Major worries over wheat harvest

16 August 2001



Major worries over wheat harvest

ANDREW DEWING, of Alysham Grain, is reporting disappointing yields and quality in the emerging wheat harvest. He says about 10% of wheat has been combined and 20% of spring barley. Spring barley is performing better.

“Optic is yielding well but the nitrogen is a little high, but useable (1.75% average). There are not any considerable splitting or pre-germination problems.” This is on early drilled crops and later crops will not be as good.

Wheat is a different story. Yield and quality are poor. “I had one farmers first crop Malacca do 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre). This is an exception but Ive had no one do over 9.9t/ha (4t/acre) and this is worrying.”

“The proteins are higher than last year, but the samples are not attractive.” The Hagberg on Malacca seems to be holding. But specific weights are between 70-75kg/hl, which are 5kg/hl lower than last year.

Claire, Consort and Charger are performing similarly. Charger has pre-germination problems and has Hagberg as low as 160. The specific weight is between 69-73kg/hl.

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