Praise From Argentina For Aphis-Resistant Rape

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30793, 3 July 1965, Page 16

Praise From Argentina For Aphis-Resistant Rape

\ tribute to the aphis-re-sistant rape which he developed has been received from South America by a Lincoln scientist, Mr T. P. Palm er, a plant breeder at the Crop Research Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. In a letter from Argentina Mr Duncan Cameron describes the breeding of this plant as an outstanding achievement He regards its use as indis oensable in any sort of summer cropping programme. Mr Cameron says that in about 700 acres of rape sown this year, there were about 180 acres of the aphis-resist-ant variety—“this may seem a lot by New Zealand standards but then the property is 12.500 acres.” He says that the ordinary Dwarf E'sex rape gave excellent feed but was then wiped out at the end of March by a very strong aphis attack. He could see aphides flying in the field bu‘ hardly ever saw one feeding on the resistant plants. Only towards the end of May had a few scattered plants been attacked. Since April 1, the field of aphis-resistant rape' has been closed for harvesting for seed Before that the 180 acres carried 1500 lambs from December 19 to January 15, 4000 hoggets from January 15 to January 30. 2800 hoggets from January 30 to February 15,

500 lambs from February 15 to March 20 and 1500 lambs from March 20 to April 1. The paddock had never had any chemical fertiliser on it fertiliser only having come into vogue in Argentina—it had always been extremely expensive and had only become economic in the last two years as a result of the Government giving a very gener ous tax concession to those who bought it so that thev were subsidised to the extent of about 80 per cent. Mr Cameron suggests that Mr Palmer breeds a grubresistant ryegrass, for D.D.T formulations were not available and pastures were severely damaged after three years or so. Mr Palmer said yesterday that quite a lot of seed of aphis-resistant rape had gone to Australia and there had been good reoorts about it from there. Some had also gone to Chile. He has sent to Mr Cameron some new material which is still in trials but which is expected, to go into certification next year. It is a new line of aphis-resist-ant rape, which, he said, was somewhat more resistant and somewhat more vigorous and palatable to stock. Limited quantities of the aphis-resist-ant variety to which Mr Cameron referred became available for growing for feed in New Zealand in the spring of 1960.