AUSTRALIAN Grain Technologies (AGT) has moved to develop specifically tailored agronomic packages for WA's premier wheat variety, Mace, to help growers extract maximum production potential and the greatest possible financial returns from the elite wheat.
Mace has become the most widely grown wheat variety in the state.
In fact, following last harvest, it was estimated there has never been more grain produced from a single wheat variety in one year in the history of WA wheat production.
Its rapid adoption has been due to a range of attributes, including broad adaptation, high yielding potential, eligibility for Australian Hard (AH) quality classification, solid disease resistance and lower likelihood of downgrading from pre-harvest sprouting compared with most other varieties.
AGT WA marketing manager Nick Joyce said this meant Mace had quickly become a reliable performer for the state's growers.
However, following discussions with local agronomists, AGT is now looking to push Mace's performance and returns to growers even higher.
The company is developing specifically tailored agronomic packages for Mace in different regions of the state that will help growers further extend the wheat's genetic potential.
This has involved the establishment of a network of field experiments stretching from Esperance in the south through Wickepin, Northam and up to Buntine.
Mr Joyce said the ongoing, multi-environment trials were investigating different sowing rate, nutritional strategy, fungicide application and sowing time interactions and aimed to identify suitable agronomic practices for each region.
"As a result of these wide ranging experiments, we plan to deliver data-backed information to growers on how to best maximise on-farm returns from this elite variety on their properties,'' he said.
He said AGT was often asked "what's next after Mace'' and the company's WA-based breeding program was hoping to launch a new, longer season wheat variety later this year that was also being evaluated against Mace in this season's trials.
The AH, Mace type variety, which incorporates Mace as one of its parents and is currently referred to as WAGT328, is targeted at providing growers with another tool to complement Mace by helping improve their risk management.
It has shown lower screenings and improved sprouting tolerance compared with other varieties.
Mr Joyce said Corack, another newer AGT wheat variety with similar paren tage to Mace, also had proven to be highly competitive to Mace in terms of financial returns.
Growers have been urged to take a look at the AGT trials, including at the Liebe Group and Facey Group sites, during the round of spring field days.
For further information, growers can contact Nick Joyce on 0488 303 070.
