Late yield lift wins Wheat 83

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 21

Late yield lift wins Wheat 83

First place in the 1.C.1.Tasman Wheat 83 competition has gone to the Methven Ploughing Association (Mr Ivan Maw) with a net return of $1324.18 a hectare. The Geraldine-Temuka group gained second place with a net return of $1322.68 a hectare.

Third place went to Mr Ray Maginness, of Leeston, with a net return of $1238.27. Highest yield was attained by the GeraldineTemuka group with 7.88 tonnes, while Methven Ploughing achieved a yield of 7.7 tonnes, and Ray Maginness 7.51 tonnes. The first three place-

getters produced yields more than one tonne in advance of educated “guestimates” in late November. The winner of the competition, Methven Ploughing, actually harvested two tonnes per hectare more than had been predicted. Regular rain until Christ-mas-New Year resulted in

big grain sizes which accounted for most of the yield increases. All three place-getters had May-sown Rongotea, used reasonably high rates of nitrogen, and followed good disease-control programmes. Methven Ploughing had the lowest costs of the three at $423.72, Geraldine-

Temuka had costs of $466.08, and Ray Maginness $466.50.

Highest points in the grain quality competition were scored by Stockwood Farm (Messrs lan and Graham Gifford), of Blenheim.

Second place for grain quality went to Mr Don Wright, of Sheffield, and third place to Methven Ploughing.

Stockwood Farm scored 120.9 points with a plot sown in Oroua, Don Wright sowed Rongotea and scored 107.8 points, while Methven Ploughing also sowed Rongotea and scored 107.3 points. Net returns in the com-

petition ranged from the winning $1324.18 to $922.21.

Yields ranged from' the high of 7.88 tonnes down to 5.86 tonnes. Highest costs were $470.03

cents and the lowest were $348.87. These costs relate to the

direct costs that would be incurred by a farmer in growing one hectare of wheat, but do not include

the indirect costs such as debt servicing. rates, insurance and deprecia-

tion. The intention of the competition is to compare wheat-growing techniques.