Australia
November 1, 2012
Victorian and Southern New South Wales wheat growers, especially those farming medium to lower rainfall country, know 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 (AH) variety, Emu Rock, available in eastern Australia for the first time in 2013, comes into its own, performing at its best in medium to low yield environments.
According to InterGrain wheat breeder Robin Wilson, 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, it has a great fit when growers get towards the end of their programs, as it has a lower tendency to produce screenings because of its large grain size.
“There’s also anecdotal reports that Emu Rock is consistently achieving good protein levels, potentially improving the likelihood of it meeting AH grade requirements at receival,” Mr Wilson said.
On the disease front, Emu Rock boasts an adequate disease package, offering growers suitable Stripe Rust resistance (MR-MS rating), with its resistance based on a number of genes.
On another disease front, Emu Rock offers a useful level of Crown Rot resistance (MS-S), similar to one of its parents, Kukri. A Crown Rot resistance rating of MS-S is considered among the highest of commercially available varieties.
Mr Wilson 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 shorter than H45 and Gladius.
In southern NSW, Emu Rock is an alternative variety choice to H45, Lincoln, Livingston, Crusader, Ventura and Spitfire.
In Victoria, Emu Rock is an alternative choice to Gladius, Correll, Axe, Lincoln and Young.
Mr Wilson 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.