Better canola - industry support for the canola industry

Transcription

1 Better canola - industry support for the canola industry S.J. Marcroft 1, S.Knights 2 1 Marcroft Grains Pathology P/L, Grains Innovation Park, Horsham, Vic. 3400, Australia. 2 S.E.Knights, Grains Innovation Park, Horsham, Vic. 3400, Australia. ABSTRACT The three year Better Canola project is jointly funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Australian Oilseed Federation. It is part of the Better Oilseeds project which focuses on canola, soybeans and sunflowers. The project will support the oilseed industry to improve its position as a leading supplier of premium oil, meal and food products and also place it in the position to expand market share in key markets. The project started in July 2006 and the Better Canola section will run to December Steve Marcroft and Sue Knights have been appointed to a National Program Coordination role to increase the value of the Australian oilseeds industry through enhancing productivity and value of key oilseeds. The project focuses on three key areas: identifying and providing the best management practices that improve profitability and quality of the crops; providing grower support through demonstration sites and communication activities; and ensuring industry feedback and ownership of the project. It is an exciting new project that includes activities to create increased awareness of the potential and value of oilseeds; to encourage the adoption of best practices and to provide motivation for growers and extension providers to use oilseeds as a crop of choice. Oilseed production has suffered in recent years due to drought conditions but it has equally suffered from lack of agronomic support - and it is this aspect that will be addressed in this project. PROJECT ACTIVITIES Grower / Advisor Survey The survey reports will be used to ensure that the activities of the Better Oilseeds project reflect what is required by industry. The report will also be used to direct future projects and funding. A survey of 142 canola growers has been completed. Key questions covered in the report include the following: Why do you grow canola?, What would need to change for you to grow more?, What are the limitations to growing canola?, What are your planting intentions in the future?, Where do you source agronomic information?, as well as questions related to general crop production. When growers / advisors were asked to rate the importance of different factors affecting their decision to grow canola, the five most common reasons provided were related to benefits to the farming system specifically cereal production (Figure 1). Although important, profitability of canola production is not a key reason for growing canola. This confirms anecdotal evidence that growers see canola as an excellent break crop for either cereal disease control or weed management (Figure 1). However, if canola prices remain over $450 per tonne and seasons are favourable, the profitability of canola may become more important. This finding gives a clear message to industry that canola production systems must fit well into whole farm production systems. For instance, most growers use triazine-tolerant canola cultivars because of the weed control benefits for the whole farm and are happy to compromise canola yields for the overall benefit to the entire cropping rotation.

2 Reduce risk of cereal diseases Farming system w eed control Rotating herbicide groups Profitability of subsequent crops Diversify my farming operation Profitability of Canola production Agronomic support for production Industry support and marketing options % 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 1 (Had no impact) (Significant impact) Figure 1. Grower rating on impact each of the listed factor had on their decision to grow canola (scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is had no impact at all and 5 is had a significant impact). The factors that growers / advisors cite that limit their canola production are relatively well known. However, the importance placed on some factors was surprising. For instance, industry has considered that canola is adaptable to many soil types and consequently soil constraints has not been an industry focus (although the GRDC are currently funding a canola subsoil constraints project). However, the survey participants place soil issues as their second highest priority. Conversely, frost damage was considered to be a major limitation, but few growers / advisors believed that frost risk limited their canola production (Table 1). The results of this survey indicate that canola area will be greatly influenced by rainfall, commodity price and cost of canola production. Obviously these factors are very variable and difficult to control. However, there is scope to provide information on how the interaction of these three factors can influence canola profitability. For instance, if commodity prices are high, then profitability can be maintained even if sowing is delayed. Conversely, an early break will increase the probability of above-average yields, offsetting a low commodity price. Growers need detailed information on these interactions to be able to make sound decisions on sowing decisions.

3 Table 1. The factors that growers / advisors identified as limitations to growing canola. Limiting factors to canola Frequency Percent production (n=142) Rainfall variability Soil issues/type Climate Commodity price Cost of production Diseases Planting window Insects Weeds Frost Irrigation water The factors that growers and advisors believe would enable them to increase their canola plantings focus on rainfall and commodity price. However, other factors that can be influenced are access to new technologies such as genetic modification, specifically Round-up Ready canola; disease, drought and insect resistance and reduced cost of production (Table 2). Interestingly, growers wanted traits that give reliability of production over just increased yield potential. Table 2. The factors that growers / advisors identified that could result in increased canola plantings. Factors that would make it easier to grow canola Frequency (n=140) Percent mentioned Climate (More Reliable Rainfall and Earlier/More Predictable Break of Seasons) % Better Price/Stable Market % Improve Access to GM Seeds/ GM Round-up Ready Seed Varieties % Develop Disease Resistant Seed Varieties % Develop Drought Tolerant Seed Varieties % Reduce Cost of Production (i.e. cost of seed, chemicals and equipment) % Develop Insect and Pest Resistant Varieties % Develop Better Weed Control Herbicides % Develop Higher Yield Varieties % Develop Shatter Tolerant Varieties 9 6.4% Nothing can be done 8 5.7% Improve Farming Equipment 4 2.9% Improve Water Allocation/ Access to Irrigation 3 2.1% Other %

4 Agronomy Centre Website The website will be a one stop shop for advisers and growers. The new oilseeds agronomy website has been designed and is waiting to be uploaded with oilseed agronomy documents The website will be searchable under: a) Crop b) Region c) Topic: 1. Decision support 2. Paddock selection 3. Farming system 4. Growth stages 5. Establishment 6. Nutrition 7. Pests 8. Weeds 9. Disease 10. Marketing 11. Harvest 12. Grain handling We are now collecting the following information and plan to have it in the website this year. 1. CAA canola manual 2. Oilseeds WA manual 3. All available fact sheets 4. Canola News 5. IDO reports (Oilseed News) 6. ARAB papers 2007, 2005, 2003 and GRDC update papers for last 10 years 8. Irrigated canola Primefact 9. New Ute Guide 10. Pathology workshop papers 07,06,05,04 and 03 Case Studies To determine and promote best practice, data on yield, grain quality, profitability and rotational benefits for individual growing regions will be reported to growers. Data on oilseed agronomy from growers who consistently produce the best crops will be made available to all growers within a region. Demonstration sites Seven demonstration sites have been sown across the four major canola producing states. Issues being addressed by the demonstration sites include; hybrid production, best practices for hay production, seeding rates, seed quality, row spacing and nutrition timing. This year s Victorian trial is investigating the production of canola hay compared to grain as a means of reducing the risk associated with growing canola. Trials in NSW will evaluate the effects of row spacing, plant density and variety on the performance of canola yields and oil quality. A separate trial will evaluate the effect of sulphur rate and sulphur timing on yield and oil quality. In SA, trials aim to compare the yield of hybrids to equivalent open pollinated cultivars, and to investigate sowing rates, seed quality and nitrogen application. Trials will be conducted in conjunction with well-established regional cropping groups, including the Lower Eyre Agricultural Development Association (LEADA), the Mid-North High Rainfall Farming group, and the MacKillop Farm Management group. WA trials will focus on sclerotinia control, comparing canola varieties for yield, quality, and their relative responses to iprodine for sclerotinia control. Field days and cropping forums will take place at the demonstration sites during the spring to facilitate discussion on getting the most out of canola. Project Communication The project will have a formal communication strategy with at least 12 canola articles published in the local rural press each year. Articles will also be ed to advisors. In addition to the rural press the project will also provide: 1. Targeted articles for Australian Grain, Farming Ahead and Groundcover. 2. New products kit 3. AOF / GRDC / ARAB etc conferences and updates 4. Quarterly project newsletter

5

6