Grain sorghum product information

Transcription

1 Grain sorghum product information contents: MR-Maxi... 2 Pacific MR MR-Buster... 3 MR-Eclipse... 4 Pacific MR MR-Striker... 5 MR-Bazley... 6 Grain sorghum hybrid reference... 7 Grain sorghum Agronomy notes... 9 GRAIN SORGHUM IN AUSTRALIA Grain sorghum is Australia s most important summer grain crop both in terms of area sown and quantity of grain produced. Australia s grain sorghum industry has seen spectacular growth over the past years with the area utilised increasing from less than 2000 hectares just after World War II to peak at around ,000 hectares in the early to mid eighties. The area sown to grain sorghum has now consolidated to around ,000ha despite droughts, with around two thirds produced in Queensland and one third in New South Wales. The Northern Territory and Western Australia also produce small areas of grain sorghum. Traditional end users of grain sorghum are the livestock industries, but ethanol production for biofuels is increasingly becoming an important market segment. The high starch content of grain sorghum make it an valuable feedstock for the fermentation process. The key industry body for grain sorghum is the Australian Grain Sorghum Association which was represented at this year s Australian Summer Grains Conference.

2 Medium maturity grain sorghum MR-Maxi 3 5 yield maximise your yields 4 Top end yield maximiser 4 Widely adapted to all soil types 4 Skip row specialist 4 Industry benchmark for yield and standability 4 Large heavy grain 4 Even tillering habit Medium maturity grain sorghum 5 Pacific MR43 5 yield breaks the yield barrier 4 High yielding 4 Attractive large open heads with heavy golden grain 4 Minimal leaf reaction to organophosphate insecticides and suitable for early planting 4 Widely adapted to all growing conditions 4 High pollen production 4 Excellent drought tolerance 2 Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum

3 Medium maturity grain sorghum MR-Buster 5 yield still the top dog in grain sorghum 4 4 Consistently the highest yielding sorghum available 4 Widely adapted to all soil types 4 Best standability available 4 Industry benchmark for yield and standability 4 Large heavy grain 4 Even tillering habit 4 Severe leaf reaction to organophosphate insecticides still the top dog in grain sorghum Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum 3

4 Medium maturity midge resistant grain sorghum MR-Eclipse 6 puts the rest in the shade 4 Excellent top end yield 4 Medium maturity 4 Very high stay green 4 Midge Tested Rating (MTR) 6 4 Large heavy grain 4 Moderate tillering 4 Excellent seedling vigour 5+ yield Quick - Medium maturity grain sorghum Pacific MR32 5 the quickest hybrid on the market 4 Excellent seedling vigour 4 Semi open head 4 Large, bronze, heavy grain 4 Very good standability 4 Very good yield 4 High pollen producer 4 yield 4 Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum

5 Medium -quick maturity grain sorghum 6 packs a punch MR-Striker 5 yield 4 Excellent yield 4 High staygreen level 4 New dimension in dryland grain sorghum production 4 Large heavy grain 4 Large semi-open heads 4 High pollen producer In trials, MR-Striker has shone under cooler starts, making it an excellent choice for growers looking for a variety to capitalise on early plant opportunities, particularly when yield is high. Trevor Philp - Summer Grains Agronomist, Pacific Seeds Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum 5

6 new Medium maturity grain sorghum MR-Bazley 6 5 yield Delivers on its promises 4 Consistently reliable across all areas 4 Widely adapted to all soil types 4 Best standability available 4 Moderate height 4 Large heavy grain 4 Even tillering habit 4 Suitable for both solid and wide rows 4 Slightly quicker than MR-Buster 4 Ease of sprayout 5 plus Available in commercial quantities from Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum

7 GRAIN SORGHUM Head Type MR-MAXI Semi open MR-BUSTER Semi open PACIFIC MR43 Open MR-STRIKER Semi open MR-ECLIPSE Semi open PACIFIC MR32 Semi open MR-BAZLEY Semi open Central Queensland Southern Qld & Northern NSW All Areas Grain Colour Midge Tested Rating Cool Start Rating 0-5 Tillering Potential 1 = Low 5 = High Standability 1 = Poor 5 = Excellent Leaf reaction to OP sprays Average days to 50% flower* Preferred Sowing Time Recommended Established Plant Populations (plants/ha) Good dryland Marginal Dryland Average days to 50% flower* Recommended Established Plant Populations (plant/ha) Spring Summer Dryland Irrigated Red Minimal Dec/Jan 50,000-60,000 40,000-50, ,000-70, Red Severe Jan 50,000-60,000 40,000-50, ,000-70,000 Golden red Minimal Aug/Sept Dec/Jan 45,000-55,000 40,000-50, ,000-65,000 Red Moderate Aug/Sept Dec/Jan 45,000-60,000 38,000-45, ,000-70,000 Red Minimal Aug/Sept Not recommended except irrigated ,000-70,000 Red Moderate Aug/Sept Dec/Feb 55,000-65,000 45,000-55, ,000-75,000 Red TBA Aug/Feb 50,000-60,000 40,000-50, ,000-70,000 *Days to flower will depend on temperature and growing conditions Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum 7

8 Sorghum and maize is powered by CRUISER What is CRUISER? CRUISER is a new seed treatment for control of early seasonsoil pests. CRUISER s active ingredient is thiamexthoxam. CRUISER is a second generation neonicotinoid seed treatment. CRUISER Features and Benefits controls Eastern False Wireworm, Striate or Large False Wireworm and Southern False Wireworm and protects Sugarcane (True) Wireworm and Black Field Earwig Wireworm in Sorghum - Quirindi, NSW, Untreated CRUISER Gaucho* Plot yield as a % of untreated plots Wireworm in Sorghum - 5 trials, Untreated CRUISER Gaucho* Above left: Black Field Earwigs (Nala lividipes); Above right: Sugarcane (True) Wireworm (Agrypnus variabilis) Plant establishment as a % of untreated plots Wireworm in Maize - 2 trials, Untreated CRUISER Gaucho* Above left: False wireworm (Pterohelaeus spp); Above right: Adult False Wireworms (left - Pterohelaeus spp.; right - Gonocephalum spp.) provides residual control through important stages of germination and crop establishment causes no loss in seed vigour when stored under normal conditions over extended periods is non-irritant to skin, eyes and respiratory system thanks to a low dust-off formulation with minimal product loss on treated seed is compatible with commonly used fungicide seed treatments has a favourable safety profile maintains excellent insect control even under dry conditions after planting, due to its optimised water solubility Powered by CRUISER!! Trials confirm that CRUISER provides excellent early seedling protection against Wireworm (Southern False Wireworm, Eastern False Wireworm, Striate False Wireworm and True Wireworm) and Black Field Earwig. Plant establishment rates have been improved by around 50% when CRUISER is used Plant establishment as a % of untreated plots Elite sorghum seed contains a seed safener (Concep II) which is designed to protect seed from the herbicidal effects of Dual Gold and provide an ideal way of controlling weeds, giving the crop the best chance of maximizing crop establishment and yield. However, under certain extremes of emergence stress (eg. cold starts, pooling effects of storm rain) herbicidal symptoms may still be experienced. For best results with this combination please speak with your Pacific Seeds tech team. For further details contact your Pacific Seeds Tech Team: Maree Crawford or Trevor Philp The information contained in this brochure is believed to be accurate. No responsibility is accepted in respect of this information, save those non-excludable conditions implied by any Federal or State legislation or law of a Territory. Registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. * Registered trademarks. All products in upper case are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company TN10/109 technotes

9 GRAIN SORGHUM - agronomy in brief Full version agronomy notes are still being produced by Pacific Seeds, visit and follow the links to download your copy. The aim of the Grain Sorghum Agronomy Guide is to provide growers, agents, advisers and other interested parties with information on maximizing returns from the grain sorghum crop. In order to grow optimum yielding crops many things have to be considered and this is best explained by relating the crop growth stage to enhanced management of the plant. The term physiology of yield refers to all the physical and biochemical processes hat occur in or to the plant that have an effect on the final yield. These factors range from soil moisture, temperature and nutrition to the effect of weeds, insects and disease at each growth stage of the grain sorghum crop. In the Grain Sorghum Agronomy guide we will look at each of the three major growth stages and once understood we can use our best management, cultural and agronomic practices to optimise a grain sorghum crop return. THE GROWTH STAGES OF GRAIN SORGHUM There have been nine growth stages identified in the development of grain sorghum, but for simplicity we will concentrate on the three major growth stages. This guide provides agronomic and management guidelines for each of the three growth stages to assist with enhancing sorghum crop production. For more information please contact your local agronomist, or visit our website at com.au. GROWTH STAGE ONE This is the period from germination to floral or bud initiation which occurs around the six leaf stage in grain sorghum. This period has the most influence on yield as head size is directly proportional to the length of this period and the area of leaf developed in this time. A good seed bed and good planting techniques are a priority for maximizing yields at this stage. a) Seed bed preparation Conventional seed bed preparation is being phased out as the need to improve the fallow capture of rainfall and improve planting opportunities has increased. Recent CSIRO surveys estimate that conservative tillage practices in northern NSW and southern QLD have been adopted by 88% of farms, however not all of these growers practice zero tillage over 100% of their ground. Almost 100% of the Pacific Seeds dryland trials are sown into minimum or zero tilled ground. The advantages of conservative farming practices include: Improved capture of rainfall in the soil Reduced runoff and soil erosion Widened planting windows increased planting opportunities Maintaining soil carbon Improved soil health Reduced risk & improved yields Improved control of some weeds Grain sorghum is well adapted to the conservation farming system with key traits including: Very strong seedling growth Highly vigorous and deep root systems Ability to extract water at depth from salty layers High level of moisture stress tolerance Highly competitive against weeds Very nitrogen efficient b) Optimum temperature for sorghum establishment The key to reliable sorghum crop establishment is adequate seedbed or soil temperature along with sufficient but not excessive soil moisture. Planting times vary depending on the location, with optimum soil temperature for seedling establishment ranging from 21 to 33 C. In Central Queensland sorghum can be sown as early as late August and can finish in late February. In northern New South Wales and the Darling Downs planting has traditionally commenced from late September/early October and the last crops are generally planted by early to mid January. Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum 9

10 Effects on seedling establishment by lower than optimum temperatures Low soil temperature slows the germination process, and the longer it takes a seedling to emerge, the greater the risk of that seedling being attacked by soil borne insects or diseases. The recommended minimum soil temperature for adequate germination and establishment is 17 C taken at 8am. Soil borne diseases A number of normally harmless fungi in the soil can be attached to sorghum, the most common being Pythium Fusarium Rhizoctonia Identification of seedling disease can be difficult as pre and post germination disease symptoms are similar. Symptoms include gappy stands, rotten seed, brown to red discolouration of the primary and secondary roots, damping off of the seedling, chlorosis of the leaf and stunting. Seedling growth and biomass can be severely affected. Pythium can be identified by gently pulling on the affected roots, if the outer layer easily comes free, leaving the white inner core it is most likely Pythium spp. Factors and conditions that favour seedling/seed diseases: ph < 6 temperatures < 21 C waterlogged conditions/poor drainage soil compaction soil crusting/low aeration poor placement of fertilisers and herbicides poor seed quality/damage deep planting, poor seed distribution poor weed control Factors for managing diseases: Plant good quality seed Plant treated seed Plant into warm soil Avoid practices that impose stress upon seedlings e.g. excessive fertiliser with the seed Accurate seedling depth and distribution Maintain good soil structure Good weed control c) Plant nutrition High yielding crops of sorghum require adequate nutrition and should any nutrient be found lacking, appropriate fertilisers need to be applied. Generally, the main nutrients that will be required are nitrogen and phosphorus. Sulphur, potassium and zinc may also be deficient in some areas. Soil moisture profile and N may influence N timing decisions. d) Plant populations In Australia dryland plant populations range from 30-90,000 plants/ha. Populations above 100,000 plants/ha even in the most favourable environments in Australia are rare. Normal recommendations fall into the range as follows: Lower rainfall Higher rainfall +limited irrigation Irrigation 30-60,000 plants/ha 55-70,000 plants/ha ,000 plants/ha For irrigated crops ,000 plants/ha is the most common. Refer to the Irrigated Grain Sorghum Agronomy notes for more information on growing irrigated sorghum. Tillering in Sorghum The tillering habit of grain sorghum has been a valuable contributor to the final yield of most crops. Tillering allows for significant compensation particularly where poor plant establishment occurs and/or the growing season is better than expected. Population trials on the Liverpool Plains demonstrated that populations as low as 25,0000 plants/ha can yield greater than 2.5t/ha. e) Row Spacing/Row configuration Sorghum has been grown with row spacing varying from 15cm to 2m and various configurations of row arrangement. With higher yielding areas and irrigation, narrower row spacing has proved to be beneficial to yield; however yields of over 10t/ha are regularly achieved with one metre rows. Wider row spacing or skip-row configuration has become popular in areas where moisture may be a limiting factor. Over the last six years, Pacific Seeds has done numerous trials on row configuration and plant populations. Through these trials, two Pacific Seeds hybrids have proved to suit skip row farming. These are MR-Maxi and Pacific MR43. f) Weed control 10 Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum

11 Weeds can be a major problem in this growth stage as they compete with the developing seedling for moisture nutrients and space. Spraying herbicides to control weeds before planting is one option and growers practicing zero or minimal till operations often use this method. At planting, it is common to use a pre-emergent herbicide. Atrazine is the major herbicide used for the control of most annual grasses and broad-leafed weeds and can also be used as a post-emergent herbicide but it not effective on grass weeds. g) Soil borne insects Management of soil insects in stubble retention/zero till management systems are limited; however options include: Plant only treated seed, as in-furrow sprays are ineffective, and surface applied sprays will not affect false wire worm If possible avoid summer crop stubble on the early plant, as numbers will likely be higher on crop stubble such as sorghum, maize and mungbean Use high quality seed and accurate seeding depth Plant into warm soils (greater than 17C) Use press wheels, good seed/soil contact hides the seed GROWTH STAGE TWO This is the period from floral or bud initiation to flowering when the plant stops making leaves and switches over to making the head. At the beginning of this stage not all the leaves are visible. a) Pre-flowering heat and moisture stress Stress during this stage can result in floral abortion. The stress factors could include low soil fertility, moisture stress and heat stress. The symptoms of pre-flowering moisture stress include: Leaf rolling and exaggerated leaf erectness Bleaching and burning of the leaf tips and margins Delayed flowering Poor head exertion Head blasting and floral abortion b) Insect control The main insects affecting sorghum in this growth stage are the leaf eaters and sucking pests. These include Helicoverpa spp., grasshoppers, cutworms and also aphids. Control of these insects is not economical unless in very high numbers. c) Plant disease There are a number of diseases which affect the sorghum plant during this growth stage. Root rots and stalk rots are the most important. GROWTH STAGE THREE Growth stage two finishes after the head has emerged from the boot and the first yellow pollen sacks (anthers) are exerted. Growth stage three in grain sorghum is the final stage of growth and is completed when the seed has reached physiological maturity (black layer). This stage is of great importance as it influences the grain weight and the longer the period in this stage, the higher the grain weight. Lack of nutrients, heat and moisture stress or loss of leaf area will result in low grain filling and therefore low grain weight. a) Post flowering heat and moisture stress Optimising soil moisture levels can help guard against the damage cause by moisture and heat stress. Soil moisture levels can be optimised in a number of ways: Start with a full profile Avoid excessive plant populations Control weeds which contribute to moisture stress and compete for nutrients Zero till or conserving stubble cover can assist in maintaining sub-soil moisture b) Leaf diseases Leaf diseases which will affect photosynthesis can cause major yield losses. Such diseases include leaf rust, leaf blights, bacterial stripes and spots and sugarcane mosaic Johnson Grass strain. Most hybrids have very good tolerance to the major leaf diseases and only rarely do these diseases become a problem and affect yield. c) Sorghum midge The major insect pest of grain sorghum is the sorghum midge which is a small, fragile orange fly about the size of a small mosquito. The Midge Tested Rating (MTR) is a management tool. A product with an MTR of 6, for example, has six times more resistance than a susceptible variety. The resistance level is directly related to the amount of grain lost per day per egg laying midge. Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum 11

12 There are different levels of midge resistance in sorghum, so the choice of variety and midge controls measures can depend on numbers, crop value and spray costs. d) Lodging in grain sorghum Under tough conditions where grain sorghum plants often experience stress in one form or another, lodging can result to varying levels. If lodging in grain sorghum is a possibility, early harvest is necessary to maximize yield but with the penalty that the harvest is often slower and there is the added expense of drying the grain. Pre-harvest spraying with herbicides such as glyphosate has proven to be highly beneficial, although crops infected with charcoal rot should not be sprayed out as this may increase the rate of lodging. f) Ergot in grain sorghum Rain and high humidity at flowering accompanied by temperatures of 20-24C are ideal conditions for ergot infection. From Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries information, Pacific Seeds has developed a chart indicating the optimum time to plant each hybrid. Growers are urged to obtain the QDPI&F information leaflet on sorghum ergot for more information. g) Pre-harvest spraying/desiccation Spraying out a sorghum crop as a harvest aid has become common practice in most areas. Glyphosate is the most common herbicide used and the benefits are: quicker crop dry down, earlier harvest, knocks out immature tillers and heads, stops the crop growing and taking away more moisture from the soil. h) Grain maturity, harvesting Once the grain is mature (see picture below), harvesting must be done and several things should be taken into account. Correct header drum settings and speeds must be used to ensure there is no damage to the grain. The moisture content of grain to be stored is also critical with 13% being the maximum allowed for acceptance at recieval depots. The grain may be at a higher moisture content when harvested but must be dried in a grain drier before being stored. Once in storage, weevils and other stored grain insects must be controlled. Hygiene is also a basic requirement and growers should ensure that left over grain is not exposed. All grain handling equipment should be hosed down and sprayed with an appropriate insecticide at the end of harvest. IRRIGATED GRAIN SORGHUM Irrigated grain sorghum is produced under two main systems flood irrigations or overhead sprinkler system. Flood irrigation can be in essentially two systems furrow or bays where the water is administered by syphons, gated pipe or various types of check valve systems. Overhead sprinklers / irrigators range from the large centre pivot and lateral move irrigators to hand shift pipes and travelling irrigators. All have their advantages and disadvantages and certain soil types are more suitable to one system over another. However, when looking at setting up an irrigation system such things as topography, soil types, water supply, water infiltration rate, evaporation rate, crop types and of course cost all have to be examined. Planting times Typical optimum early sowing times in cotton growing districts are late September, early October. Soil temperatures at this time are normally rising (taken at 8am at planting depth) and temperatures of 16 to 18C are ideal for spring plantings. In central Queensland, sorghum has been planted successfully in August, provided soil temperate levels are adequate. Late plantings in summer should be timed to complete flowering before diurnal temperatures fall below 18C (day) and 13C (night) as temperatures below these may result in reduced seed set. Sorghum is sensitive to frosts so grain fill should be completed before the first severe frost. Row spacing and plant populations Overhead sprinkler irrigation lends itself to any combination of row spacing from narrow rows 15 to 20cm apart to wider rows up to one metre apart. 12 Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum

13 Wider rows can allow inter row cultivation for better weed control, however experience and trial work has shown that evenly spaced narrow rows have a yield advantage over wider rows. With flood irrigation in furrows, the situation is slightly different. In trials conducted at Emerald comparing single rows one metre apart at 120,000 plants per hectare and twin rows 40cm apart on one metre beds, the single rows yielded 7.0t/ha while the twin rows yielded 9.2t/ha. Recommended established plant populations A general range between 100,000 and 150,000 plants per hectare are often used. However populations on the lower end have been shown to produce excellent yields. Plant populations on the higher end may be an advantage for management with detail to high water and nutrition inputs. Pacific Seeds summer crop sowing chart gives a recommendation of plant populations for each hybrid. Soil and plant nutrition The following information is taken from an Incitec brochure on sorghum nutrition. Studies have shown that a sorghum crop yielding 7t/ ha would take from the soil around 215kg of nitrogen, 25kg of phosphorus, 170kg of potassium and a balance of trace elements. Adequate supplies of nutrients in the correct proportion are essential for normal crop development and maturation. A nutritional deficiency or imbalance invariably increases the duration of sorghum growth, thus increasing susceptibility to midge attack and increasing moisture usage. Potassium is taken up in large quantities by the sorghum plant. Potassium plays a major role in the water relations within the plant and increases vigour, disease resistance and grain quality. Sorghum takes up 50% of its potassium requirements during the vegetative period prior to floral initiation. Adequate supplies of potassium are therefore essential in the establishment of a healthy stand of grain sorghum. Zinc, although required in relatively small amounts, is essential during the development of the young sorghum plant. A zinc deficiency which most commonly occurs on alkaline soils can greatly delay flowering and maturity. Yield is also depressed by zinc deficiency. Plant water use Sorghum of different maturities requires different amounts of water for optimum production. The graph opposite shows the daily water use in grain sorghum which peaks during the late boot to early flowering stage. Moisture availability at this stage is critical to the yield of the crop. Irrigation management Grain sorghum is a very water efficient crop and is more tolerant to stress than maize. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc Sorghum takes up 75% of its nitrogen requirement in the vegetative period prior to floral initiation. A shortage of nitrogen during this period significantly reduces growth in stems and leaves and consequently in the number of flowers produced and so leads to a reduction in yield. Phosphorus is vital for the early development of young sorghum. It is an essential component of the substances which manufacture sugars and proteins in the plant. The uptake of phosphorus peaks at early flowering, 45% of the total phosphorus demand being taken up during booting and flowering. A phosphorus deficiency in sorghum leads to restricted root development and delayed flowering and maturity. Pacific Seeds Yearbook 2010/ Grain Sorghum 13