Australia
August, 2006
Source:
CSIRO
Plant Industry e-newsletter issue 14, winter 2006
Dual
purpose canola in the mix
Research conducted in Canberra by
Dr John Kirkegaard has shown that canola has excellent potential
as a grain and graze dual purpose crop.
The study looked at both winter
and long-season spring canola varieties with good blackleg
resistance in the high rainfall zone near Canberra ACT during
2004 and 2005. In both years of the trial canola produced good
feed and recovered to produce a respectable grain yield, even
after extensive winter grazing.
Dr Kirkegaard has received
funding from the Grains
Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to conduct more
extensive investigations.
The new three year project will
evaluate a wider range of varieties, grazing management,
trade-offs between grazing and grain yield and other potential
risks or benefits of the concept in mixed farming enterprises.
The study will consider medium rainfall areas, as well as the
proven longer season higher rainfall growing areas.
Dr Kirkegaard is currently
gathering and reviewing existing information about grazing
canola and compiling suitable varieties for testing in 2007 and
2008.
He is looking for information
from anyone who has experience or opinions (good or bad)
regarding grazing canola, including farmers, seed companies,
agronomists or plant breeders.
The project will collaborate with
other projects in high rainfall areas, such as Victoria 's
Western Districts, and with existing Grain and Graze programs.
If you have had experiences with
grazing canola, please contact Dr John Kirkegaard: 02 6246 5080,
John.Kirkegaard@csiro.au.
Full article in PDF format:
http://www.pi.csiro.au/enewsletter/PDF/PI_info_DualPurposeCanola.pdf
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