Record entries in the Ravensdown/United Wheatgrowers Quality Competition

A record 140 entries were received in this year's Ravensdown/United Wheatgrowers Wheat Quality Competition - more than three times the number that have entered in past years.

"The top yields and quality were up on last year's results but there was also a wider range of results this year."

"Variable weather resulted in variable yields and quality in this year's competition," says Tony van der Weerden Ravensdown's Technical Development Manager.

The competition - now in its tenth year - aims to promote and reward the growing of high quality bread, feed and biscuit wheat in New Zealand. The annual awards were presented at the Arable Section Conference of Federated Farmers Conference in Christchurch last night (Wednesday 18 June).

"The competition provides a practical platform for Ravensdown to acknowledge grower excellence and aid technology transfer," says Dr van der Weerden.

Competition judges Russ Wakefield of Weston Milling; Murray Craighead, Nutrient Solutions Ltd, Jim Sim of United Wheatgrowers and Tony van der Weerden say generally harvest conditions were much kinder this year compared to last year, but some late harvested crops were caught with a change in weather, and a dry spell in early December affected some crops.

Bread milling wheat

David and Hilary Ward of Radfield Farm mid-Canterbury won the Champion Cup for Bread Milling Wheat. The Wards were a national winner in 1995/96.

The Wards farm 384ha with a further 40ha of leased land at Newlands, near Ashburton. Soils consist of light stony Lismore and Eyre soils predominantly under spray irrigation. The area is mainly cropped although 600 lambing ewes are also carried along with 800 weaner deer. Crops grown include milling and some feed wheat, barley, ryegrass seed crops, clover seed, process peas and sweet corn, and specialist small seeds such as carrots, red beet, cabbage and onions. As time is critical between crops and to conserve water and reduce wind erosion, the traditional seed crops have been direct drilled since 1993. Small seed crops are still conventionally cultivated.

The winning crop was from an 82 tonne line of Regency yielding 7.7t/ha on a Lismore stony silt loam. It was early winter sown (2 June), a second year wheat with buckwheat and annual grass grown in between. Following direct drilling it received a pre-emergence weed spray and an early insecticide and fungicide spray.

This was followed by three mixed fungicide sprays from mid-October to mid-December and one further weed spray. Nitrogen was applied in four dressings, split between a starter as DAP, (with extra phosphate as Sulphur Super) and three side-dressings of Urea GS32, 35, 39-40, the latter for quality, in total 248kgN/ha.

The crop was irrigated four times at 35mm per application based on use of water scheduling and harvested on 10 February. Quality wise the grain protein was 14.4 per cent, screenings 0.4 per cent, moisture 13.3 per cent, kernel weight 49mg, and test weight 77mg.

Biscuit Wheat

The Griffins Foods Cup for Biscuit Wheat was won by Hamish and Louise Baxter of mid-Canterbury. The judges said there were some high yields in this section but protein levels were variable.

The Baxters farm 205ha at Dorie near Rakaia. Soils are predominantly irrigated Templeton silt loams. Wheat (milling and biscuit) is the largest crop grown with some malting barley, ryegrass for seed and process sweet corn and peas. After harvesting most crops, winter green-feed is sown and store lambs are wintered.

The winning crop was a 189 tonne line of Claire wheat yielding 12.6t/ha. It followed sweet corn and a previous wheat crop interspersed with winter green-feed.

The corn stubble was disced, the paddock ploughed and worked once before drilling. The crop was sown on 15 June with an insecticide.

It received and early weed spray and one clean up spray later. It also received an early fungicide and a second spray to coincide with a plant growth regulator. The crop received some starter N (50kgN) as DAP plus four equal splits of N through the spring/early summer resulting in a total of 230kgN being applied. Grain protein levels were 8.5 per cent, falling number 298, screenings 1.1 per cent and kernel weight 52mg. The crop received six irrigations of 75mm each, with a rotary sprayer, every 10 days in December. The crop was harvested the second week of February.

Feed Wheat

The Tegel Foods Cup for Supreme Feed Wheat was won by the Dennisons of North Otago. Judges say results in this category were similar to last year. "Yields were fairly high despite later sowing dates brought on by last season's weather, and there were several outstanding crops. Farmers continue to recognise the need for high base fertiliser inputs and reasonable nitrogen rates."

The winner Chris Dennison farms in partnership with his parents, Jim and Margaret and his wife Kay at Hilderthorpe, near Oamaru. They have 330ha of irrigated Wakanui soils of which 105ha is a stand alone dairy unit. Of the 225ha cropped, 160ha is spray irrigated and the balance border dyke irrigated. Crops grown are wheat, barley, perennial ryegrass, process peas with the occasional brassica seed crop.

The winning crop was specifically aimed at achieving a high yield, because it was part of a larger line forwarded to the Guinness Book of Records.

This 6.2ha paddock of Equinox produced 100t of wheat achieving 16.23t/ha. To achieve this the paddock was grown out of long term pasture (since 1966) and cultivated in 2001 for process peas.

The paddock was sub-soiled, followed by one grubbing then one maxi-tilling before untreated seed was sown on the 24 April with 500kg/ha of Super. The crop received two early insecticide sprays and an early weed spray. To further safeguard the crop it received five mixed fungicide sprays from October to late December and a plant growth regulator. Nitrogen (212kgN/ha) was applied as three split dressings of Urea in GS33, 37, and later. The crop received three irrigations of 40mm each and was harvested on 5 March. Test weight was 78 (grain wt 54mg), screenings 1.2 per cent and moisture 13.5 per cent.

The winners in the three sections each receive a $2,000 travel voucher.

"Ravensdown is delighted to again be involved in this competition that is so valuable to farmers, providing them with a platform to share information and practices about new varieties and methods," says Ravensdown's Tony van der Weerden.

Results

Bread Milling Wheat

National Supreme Winner (and Winner Mid Canterbury)
'Radfield Farm', DJ & HM Ward, No.2RD Ashburton
Variety: Regency

Overall Runner up (and winner Northern Region)
Richard Green, 'Terrington Farm Ltd.', Lockwood Rd, RD5,
Palmerston North
Variety: Monad

Central Canterbury
Fechney Partnership, Kivers Rd, RD5 Christchurch
Variety: Kohika

South Canterbury/North Otago
Mitchell-Webster 'Rosedale', 5DRD Oamaru
Variety: Monad

Otago/Southland
T.A. Whiteside, Waiwera South, RD2 Clinton
Variety: Regency

Special Durum prize
DG & CM Williamson, 'Willowbank Farm', No.4RD
Ashburton
Variety: Farina

National Supreme Winner (and Winner Mid Canterbury):
AH & LA Baxter 'Moville', Gardiners Rd, RD11 Rakaia
Variety: Claire

Northern Region:
TOB MacFarlane, 'Holton', Kaiapoi
Variety: Claire

Central Canterbury:
Hamish Gilbert, No.3RD Leeston
Variety: Claire

Feed Wheat

National Supreme Winner (and Winner South Canterbury/North Otago):
J&M&C Dennison 3HRD Oamaru
Variety: Equinox

Mid Canterbury:
David Fisher, 7RD Ashburton
Variety: Savannah

Otago/Southland
ED & MR Bullmore, No.1 RD Balfour
Variety: Raffles

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