3 Katanning State average State Rank
Variety Name t/ha % t/ha % t/ha % t/ha % % -
Kaspa 1.13 90 1.78 94 1.54 92 1.92 91 91.4 5
PBA Gunyah 1.41 112 1.98 105 1.68 101 2.08 98 104.6 1
PBA Oura 1.31 104 1.76 93 1.71 103 2.06 98 98.8 2
PBA Percy 1.33 106 1.81 96 1.52 91 2.05 97 99 3
PBA Twilight 1.32 105 2.03 107 1.57 94 1.84 87 96.6 4
PBA Wharton 1.24 99 1.87 99 1.43 86 1.83 87 88.9 6
Site Mean (t/ha) 1.26
 1.89
 1.66
 2.11
 -
CV (%) 9.8
 4.42
 8
 12.77
 -
Probability <0.001
 <0.001
 <0.001
 <0.001
 -
LSD (t/ha) 0.18 14 0.12 6 0.2 12 0.4 19 -

Table 3. Adjusted trial yields in t/ha and expressed as percentage of Site mean

Region/Nearest Town Agzone4 Merredin Agzone5 Grass Patch Agzone5 Scaddan Agzone5 Pingrup State average State Rank
Variety Name t/ha % t/ha % t/ha % t/ha % %
Kaspa  0.63 74 1.6 94 2.1 91 2.08 105 91.4 5
PBA Gunyah 0.95 112 1.68 98 2.38 102 2.15 109 104.6 1
PBA Oura 0.78 92 1.64 96 2.5 108 1.91 96 98.8 2
PBA Percy 0.83 98 1.36 80 2.71 117 2.13 107 99 3
PBA Twilight 0.89 105 1.61 94 1.96 84 1.93 97 96.6 4
PBA Wharton 0.82 97 1.57 92 1.51 65 1.7 86 88.9 6
Site Mean (t/ha) 0.85
 1.71
 2.32
 1.98
 -
CV (%) 9.43
 8.79
 10.51
 7.71
 -
Probability <0.001
 <0.001
 <0.001
 <0.001
 -
LSD (t/ha) 0.12 14 0.23 13 0.35 15 0.23 12 -

Source: Ian Pritchard and NVT

PBA Gunyah was the highest yielding named variety. PBA Gunyah’s early to mid maturity enables it adapt well to a range of seasonal conditions.

PBA Wharton, released in 2013 for its resistance to PSbMV, showed inferior yields in all trials. Like Kaspa, its longer maturity isn’t suited to a below average rainfall season.

PBA Oura, a ‘erect’ dun type and PBA Percy, a ‘conventional’ dun type, generally performed better than PBA Twilight but not at a statistically significant level. PBA Oura and PBA Percy, being dun type field peas, cannot be co-mingled with the ‘kaspa’ type field peas - Kaspa, PBA Gunyah, PBA Twilight and PBA Wharton.

At the Katanning and Grass Patch sites, unnamed breeding lines out yielded all of the named varieties, indicating that the Pulse Breeding Australia field pea breeding program holds promise of improved varieties into the future.

Lupin

Lupin trial yields in 2014 were similar to long term trial average yields for all Lupin Zones in 2014, with the exception of Zones 3 and 7 where rainfall and Lupin yields were well below average. Statistically significant differences were recorded in 11 out of 16 Lupin trials in 2014. The average yield results for trials within each Lupin Zone is shown below. (For an explanation of Lupin Zones in WA, which differ from Agzones, see figure 1.13, page 18 of ‘Producing Lupins’- DAFWA Bulletin 4720.)

  • Barlock and Gunyidi were higher yielding than Mandelup in most Lupin Zones.
  • Barlock, which has similar resistance to Anthracnose as Tanjil, was significantly higher yielding than Tanjil in Lupin Zone 1.
  • Advanced line WALAN2385 showed significant yield improvement in 5 out of the 8 Lupin Zones, similar to the results from previous seasons.
  • Advanced line WALAN2428 is a high protein lupin, higher than Coromup, and showed higher yield potential than Coromup in all Lupins zones except Zone 7.

Table 4.

2014 Lupin variety yields - Adjusted trial yields expressed as % of the site mean
Lupin Zone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Overall
Coromup 81 90 87 73 88 85 89 69 84
Danja 81 98 80 77 84 81 91 73 85
Jenabillup 102 94 98 95 101 96 98 100 98
Mandelup 90 106 106 96 99 100 99 118 100
PBA Barlock 110 105 88 108 102 106 110 91 105
PBA Gunyidi 97 104 101 107 103 105 101 102 102
Tanjil 95 99 85 88 91 94 96 92 94
WALAN2385 102 99 106 109 112 107 112 110 107
WALAN2428 90 102 97 92 91 96 88 91 93
Site mean 2.73 1.91 1.24 2.5 1.91 3.08 0.73 2.67 1.96

The 2014 results, along with long term analysis, show clear advantages for either or both the recently released lupin varieties PBA Barlock and PBA Gunyidi within Lupin zones 1, 4, 6 and 7.

Jenabillup yields were below Mandelup in 2014. Jenabillup has resistance to Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus (BYMV) and the average rainfall in 2014 was not conducive to the development of this disease in southern and south east districts. However, in a paddock at Boyup Brook, Jenabillup outyielded PBA Barlock by 300 kg/ha with BYMV having a strong impact on both varieties.

Potential Lupin Variety Releases

The advanced line WALAN2385, from the DAFWA-PBA lupin breeding program, continues to show significant yield advantages in a wide range of environments over all the existing named lupin varieties in WA.

The advanced line WALAN2428 has around 1.5% higher protein content than Coromup. It showed a yield advantage over Coromup in 2014 in all zones, but especially zones 1, 2 and 3 where Coromup is a favoured variety for the Lupin Food and Premium Feed industry.

Conclusion

Pulse production in Western Australia was about average in 2014 with the exception of chickpea which was poor. In the eastern districts of the Geraldton and Kwinana port zones, yields were poor. The Esperance region was about average despite a dry winter. For the west coast and southern regions, yields were above to well above average.

Variety performance of lupin and field pea varieties was mostly in line with previous years data, and industry expectations. Recently released varieties were generally the highest yielding varieties, demonstrating their genetic gain in yield performance and regional adaptation. Industry and growers should use these results with confidence to select high yielding and robust pulse varieties.