A hard look at wheat

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 10

A hard look at wheat

This month’s Lincoln farmers’ conference is giving two days to discussions on wheat — on May 20 and 21. The general theme of the discussions is “how close can we come to producing 10 tonnes a hectare?”

Organised in a fashion similar to last year’s very successful discussions on peas and grass seeds, the components of the wheat plant will be analysed and discussed by both scientists and farmers. At the end of the session the various components will be brought together in a discussion on a total package wheat farming system.

Farmer speakers will include Mr Colin Lili, of Methven, and Mr Jack Mitchell, of Clinton. These speakers come early in the programme to illustrate the point that careful attention to all aspects of production leads' to maximum weights of good quality wheat in the silos. Scientists such as Mr Graham Wright, D.5.1.R., Lincoln, Dr Ron Close from Lincoln College, and Mr Brian Arnst will talk about new wheat varieties and wheat diseases.

Water also obviously plays a significant role in maximum wheat returns; and just how significant it is will also be discussed.

Many other speakers — there are nearly 20 in all, — will discuss fertilisers, price fixing, cost benefits of wheat farming against intensive sheep production and other topics. At the end of the second day three Ministry of Agriculture advisers will discuss “the system” — what farmers' can do to get as close as possible to 10 tonnes a hectare. Other sessions at this year’s rural conference, beginning on May 19, include dairy farming topics, dry hill ’ country development, retirement problems for farming families and improving sheep production.