Challenges for oilseeds Brassica production in Western Australia

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1 Challenges fr ilseeds Brassica prductin in Western Australia Mhammad Amjad 1, Graham Waltn 2 and Rb Prud 3 Department f Agriculture and Fd Western Australia (DAFWA), 1 Centre fr Crpping Systems, Yrk Rad, Nrtham 6401 WA mamjad@agric.wa.gv.au 2 Frmerly, 3 Barn-Hay Curt Suth Perth 6151 WA gwaltn@agric.wa.gv.au 3 Chairman Oilseeds Industry Assciatin f WA ABSTRACT Canla is the majr ilseed crp grwn cmmercially in Western Australia. The 5 year average prductin f canla is 440,000 tnnes, frm 399,000 hectares, with a value f $175 millin. Three quarters f the canla crp is grwn in the suthwest and sutheast crpping area f WA., where reliable and medium rainfall ensures high seed yield (>1.5t/ha) with high il cncentratin (43-45%). The rest is swn in the nrth and east-central crpping regins, where the level f canla crpped each year is determined by the amunt f early seasn rainfall (February t April which allws early seeding) and the price f canla (as an pprtunity crp). In the lw rainfall regins, the area and perfrmance f canla is nt cnsistent. Over the next 5 years, canla prductin shuld rise t 1 millin tnnes, with a value f $380 millin. The expansin f canla crpping will depend upn imprved varieties (including intrductin f GM canla when State mratrium will be lifted), specifically nes with early maturity that will give better yield and il cncentratin in the medium t lw rainfall areas. The lw rainfall areas will becme the surce f lwer quality feedstck, fr the prductin either f bidiesel r fd, prduced with lwer input csts. EVALUATING OILSEEDS BRASSICA IN WA We have been evaluating canla and mustard varieties fr their ptential t prduce high il yields bth in small-scale agrnmy trials (at DAFWA) and in large-scale cmmercial trials (in cllabratin with Oilseeds WA). Bth type f research trials are adding value t each ther. DAFWA trials were lcated thrughut the agricultural districts f WA, frm Mullewa in the nrthern regin, Merredin in the central regin and Newdegate in the suthern regin. Seed yields have been taken and their il cncentratin analysed. Seed yield and il cncentratin f ilseeds Brassica varied accrding t crp and seasns (Tables 1 and 2). Table 1. Oilseed crp yields (t/ha) fr years 2000 t 2005 Species Crp B. napus Canla B. juncea Indian mustard B. carinata Ethipian mustard Lsd 5% Seed lss thrugh pd shatter

2 Table 2. Oil cncentratin (%) in seed fr years 2000 t 2005 Species Crp B. napus Canla B. juncea Indian mustard B. carinata Ethipian mustard Oil Yield is calculated using the frmula, Oil Y = Seed Y x Oil %. Each crp ranked fr the average il yield ver the 5 seasns; Crp Average Oil Yield (kg/ha) Canla 556 Ethipian mustard 472 Indian mustard 438 The highest seed yields have cme frm canla in mst seasns, althugh the differences in yield are nt always statistically significant. This indicated that all the crps are adapted agrnmically t the WA Temperate Climate. Canla has the highest il cncentratin in the seed as a result f the greatest genetic develpment dne n that crp. With the varieties available at present, the highest il yield will cme frm the canla crp. The cst f prductin f these crps has nt been fully assessed, althugh recent research suggests that there will be little difference between the crps in fertilizer inputs. The mustards have ne advantage ver canla in nt having the cst f swathing prir t harvest. Research is prgressing n the efficacy f varius pre-emergent and pst-emergent herbicides fr the crps. FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR OILSEEDS BRASSICA Better adpted and high yielding cultivars f ilseeds brassica are needed t ptentially expand the WA il seed industry in rage f envirnments particularly int the lw rainfall and shrt crp grwing regins. Oilseeds Brassica ptins fr different envirnment are listed belw: Envirnment High rainfall areas/high yielding paddcks (High inputs) Medium rainfall areas (medium inputs) Lw rainfall areas/lw yielding paddcks (Lw inputs) Oilseeds Brassica ptins Mid t lng seasn TT and IT canla Lnger seasn winter type dual purpse canla (grazing canla) Lnger seasn high yielding Hybrids Mid t lng seasn HOLL (high leic lw linlenic) GM canla? (currently State mratrium) Others - Linla? Early t mid seasn TT canla Early t Mid seasn high yielding Hybrids Early t mid seasn HOLL (high leic lw linlenic) Mid seasn juncea (canla quality) GM ilseeds ptins? (currently State mratrium) Very early maturing canla (fd r bidiesel quality) Mustard types (B. juncea and B. carinata) specifically fr bidiesel. GM ilseeds ptins? (currently State mratrium) CANOLA (B. NAPUS)

3 There is a significant ptential fr the ilseed industry in the lw rainfall areas, thrugh imprving perfrmance. Grwers will require supprt thrugh the extensin f new prductin methds t imprve their skills. The medium t high rainfall areas will cntinue t place emphasis n prducing high quality il (high cncentratin, high quality cking il having high leic and lw linlenic fatty acids). The industry issues in this area will be rtatinal phasing f crps and pastures, with implicatin fr nutrients, weed cntrl, restricting herbicide tlerance in weeds, pest and disease cntrl. The intrductin f GM canla in WA (when State mratrium will be lifted), require further investigatins fr its advantages and cnsequences fr weed cntrl, herbicide use, ilseeds prductin, crp safety, rtatin and benefits t the whle crpping systems. The main issue in canla prductin is the Blackleg fungal disease that can kill seedlings r develp a stem canker which restricts the flw f misture and nutrients t develping seeds, severely reducing yield. The primary methd f cmbating the disease is the breeding f varieties that are tlerant t the disease and the rtatin f crp species. DAFWA has cntributed and will cntinue in future, t the management f blackleg disease thrugh the disseminatin f a grwers guide t Managing Blackleg (Bulletin 4571). DAFWA als cntinue t prvide t grwers and cnsultants a guide t the risk frm disease at specific fr specific seeding dates each seasn, thrugh the infrmatin prvided n the website frm the Blackleg Spracle simulatin mdel. The develpment f the ilseeds industry will be determined by future price fr il, which is influenced by the expansin f ilseeds in Suth America and the Eurpean Unin, an expansin stimulated by the demand fr feedstck fr bidiesel prductin. Ptential fr grwth in the value f the ilseeds industry is in fcusing n specialty prducts. INDIAN MUSTARD (B. JUNCEA) Currently there is a small cmmercial area f Indian mustard in WA, grwn fr the cndiment market. Within next few years, canla-quality juncea (mustard) varieties (lw erucic acid and lw glucsinlates) will be released with il that can be substituted fr canla fr human cnsumptin. The 1 st canla quality juncea variety Dune released by DPI Vic in These varieties will be aimed at the lwer rainfall crpping regin f the nrthern and eastern znes, where their superir drught and heat tlerance shuld be an advantage ver canla crps. The ptential in WA fr these mustard varieties shuld be 200,000 hectares within 5 years.

4 Being develped cncurrently, are mustard varieties fr nn-fd uses, such as bidiesel, plastics, lubricants that have an industrial market in mining, fishing and frestry, due t the bidegradable and nn txic nature f the prducts. The develpment f mustards requires significant research t realise their prductin and market ptential. The majr agrnmic issues in the prductin f mustard crps are: Whether the adaptatin f the new mustard varieties t the lw rainfall areas is sufficient t give prfitable il yield. Weed cntrl - the first f the new canla quality mustards and the industrial mustard varieties will nt have herbicide tlerance and chemical use fr in-crp brad-leaf weed cntrl needs t be examined. This has implicatins fr crp rtatins. The phenlgy and mrphlgy f the mustard crps are different frm that f canla and the fertilizer nutritin may vary frm that recmmended fr canla. White Rust disease has a significant impact n yield wherever mustard is cmmercially grwn. The discvery f germplasm resistant t this fungal disease, as well as ther ecnmic means f cntrlling the disease needs t be examined. One issue t be addressed is that f cnsumer perceptin f marketing a mustard crp as a fd il substitute fr canla il. Anther issue fr prfitable industrial il prductin, especially feedstck fr bidiesel prductin is the plitical plicy n fuel excise. ETHIOPIAN MUSTARD (B. CARINATA) A lng seasn ilseed crp whse il has a high erucic acid cncentratin, making it suitable fr many industrial prducts, such as bifuels, r erucimides used in the plastic industry. Its bimass can be prcessed int energy. It has desirable agrnmic qualities such as tlerance t many pests and diseases. Little is knwn f its agrnmic ptential in WA. OTHER OILSEEDS CROP- LINOLA Linla was develped by CSIRO, Canberra, as a plyunsaturated edible il similar t sunflwer il. It is distinquished frm Linseed by its glden yellw seeds. Between 1945 and 1971, abut t linseed was prduced in W.A. per year, principally alng the suthern cast. Previus evaluatin in W.A. indicated that Linla is adapted t the fertile sils in the medium t high rainfall znes. It is a pr cmpetitr against weeds and there are sme herbicides registered fr use in Linla, hwever weed cntrl methds need t be re-evaluated.

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