Current and new Barley varieties for the Mallee
Stewart Coventry and Jason Eglinton, the University of Adelaide Barley Program.
Peer review: Simon Craig, consultant
Why was the trial undertaken?
The NVT trial system is designed to benchmark the performance of new
varieties nearing commercialisation against existing varieties. The
varieties commonly grown in a region form the basis for comparison
and extension of information to growers and advisers. Here we present
the NVT yield and retention data for the SA and Victorian Mallee for the
current feed and malting varieties and two new varieties suited to the Mallee undergoing malting
accreditation: Compass and LaTrobe. These new varieties have up to 10% yield advantage and
improved grain size over existing varieties that will ensure improved gross margins for barley in the
Mallee.
How was the trial?
Barley NVT trial data (http://www.nvtonline.com.au) from the SA and Victorian Mallee was
interrogated for yield and retention from 2014 and longer term data. SA Mallee region sites are Cooke
Plains, Lameroo, and Paruna. Victorian Mallee region sites are Birchip, Hopetoun, Manangatang,
Murrayville, Rainbow, Ultima, and Walpeup.
Key Messages
• Commander and Scope are internationally accepted malting barleys
• Fleet and Fathom are Mallee adapted high yielding feed varieties
• Compass and LaTrobe are the new high yielding potential malting varieties to watch
• 2014 results highlight varietal differences in grain size
Background
The trends in variety adoption over the past few years has seen Hindmarsh, Commander, Fleet and
Buloke establish as the dominant varieties in the Mallee with the recent trend of Scope replacing
Buloke. Hindmarsh production in the SA Mallee has declined due to lack of niche segregations and
high yielding feed varieties such as Fleet and Fathom having other agronomic benefits (tolerance to
fungicide amended seed treatments, pre-emergent herbicides, weeds, and deep sowing). The Viterra
segregation plan for the SA Mallee is Commander and Scope segregations going forward, and limited
Hindmarsh and Buloke segregations. The GrainCorp segregation plan is for Hindmarsh and Scope with
the addition of Commander from Ouyen South. Commander, Scope, and Hindmarsh will be the
preferred segregated varieties in the Mallee. The premium paid for Hindmarsh above feed 1 will be
dependent on supply and demand. Commander has both domestic and international market
acceptance, attracting a malt premium. Commander is the current benchmark malting barley
combining high yield and large grain size to achieving the highest frequency of malt 1 at receival. Scope
has application as a management tool for paddocks with high weed burden or suspected
imidazolinone. Although Scope is an imi-tolerant version of Buloke it cannot be co-binned as the
malting barley industry purchases varieties based on their purity.
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About the trials
In the SA and Victorian Mallee the 2014 site yield averages were 2.42t/ha and 2.33t/ha (Table 1),
equivalent to 2013. Yet the individual yield results show a maturity interaction with the mid-late
maturity varieties penalised 5-10% yield in 2014 and early maturity varieties having no change or a
relative increase. The new varieties Compass and LaTrobe are early maturing varieties that had a
relative increase. Also the retention values were down on average 6% in 2014. This reflects in-season
rainfall was less in 2014 favouring early maturity, and additional contributing factors such as frost will
lead to yearly genotype variation. Winter conditions were favourable for development of spot form
of net blotch which was the prevalent disease on Hindmarsh, Buoke and Scope in the Mallee. Although
the 2014 yield and retention results reflect the general variety rankings, the long term regional mean
(2005-2014 in Table 1) is most relevant to the expected performance of a variety. In 2014 for example
Commander was lower yielding than expected in the SA Mallee and its long term mean is a more
accurate reflection of its performance.
Results
Among the feed varieties Fathom and Fleet have the best long term performance for yield and
retention. In 2014 Keel was the highest yielding feed variety where its very early maturity was an
advantage under very dry spring conditions. Hindmarsh was also a top performer and has a proven
track record in reliably meeting Feed1 screenings levels, but consideration of its retention values in
comparison to other malting options (Table 1) is needed if marketing it beyond this category. Of the
malting varieties, the long term data shows Commander has been yielding highest in the SA Mallee,
and second to Hindmarsh in the Victorian Mallee, and up to 5% higher than Scope. In areas with heavy
pressure on grain size, the plumpness values for Hindmarsh and Scope are generally lower than
Commander. The better retention of Commander over these other options means it is more often
above the 70% retention limit for malt1.
Of the next generation of barley varieties undergoing malting accreditation (Table 1), Compass and
LaTrobe are most relevant to the Mallee. Compass has produced consistent and very high yields in all
districts, with a long term yield of 5% above Hindmarsh in the SA and Victorian Mallee. Combined with
this it has very plump grain with the highest 2014 retention values of all lines described in Table 1.
This represents the next step change in yield combined with grain size. Compass has good resistance
to CCN, spot and net form of net blotch, powdery mildew and root lesion nematode, but is susceptible
to some strains of leaf rust. It produces very plump grain with good retention and low screenings but
moderate test weight like Commander and susceptibility to black point like Buloke and Schooner.
Latrobe performed well across all regions in 2014 showing yields generally similar or slightly higher
than Hindmarsh. LaTrobe is derived from Hindmarsh with similar wide adaptation but like Hindmarsh
may be less suited to sandy Mallee soils. LaTrobe has a similar disease resistance profile as Hindmarsh
but is more resistant to root lesion nematode and more susceptible to leaf rust. LaTrobe has good test
weight and moderate retentions.
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Table 1 Barley NVT data of long term (2005-2014) and 2014 SA and Victorian Mallee yield expressed
as a % of the regional^ mean, and 2014 retention values. % values in parenthesis () is the % change
from 2013. Values in bold underline are for varieties that have the highest grain yield or retention.
Data is available at http://www.nvtonline.com.au
FEED
Fathom
Fleet
Keel
Oxford
MALTING / FOOD
Bass
Buloke
Commander
GrangeR
Hindmarsh
Schooner
Scope
UNDERGOING
ACCREDITATION
Compass
La Trobe
Skipper
Regional Mean
Yield (t/ha)
20052014
Grain
Yield
SA Mallee
2014 Grain
Yield (%
change
from 2013)
2014
Retention
112
112
103
104
104 (+4%)
96 (-16%)
109 (-1%)
88 (-11%)
84
77
80
61
116
111
112
100
106 (-5%)
96 (-9%)
108 (0%)
81 (-11%)
90
85
81
58
101
104
109
105
106
91
104
90 (+3%)
94 (-2%)
89 (-15%)
89 (-12%)
104 (0%)
83 (-1%)
95 (-4%)
86
61
83
73
74
68
68
104
105
108
102
114
95
103
91 (-8%)
90 (-13%)
91 (-10%)
88 (-6%)
113 (+6%)
90 (-3%)
90 (-11%)
88
62
83
64
71
65
66
117
108
106
123 (+8%)
110 (+8%)
115 (+11%)
89
79
86
121
115
113
122 (+9%)
113 (+5%)
109 (+10%)
90
71
86
2.16
2.42
2.46
2.33
20052014
Grain
Yield
Victorian Mallee
2014 Grain
2014
Yield (%
Retention
change from
2013)
Compass was bred by the University of Adelaide and seed is available through Seednet. LaTrobe was
bred by Intergrain Pty. Ltd and seed is available through Syngenta Australia. ^SA Mallee region sites
are Cooke Plains, Lameroo, and Paruna. Victorian Mallee region sites are Birchip, Hopetoun,
Manangatang, Murrayville, Rainbow, Ultima, and Walpeup.
Implications for commercial practice
Hindmarsh, Fathom, and Fleet are high yielding feed varieties with different agronomic features.
Fathom has the highest retention, early vigour and weed competitiveness. Commander and Scope will
offer the widest marketing opportunities because of established domestic and international demand,
and will have the most segregations and attract the highest premiums. The new varieties have a 10%
yield advantage on these existing malting varieties, which are expected to be replaced in the next few
years. LaTrobe is expected to have malt accreditation in 2015 and Compass in 2016. There is retail
seed availability for LaTrobe and Compass in 2015 to be delivered as feed until malt accredited. It
should be noted that there will be some lag between the year a variety is malt
accredited and when variety segregations and premiums are offered since domestic
and international market development and acceptance are needed.
Acknowledgements
GRDC fund the NVT trial network
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