SUNFLOWER SEED BECOMES BOOM CROP IN N.S.W.

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32945, 17 June 1972, Page 11

SUNFLOWER SEED BECOMES BOOM CROP IN N.S.W.

Sunflower seed has become a boom crop in north-western New South Wales, and is providing an excellent alternative to wheat. Is is grown under dry farming methods, and sowing have zoomed from 809 tractates to 161,800 hectares in less than three years in the Moree district. The phenomenal growth of this oil seed cultivation has also led to the establishment of a crushing plant in South Moree. Two enterprising young men, Danny Burke and Frank O’Brien, began the project. They interested wheat farmers in putting in about 809 hectares of sunflower seed as an alternative crop, when wheat quotas were applied in the 1968-69 season. The results prompted other growers to plant sunflowers. In the following season 28,329 hectares were planted with sunflowers and this became 161,880 hectares the next year when farmers found' that sunflowers provided a profitable second crop. The big rise in the sunflower plantings in 1971 was attributed to unfavourable conditions for wheat sowing during the winter months. Two months later the farmers were able to plant sunflower seed. Some have planted two crops in the 1971-72 season. Russian variety Burke and O’Brien are the proprietors of Moree Seed and Grain Sales. They have introduced the Russian Perodivik variety, which was grown experimentally for them in Moree and appears to be particularly suitable for the area. Sunflowers are classified as a 110-day crop, although this depends on the season. With the short growing period it is possible for farmers to get two crops a year in the Moree district. The yield in the 1970-71 season went as high as 1.8 tonnes to the hectare but the average was 1.25 tonnes. This average is expected to be slightly less during the 1971-72 season because of the drier growing conditions. Experiments with several varieties of seed are being carried out by the University of New England Agricultural Research Station in four areas of the north-west of the State. The Moree Seed and Grain Sales have contributed towards a disease research project. It -is estimated that there are 300 sunflower seed growers ■ in ' a radius of 96 kilometres around the Moree centre, which is the biggest sunflower area. Sowing season They have been using narrow-row cultivation, and plant between 1.3 • 1.8 kilograms to the hectare in dry farming conditions. The sowing season spans from August to early March and the seed costs approximately 30 cents a kilogram. Agronomists in the district are doubtful if the crop would appeal to irrigation growers, mainly because of the high cost of irrigation, but in experimental crops between 2.5 tonnes and 3.25 tonnes to the hectare have been grown under those conditions.

Moree is a marginal rainfall district with an unusual rainfall pattern. A highway virtually divides the higher rainfall and low rainfall areas. The reason is not far to seek — the Nandewar Ranges on the east draw the

rain in contrast with the flat plain country to the west. Although it is not con- - sidered ideal, growers have been using their wheatgrowing drills for seed planting and their headers or combine harvesters for harvesting the sunflowers. The headers have’ been fitted with mitre-shaped narrow trays that protrude about 1.5 metres in front of the machines. Using' equipment on hand has meant that farmers have not had to outlay capital for hew machinery for sunflowers, <■’ . Suitable soils • Although the crop has been grown in all types Of soil in the district, from heavy black to red and sandy soils, it is considered, that the lighter or undulating type gives the best results. It was found that the" better-draining undulating soil yielded ’ the best crops in 1971 when there were floods, but provided there is rain during the growing season, the seed does well in all types of soil. The ground is prepared as for wheatgrowing and because sunflower's do not make heavy demands, only moderate amounts of fertiliser are used. Unlike wheat, there , is no limited sowing time for sunflowers. If there is rain immediately after planting in August or September, a second crop may be sown in February or March. Sunflowers are a droughtresistant crop. Once the seed is sown, it is a matter of waiting for nature .and rainfall to complete the cycle. Although the practice in the past three seasons has

been to plant in narrow rows with no row cultivation between, similar . to cerealgrowing methods, many growers intend sowing future crops in rows about'76o mm. to one metre apart, to allow for weeding. At present growers look for a plant population of between 50,000 to 70,000 to the hectare. Although insect pests are sometimes a problem, this has not been so in the 19711972 season. About 70 per cent of the crops were sprayed the previous year for heliothis, RuthergleH bug or green shield. bettie, the main pests that cause problems in the Moree district. It is not necessary todefoliate the flowers before harvesting, but it is essential for the crop to be harvested as soon as the moisture content in. the seed is low enough. This is set down as 10' per cent and contract rates vary in ratio to the content above Of below the specified figure. Moisture meters determine the content or growers take samples to the crushing plant for moisture testing, but most farmers have become efficient in- determining the right time to harvest the crop. There is no stubble to be dealt with after harvesting. The sunflower stalks are usually ploughed into the ground. Light soil used Although the average area sown- with sunflowers in the Moree district is usually between 120 - and 160 hectares, one company has 7690 hectares under sunflowers. lan Ledingham, of Gratti, Moree, is a successful grower who had two sunflower crops in the 1971-72 season. The first crop was sown in May and the second in OctoberNovember, 1971. He got a yield of 40 tonnes from the first sowing over 40 hectares (9001 b to the acre) and expected about 183 tonnes from the second crop on 202 hectares (8201 b to the acre) Which he harvested in March, 1972. His holding of approximately 1821 hectares is in two blocks and borders on

the blade soil plain country and the brigalow scrub. The soil ranges from heavy black to very light and he plants the sunflowers in the light soil section. - He also has wheat and sorghum on separate areas and runs 200 breeding cows. Young lan Ledingham bought Gratti only in recent years. His famfly has been in the district for three generations. Avoiding oil loss Ledingham harvests the sunflowers as soon as possible ' after the seeds have achieved the 10 per cent moisture level to prevent oil loss, which may occur if'the flowers are left standing in the field. He said that it would take seven days to strip the 202 hectare sunflower crop, which makes it a much slower job than wheat harvesting. Like most of the growers in the district, Ledingham had contract-grown the crops and about 75 per cent of the crops had been harvested by March, 1972.' Although he agreed that sunflowers are a good rotation or stand-by crop Jhe does not feel that it will supplant wheat as the principal crop. This is because he considers a winter crop is safer than contending with the uncertainty of summer climate and rainfall, although sunflowers need less moisture than other crops. He usually has a summer rainfall of about 152 mm. in December-

January. While local-and export demands remain high, it is doubtful if sowings in the Mores district in 1972-73 will be as heavy as in the present season. Winter rains and wheat planting conditions will govern the outlook. If conditions are unfavourable for wheat, sunflowers will probably be planted again as a substitute crop over big areas.

The yellow sunflowers add . colour to an otherwise drab and featureless landscape in the hot dry plain country of north-western New South Wales and are proving a pretty,- profitable venture Australian News and Information Bureau.