Gippsland - How Now Gippy Now - July 2010 Edition
Crops for variable seasons
Frank Mickan
Pasture and Fodder Conservation Specialist
DPI Ellinbank Centre
Having a pretty good year in most of Gippsland to date, aren’t we? Will it last? By the time you read this article, we’ll be well into winter. Has the winter turned wet and nasty as it did in early spring last year, or has it remained warmer and drier than long term average resulting in relatively good pasture growth.
Even so, there are still the traditional drier parts of Gippsland such as the fringes of the Maffra irrigation region, Yarram and Bairnsdale which is still looking for decent falls of rain. If they have received them by now, they will probably be looking for more in mid to late spring and early summer. They rarely see good summer rainfalls. This situation has become worse over recent years.
Figure 1 shows the five year rolling average for rainfall in the Yarram area since before we were all born to 2008. Averaging over the five years takes out the variability from year to year and reflects more accurately what has actually happened over time. This graph tells the story and is similar for the areas mentioned above.
Understandably, ryegrass pastures have taken a beating and so Frank Mickan and Greg’O’Brien of the DPI Ellinbank Centre have been demonstrating the usefulnees, or otherwise, of a range of crops to support the ryegrass regime I marginal areas. In 2009 demonstration plots were sown on a cropper’s farm at Perry Bridge, a dairy farm run-off block at Flynn, and a contractor’s block just east of Yarram. The aim of these plots was to be a focal point for discussion about which crops may be suitable in these and similar locations as a result of the variable seasonal conditions.
The plots enabled dairy farmers, croppers, extensive graziers, DPI staff and service providers to learn from each other , to have input from the perspective of each other’s enterprises and especially the does and don’ts of growing various crop species. As always, limited resources (money, time labour, equipment, etc.) always results in compromises from the ideal. This meant that we could only look a specific crops (best bets from service providers, DPI and some farmers), sown at a specific time (later than ideal for some crops), and problems with weed/pest control (not always possible when needed).
So what were some of the DOES and DON’Ts.
Do soil test and address soil nutrient issues before or, at the latest, during sowing.
Do apply nitrogen (N) at the appropriate stage, except maybe the first year if using a well fertilised dairy paddock. Usually apply N after the first grazing or mid to late tillering if ensiling only.
Do determine the best time to sow the various legumes and cereals. They have a huge range of varieties within each cereal species covering a wide spread of sowing and maturity dates. This can be very confusing to the cereal-unfamiliar farmer.
Do match the maturity of the cereal and legumes so they are maturing at about the same time. Eg. Urambie barley & Morgan peas, winter wheat & Kaspa peas.
Do reduce the cereal sowing rate in a cereal/legume mix to prevent shading and allow a higher proportion of legume to increase the quality content of the mix, slightly, eg. 35 – 45% cereal to 65 – 55% pea/vetch by weight.
Do match the heights of the cereals to the legume used. Triticale, unless sown in spring, will out outgrow/overshadow all legumes. Winter wheats are much lower in height so can be sown with most legumes.
Do inspect the newly germinating crops regularly for weed ingress and spray at the right growth stage. Oats require some different herbicides at different growth stages for some weeds in its early growth period compared to wheat, triticale and barley.
Do inspect regularly for for slugs, red legged earth mite, lucerne flea and blue oat mites, etc. They can all decimate all young plants very quickly if not picked up early enough and controlled. Watch for “waves” of insect infestations during the autumn.
Do start grazing cereals when the plant is about Growth Stage 23 – 25 (GS23 – 25), ie. main stem + 3 – 5 tillers (Figure 2).
Do harvest cereal/legume mixes as silage at the cereal flag leaf-boot stage. The cereal will have reasonable quality (9.5 – 10.5 Metabolisable Energy and 10 – 14% Crude Protein) at this stage. The pea content may push up the protein values by a further 1 – 3 % but minimal contribution after this stage.
Do expect good yields of cereals and cereal/legume mixes at the vegetative stage (Flag leaf- boot) but of slightly to much lower quality than ryegrass depending on species and variety.
Do expect very high yields of cereals and the mixes at the late milk to soft dough stage but only reasonable to low quality. The shorter the stem and lager the head, better the quality.
Don’t sow clovers in the autumn on their own. Most are too slow growing which allows weeds (you name it, it will be there) to fill in the bare ground. Although grass species may be controlled opost-sowing, many broad-leaved weeds cannot be successfully or cheaply sprayed in these mixes. Some annual clovers such as some earlier maturing persian/shaftal clovers are relatively prolific growers during winter, tending to compete well with most weeds and then take off in early spring to out compete most weeds. However, they also go to head earlier in the season.
Don’t count on growing a cereal/legume mix and expect the legume to lift the quality of the mix, if harvested at the cereal soft dough stage. The legumes will have run their course by then, or at the very least, been out shaded by most cereal types so contributing little to the end product.
Don’t sow cereal/legume (pea, vetch, balansa clover) crops if weed control has not been very well done the previous few months. Grass control is very hard in a cereal mix, and broad-leaved weeds sprays will usually have a deleterious affect on the legume.
Don’t graze cereal/legume (peas, vetches, balansa) mixes. The legumes won’t recover!
Don’t graze cereals past the “start of stem elongation” stage or GS30. This is when the stem starts to elongate and the undeveloped seed head starts to move up the stem. GS31 is when a knuckle or enlarged ring (node) can be felt near the base of the plant (Figure 3). The undeveloped seed head is just above this point and if removed that tiller will die.
Don’t graze cereals when the ground is waterlogged. Production is greatly reduced if soils remain too wet for too long and/or if pugged to any degree.
Don’t be afraid to ask many questions if inexperienced with growing new/different crops to help ensure a success.
Consult your local reputable agronomists for the most suitable species and varieties for what you need for your enterprise. Look under Adaptive Forage Planning on the www.dairyextension.com.au website for full reports on the production and nutritive values of the crops grown at the various sites in 2009. Project 3030 also has much useful information on various crops, especially cereals and cereal/legume mixes on this same website, under 3030.
Greg and I are growing more crops this year at Flynn and Yarram, concentrating on a wider range of legumes (peas, vetches, annual clovers), some cereals and mixes, doubling the sowing rates of some legumes to out compete weeds and several crops sown in spring this year. If you wish to be kept updated on upcoming days or to receive reports by snail mail or if you prefer by email, please contact me on 5624 2259, or preferably email frank.mickan@dpi.vic.gov.au
