Bibra Lake, Western Australia
October 25, 2012
Western Australian and South Australian wheat growers, especially those farming medium to lower rainfall country, are acutely aware that profitable wheat growing is all about managing risk, adapting to seasonal demands and selecting and planting the right variety at the right time.
This is where InterGrain’s new high yielding, short season, Australian Hard variety, Emu Rock, comes into its own, relishing the medium to low yield environments so common in both states.
According to InterGrain wheat breeder Chris Moore (photo), growers should consider Emu Rock as an opportunity to diversify their wheat variety portfolio for effective disease and risk management.
“On the risk management front, Emu Rock has a great fit when growers are getting towards the end of their programs, as it has a lower tendency to produce screenings because of its large grain size.
“There’s also been some anecdotal reports that Emu Rock is consistently achieving good protein levels, potentially improving its chances of meeting AH grade requirements at receival,” Dr Moore said.
On the disease front, Emu Rock boasts a good disease package, offering growers Stripe Rust resistance diversity (MR-MS rating).
“As its resistance is based on a number of genes, rather than just one, if the eastern states pathotype Yr17 was to hit WA then Emu Rock would still provide a strong level of resistance, compared with other single gene varieties, such as Mace”.
“On another disease front, Emu Rock offers a useful level of Crown Rot resistance (MS-S), similar to one of its parents, Kukri,” Dr Moore said.
A crown rot resistance rating of MS-S is considered among the highest of commercially available varieties.
Dr Moore noted that although this level of resistance would not solve any Crown Rot problems, it would provide better resistance than other VS varieties.
Of intermediate height, Emu Rock has a medium coleoptile and is slightly taller than Wyalkatchem, but shorter than Mace.
Dr Moore recommended that growers carefully consider sowing rates with Emu Rock, due to its large grain size: “It is important to ensure you achieve the appropriate plant density to maximise yield potential.”
InterGrain Marketing Manager, Ash Brooks, described Emu Rock as the latest addition to InterGrain’s extensive range of purpose-bred wheats.
“With InterGrain breeders, Robin Wilson and Chris Moore and their team bringing together high performing parents Westonia, Kukri, Perenjori and Ajana, Emu Rock has the robustness of genetic background, teamed with a comprehensive agronomic package, to ensure it takes its rightful place at the table when growers are making informed sowing choices,” she said.
InterGrain is a leading Australian cereal breeding business, with highly successful breeding programs that target Australia’s major cereal growing areas. InterGrain varieties occupy a significant proportion of the area sown to cereals in Australia. InterGrain Pty Ltd was established in October 2007 by the State Government of Western Australia and the Grains Research and Development Corporation, transferring the cereal breeding activities of the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia from a government based operation into a commercial company structure. Monsanto joined InterGrain as an additional shareholder in August 2010 with the purchase of a 19.9% equity share.
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