2020
Common vetch cultivar evaluation in the Victorian Mallee, 2015 to 2020 Authors: Roy Latta Research Team: Todd McDonald, Chris Davies Frontier Farming Funded By: GRDC and SARDI Project Title: National Vetch Breeding Program (DAS1711-015RTX). Key Words: vetch, biomass, seed yield, maturity
Key Messages • • •
Volga was found to be the best all round vetch, in the Victorian Mallee, of the 4 cultivars tested in 13 trials over 6 years (2015 - 2020). In comparing early and total biomass, and seed production the late maturing cultivar Morava produced less total biomass and seed, the mid-late season Timok produced less biomass than Volga. The early maturing Studenica did produce more early production than Volga and could be a benefit to a livestock enterprise for early grazing.
Background The South Australian Research and Development Institute vetch project has provided 4 commercial cultivars and 8 breeders lines for evaluation in the Victorian Mallee. The basis of this project is to identify new plant types for development and potential release, plus the promotion of current commercial cultivars to industry. Since 2015 the trials have been sown at 2 or 3 sites each year covering the central, eastern, southern, and northern Mallee. This article presents a summary of the results from those commercial cultivars tested at 13 sites over 6 years.
About the trial The trials (8 m x 1.8 m plots, 12 treatments by 3 replicates) are fully replicated block designs. The cultivars included in trials were Morava, Timok, Volga and Studenica (2018 to 2020). 2015 sites were sown at Walpeup and Ultima, 2016 Walpeup and Nandaly, 2017 Walpeup and Hopetoun, 2018 Ouyen and Hopetoun, 2019 Ouyen, Kooloonong and Werrimull and 2020 Speed, Kooloonong and Werrimull. Seeding rates were based on germination tests to achieve similar plant densities (~45 plants/m2). Trials were sown with 10 – 12 kg P/ha. Seed was inoculated with the specific rhizobia group required. Sites received 1 or 2 grass selective herbicide applications with an insecticide included. Broad-leaf weeds were removed by hand. Soils were tested to depth to ensure no major chemical soil constraints. Plant populations were estimated from crop row counts, biomass from cutting and drying quadrat samples and grain yield with experimental plot harvester. Number of days from sowing to 50% flowering were collected. ANOVA’s were completed as fully randomised blocks using Genstat 5.
Results & Discussion Morava took an average 128 days to flower covering sowing dates from April (149 days) to June (100 days). The average 50% flowering of Timok was 120 days, Volga 113 and Studenica 96 days.
Page 2 Table 1 Percentage of average growing season rainfall (GSR) maximum biomass (t/DM/ha) and seed yield (t/ha) measurement collected with cultivars listed that have highest (a) and lowest (b) (P=0.05) early biomass, total biomass (tDM/ha) or seed yield (t/ha) over 4 cultivars in years 2015 to 2020.
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
% of average GSR
75
140
100
45
70
130
Maximum biomass (tDM/ha)
3.1
7
4.2
2.9
3.7
8.5
Maximum seed yield (t/ha)
0.9
3
2.3
0.3
0.9
2.7
Early (winter) biomass (a)*
Studenica
Studenica
Early (winter) biomass (b)*
Volga Timok Morava
Studenica Volga Morava
Studenica Volga Morava
Studenica Volga Morava Volga Timok Studenica
Total (spring) biomass (a)
Timok
Morava
Volga
Total (spring) biomass (b)
Morava
Seed yield (a)
Volga Timok Morava
Volga Timok Volga Timok Morava
Timok Morava Volga
Studenica
Timok
Timok Morava
Timok Morava
Morava
Seed yield (b)
Morava
Early winter biomass not collected until Studenica was introduced.
Implications for commercial practice The widely grown late maturing Morava is not the best vetch option in the Mallee. It achieved less early and total biomass, and seed production than Volga in all but the very wet 2016 season, giving it no advantage as a green manure, hay, or seed crop. Timok being slightly earlier flowering has shown some advantage over Morava in seed production but not in biomass. Volga would seem the best multi-purpose option unless early production for livestock production is the priority and therefore Studenica should be considered.
Acknowledgements