PRIVATE enterprise-driven breeding programs have been credited for speeding up the release of dozens of new cereal and canola varieties throughout Australia.
On the back of what could only be described by Agrarian Management consultant Craig Topham as a "strained year for production" the Grain Industry Association of WA (GIWA) held a variety update and industry panel discussion for consultants, agronomists and seed industry representatives last week.
Of particular interest were the elevated numbers of new high yielding varieties of wheat and canola that were slowly becoming scarce for 2011 due to high demand despite the dry season. Shorter season varieties particularly suited to WA were becoming more readily available to growers in the long term.
GIWA executive officer John Duff described the day as a success and said he was pleased that more than 60 industry representatives attended and had been updated on the latest varieties and breeding programs.
Throughout the day about 40 new varieties of wheat, barley, canola, pasture and pulses were reviewed by speakers from (biotechnology company) NemGenix, (breeding company) InterGrain, (national seed business) AWB Seeds, (grain marketer) Viterra, (breeder and supplier) Pacific Seed, (seed breeding company) Pioneer, (seed business) PGG Wrightson Seeds, (wheat breeding companies) AGT and Longreach, CBH, the Oilseeds Council and Canola Breeders WA.
GIWA chairman John Slee welcomed everybody by stressing the difference between the crops grown in WA and on the east coast this year and assured agronomists that they shouldn't be trying to replicate east coast standards.
He also touched on the fact that ryegrass ergot issues hadn't been looked at on an industry level for 10-20 years and were well and truly due for revision.
The session was kicked off by speakers from Intergrain who introduced two new soft wheats to the WA marketplace including IGW2873 (Wedin) and IGW3001 (Kunjin).
Intergrain representatives Ian Barclay and David Moody said soft wheats had been unattractive to WA growers due to high screening levels but screening issues wouldn't be an issue with the two new high yielding and rust resistant varieties.
They also introduced a hard wheat variety, IGW2886, and said although similar in many ways to Wyalkatchem there was the potential for the creation of a premium niche market for the variety.
AWB spokesperson Simon Crane introduced a number of new varieties and entered into discussions about the barley variety Hindmarsh.
He expressed his hope that even though it missed its malting variety accreditation earlier in the week there were still options for growers of the variety.
"It's not the end of the Hindmarsh story as far as I'm concerned," he said.
Craig John from Viterra introduced some new barley varieties including the domestic malting quality, WI4262 and VB0432 varieties.
He also reminded agronomists that Viterra had Yallara Oats, Bogong Triticale and Fleet Australia Barley available to order for 2011.
Justin Kudnig from Pacific Seeds not only introduced some new varieties of canola but said that he didn't see a huge future for conventional varieties especially when considering some of the new varieties coming through the breeding programs throughout Australia.
"We're accelerating hybrids through to the marketplace so quickly and its only limited by the lack of parent seed available and the wet weather on the east coast," he said.
Pioneer Seeds spokesperson Jolene Hodges said Pioneer's 44Y84 canola variety was "right on the money" for WA growing conditions.
The early to mid-season variety performed exceptionally well in WA trials and had excellent vigour and yield potential.
Milton Sanders from Canola Breeders WA spoke about two varieties of canola well suited to WA conditions.
CB Taurus and CB Telfer were dual purpose varieties available for planting next year.
Mr Sanders' standout was the CB Telfer variety and its potential to produce extremely high levels of oil.
PGG Wrightson speaker, Kevin Williams introduced the Bindoon sub-clover variety and demonstrated its high levels of red legged earth mite resistance and minimal lucerne flea problems.
"It's a fantastic replacement for York or Seaton Park varieties which are widely grown throughout WA," he said.
A high percentage of the new wheat, barley and canola seed stock discussed throughout the day has already been sold for next season and tonnage is limited.
"The seminar just proved to me that the grains industry in WA is still a very exciting thing to be involved in," GIWA's John Duff said.
"There's the opportunity for good advisers to forge strong relationships with growers and breeders to work on long-term improvements for the industry."
