CENTRAL Queensland irrigators are invited to attend an Irrigated Wheat research and development update to hear how regional trials using delayed nitrogen application and quick maturing varieties can reduce lodging and increase yield.

Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) development extension officer Lance Pendergast said the findings from last year’s experimental work would be presented on March 1 at an evening meeting at the Mayfair Tavern, Emerald, from 7.15pm to 8.45pm.

To highlight the research progress, Toowoomba-based CSIRO Farming Systems researcher Allan Peake, who leads the Grains Research and Development Corporation-funded “Achievable Yields” project will team with New Zealand research agronomist Nick Poole, coordinator for the GRDC-funded irrigated wheat canopy management project.

Mr Pendergast said a number of the Central region’s 60 specialist irrigation growers from the Central Highlands and the Dawson-Callide have trialled recommended innovative agronomic practices for growing winter and summer grain crops in rotation with cotton.

“Allan Peake’s 2009 experimental work across the northern cropping region showed that by using different plant populations and delaying the application of nitrogen, yield can be increased and the risk of lodging reduced,” Mr Pendergast said.

“Preliminary testing of new treatments trialled at Gatton improved grain yield by as much as 1 tonne per hectare. Lodging was reduced to nearly zero when nitrogen application was delayed in combination with the use of quick maturing wheat varieties.

“Nick Poole has been manipulating cereal crop canopies in the quest for improved yield and higher grain quality while investigating whether there is a role for crop sensors in managing irrigated cereal canopies.”

Mr Pendergast said crop lodging had been identified as a major hurdle for irrigated wheat growers aiming to maximise yield. This was an even bigger challenge for Central Queensland growers reliant on crop recommendations based on southern cropping experience.

“Our Central Queensland wheat growing season is much shorter than for southern areas so the advice to local irrigators is to first trial these new agronomic strategies on a small scale.

“There is always a risk that agronomic changes aimed at reducing the potential for lodging while striking a balance to target achievable yields may have a greater impact than intended in a new cropping environment,” Mr Pendergast said.