‘Exceptional’ year for wheat

The 2011 RAS Field Crop Competition and ASC Wheat Crop Competition for the Narromine district were held last month. The field crop tour consisted of individual crops, which included Wheat, Chickpeas and Canola, from one side of the district to the other. 

All of the various types of crops, such as Hyola 502RR Canola, 46Y83 Canola, Flipper Chickpeas were being assessed and judged during the tour for management that was mainly focused on nutrition, weed management (rotation of chemistry) and gross margin.

MPAC agronomist Ryan Pratten was thrilled with the crops on show.

“We would like to thank all of the growers who participated in the competition this year,” Mr Pratten said.

“It is a real credit to their agronomic management in producing such economical, high yielding crops.’’

The stand out crops and commendable farmers who took out the top places were:

RAS Field Crop Competition-

1st: Barry Dugan ‘Toobaroo West’ with a crop of Canola.

2nd: Rob McCutcheon ‘Mullah’ with a crop of Canola.

3rd: Allan Gadsby of ‘Milo’, with a crop of Wheat.

ASC Wheat Crop Competition-

o 1st: John Tuck, with a crop of EGA Gregory, grown at ‘Backwater’.

o 2nd: S J McCutcheon and Sons, with a crop of Sunbri, grown at ‘Nungar’.

o 3rd: Pat White, with a crop of EGA Gregory, grown at ‘Alvaholme’.

Mr Pratten said a special mention must be made of Leigh Jenkins from NSW DPI who was the judge of the ASC Wheat Crop Competition.

“Given the tough start to the year all Wheat crops were exceptional,” Miss Jenkins commented.

“The Field Crop Competition tour day was deemed a success for all those involved, for most it was a very worthwhile opportunity to assess which farming practices were able to make the most of a trying season,” Mr Pratten added.