Maize for sunflower in North West?
From the September 2006 edition of Agriculture Today.
Maize has the potential to become an alternative to sunflower as an early or late summer crop option for northern NSW, according to NSW Department of Primary Industries research.
Despite the above-average heat and below-average rainfall in the summer of 2005-06, good results were achieved with 12 maize varieties in a preliminary experiment at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute.
Now, with funding support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the maize research is to be expanded.
In collaboration with the district agronomists at Tamworth and Moree, Loretta Serafin and Stephanie Belfield, a wide range of maturities will be planted alongside sunflower varieties in August-September and December- January.
The effect on yield of varying plant population and row configuration will also be tested at Moree.
Head of the research and Director of the Tamworth Agricultural Institute, Dr Bob Martin, said the project aimed to provide an alternative crop that could be sown in early or late summer.
“Sorghum is the most widely grown summer crop in NSW, accounting for 63 per cent of the average area sown between 1992 and 2002, with maize, mungbean, sunflower and soybean making up the remainder,” Dr Martin said.
“Although sorghum has many advantages as a summer crop, it is generally recommended that sowing be delayed until soil temperatures at planting depth reach 16-18°C.
“For northern NSW this means that sorghum is normally not sown before mid September at Moree and mid October on the Liverpool plains.
“In contrast to sorghum, maize can be planted when soil temperatures reach 12-14°C.
“This means that maize can be planted several weeks earlier than sorghum and at a similar time to sunflowers.
“In northern NSW, sowing of maize can be as early as late August or early September.”
According to Dr Martin, quicker maturing varieties could have a place under dryland conditions.
“Preliminary experiments in 2005-06 provided valuable data on the potential for the quicker varieties to perform better under dryland conditions in northwestern NSW,” Dr Martin said.
“These varieties take advantage of a full profile of soil water and minimise the risk of running out of water before the crop matures in the case of low incrop rainfall.
“In addition, they beat the summer heat before tasselling for the spring plantings, and the risk of frost damage on a late plant is eliminated.”
Contact Dr Bob Martin, Tamworth, (02) 6763 1258.
