Bibra Lake, Western Australia, USA
December 13, 2012
With the seat on his header still warm from harvesting 30 hectares of Emu Rock, the new InterGrain short season AH wheat variety, Mallala, South Australia grain grower Richard Verner began planning a bigger planting in 2013.
Emu Rock was the fourth variety he sowed this year, in the last week of May.
Although later than ideal, it was sown into good moisture to reduce risk at the time.
When he harvested it on the weekend of November 24 & 25, reaping a yield of 2.2 tonnes per hectare, screenings of two per cent, protein of 14 per cent and a test weight of about 80 kg/hl, putting it into H1 grade, he was pleased that it had done its job in a short season.
And that’s what he expects of every variety, but may not always get it.
“It was planted into a paddock that ran out of moisture, so, to perform under that sort of stress and still come through, means Emu Rock should have a good future,” Mr Verner said.
“Emu Rock’s large grain size was definitely an advantage in such a tight season as we experienced in 2012 and it just looked good all growing season.
“Kukri, an Emu Rock parent, always did well for us here at Mallala and because it’s one of Emu Rock’s parents, I was keen to see the new generation perform.
“By combining the right genes with the right agronomics, you shouldn’t miss out,” he said.
Mr Verner crops 1300 hectares of his 1700 hectare mixed farm.
On the disease front, Emu Rock provides an adequate package, offering growers suitable stripe rust resistance (MR-MS rating), with its resistance based on a number of genes.
Emu Rock also offers a useful level of Crown Rot resistance (MS-S), similar to Kukri. A Crown Rot resistance rating of MS-S is considered among the highest of commercially available varieties. While this level of resistance does not solve any Crown Rot problems, it certainly provides better resistance than other VS varieties.
In SA, Emu Rock is an alternative choice to Gladius, Correll, Axe, Lincoln, Scout and Wyalkatchem and is an excellent variety option to complement the mid to longer season varieties in a grower’s program.
InterGrain Marketing Manager, Ash Brooks, was pleased to report that there was anecdotal evidence that Emu Rock was consistently achieving good protein levels, potentially improving the likelihood of it meeting AH grade requirements at receival.
“With InterGrain breeders, Robin Wilson and Chris Moore and their team bringing together high performing parents Westonia, Kukri, Perenjori and Ajana, Emu Rock has very robust genetics, complemented by a comprehensive agronomic package, which will make it very appealing to wheat growers when they’re making informed sowing choices,” she said.
Emu Rock seed is available for purchase from registered InterGrain seed members or your local reseller. For more information, please contact InterGrain, Tel 08 9419 8000 or visit the website www.intergrain.com
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