Michael Moodie

Comparing break crop performance of break crops in the Mallee

Project Aim: To improve our understanding of break crop productivity and profitability across seasons and soil types in the Mallee

First year of a three year project funded by SAGIT

Sites located at Waikerie and Loxton in the SA Mallee

Two trials located at each site: heavy and a light soil

Nine break crop options tested side by side

Agronomy optimised for each treatment

About the trial

Treatments

Crop Variety Target plants per m2

Seeding rate (kg/ha)

Field Pea PBA Wharton 45 90Vetch Rasina 60 40

Narrow‐leaved Lupin PBA Barlock 50 90Albus Lupin Luxor 35 120Faba Bean PBA Samira 20 140

Lentil PBA Hurricane 120 50Desi Chickpea PBA Striker 45 100Kabuli Chickpea Genesis 090 35 120

Canola Stingray 40 2.5

Sowing dates: Loxton 28th April; Waikerie 1st May

Loxton Site

Deep yellow sand Red loam flat

Waikerie Site

Red sandy loam Shallow – limestone flat

Seasonal Conditions

Site Days<0oC Days>30oC Days>35oCLoxton Flat 12 17 9Loxton Sand 3 15 5Waikerie Flat 9 16 8Waikerie Sand 4 14 5

Loxton: Total 193 mm GSR: 133 mm

Waikerie: Total 220 mm GSR: 145 mm

40 mm of April rainfall at each site allowed for timely sowing and excellent establishment

Biomass: Loxton

Loxton Flat Loxton Sand

00.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

Dry Matter (t/ha

)

00.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

Dry Matter (t/ha

)

Biomass: Waikerie

Waikerie Flat Waikerie Sand

00.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

Dry Matter (t/ha

)

00.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

Dry Matter (t/ha

)

Biomass production for each crop was relatively consistent between sites

All crop options except for albus lupin and kabuli chickpea averaged greater than 2 t/ha of biomass

Field pea averaged 3.1 t/ha with no less than 2.7 t/ha

Vetch dry matter production suffered greatest on the limestone flat

Lupin biomass was higher than average on the deep sand but was still less than vetch and field pea

Biomass – key points

Grain yield: Loxton

Loxton Flat Loxton Sand

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Grain yield (t/ha)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Grain yield (t/ha)

Grain yield: Waikerie

Waikerie Flat Waikerie Sand

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Grain Yield (t/ha)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Grain yield (t/ha)

Earlier maturing crops such as lentils, field pea, vetch and faba bean produced the best grain yields in a season with several heat events during October

Lentils had the most consistent and highest average grain yields (0.73 t/ha)

Field pea had the highest grain yield at any site (1.2 t/ha Waikerie sand) but yields were inconsistent due to frost on lower lying flats

Lupins and chickpeas averaged 0.5 t/ha or less in 2015

Grain yield – key points

Grain Prices

Crop Price ($/t)Field Pea 550Vetch 850

Narrow‐leaved Lupin 380Albus Lupin 380Faba Bean 560

Lentil 1340Desi Chickpea 950Kabuli Chickpea 1050

Canola 530

Gross Margins - 2015

‐200

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Albus Lupin NarrowLupin

Canola KabuliChickpea

Faba Bean DesiChickpea

Field Pea Vetch Lentil

Gross M

argin ($/ha)

Loxton Flat Loxton Sand Waikerie Flat Waikerie Sand Overall

Sandy loam– 2013-2015Yield (t/ha) Gross margins ($/ha)

Price ($/t, 5‐year av)

High Low Ave High Low Ave

Field pea  323 1.9 1.2 1.5 393 187 273Chickpea (kabuli)  529 1.5 0.5 1.0 510 31 259Chickpea (desi)  450 1.6 0.8 1.1 452 153 259Lentil# 628 1.5 0.9 1.2 688 364 526Faba bean 414 1.4 0.5 0.8 415 76 192Lupin (narrow) 265 1.1 0.5 0.9 125 ‐3 77Lupin (albus) 265 0.9 0.3 0.6 62 ‐65 ‐3

Growing season rainfall: 130 – 145 mm; + stored moisture in 2 Years; All trials sown 1st week of may

Questions