Climate affects I.C.I. contest entries

Press, 15 April 1988, Page 22

Climate affects I.C.I. contest entries

The difficult climatic conditions experienced this season by arable fanners in Canterbury were reflected in the fortunes of several of the competitors in the 1.C.1. Cereal 87 contest.

Two crops of Otane wheat were so badly affected by sprout as a result of the damp weather in February that they were rejected for milling.

Two other crops of Otane, while returning a low falling number, were able to be blended with sounder wheat for milling.

The four leading contestants on a net return per hectare basis grew Otane with bake scores between 27 and 32.

The winner, 35-year-old Noel Maginness, of Winchmore/ had a net return of $1048.86 a hectare and also took the award for the best quality wheat. It was only the second time since the

competition started in 1982 that both prizes were taken by the same entrant.

Mr Maginness, 1 who has) grown about 20ha of wheat (mostly Oroua) during the last two seasons, sowed his competition plot on August 3. The plot was irrigated six times, slightly more often than those of his fellow competitors.

Irrigation paid dividends, with the first six places filled by growers who applied water to their plots. Four of the 12 growers opted not to irrigate. j . j

Mr Maginness’ crop yielded 7.41 tonnes a hectare and grossed $1940.38. The contest’s secretary; Mr Jim Malcolm,! said that was a remarkably good return under the free market system which applied for the first time in ithe competition. There was no fixed price for wheat as in previous years.

.Mr Malcolm said he was pleasantly surprised at;some of the good net returns.

'‘The competition has given evidence of six lines of jWheat capable of giving good net returns providing you achieve a better than average yield — that is, higher than the national average of about 4.5 tonnes per hectare — and sell in the higher price bracket. ‘‘The first six in the) competition all yielded at least one tonne more than the national average,” hesaid. Prices for the accept-j able wheat ranged from $265.75 per tonne down to

1 $lBO. For the rejected feed wheats the price fell to $l5O per tonne. “The top six competitors proved the value of growing high quality wheat which resulted In March prices of between i $254 and nearly $266 per tonne delivered to the local mills. For instance, the MDD Bake Scores of these six lines ranged between 27 and 32,” said Mr Malcolm. The competition produced a wide range of (net financial returns, from I Mr Maginness’ $1048.86 down to well under $lOO. i The next cereal growing contest will! probably be in the Manawatu in 1989, although an arable field day has tentatively been arranged, for Canterbury in November I or December this year, I

The success of the new wheat cultivar ,Otane; in taking the first four places in both the [net return and the quality awards of the 1.C.1. Cereal ’B7 competition was l an encouraging sign for the wheat industry, said the director of the Crop Research Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr Michael Dunbier.

He said the results provided a sound base from which the industry could go forward.

“The results will also give fanners much more confidence knowing that, given the right cultivar and reasonable growing conditions, they can expect satisfactory yields and a grain price that reflects the quality achieved in this competition.”

ici Cereal 87 results kernel weight price /t net return/ha tonnes /ha bake score falling no N. Maginness Otane ; 7.35 29 351 51 261.86 1048.86 A. Garrett i Otane 6.51 28 351 51 257.96 879.13 B. and A. Holmes Otane , 6.55 32 232 55 265.65 824.54 D. and A. Shearer Otane ; 5.52 27 402 52 254.07 766.70 B., L. and M. Gaffaney Kotare i 6.21 30 336 46 256.02 679.55 B. Scott Otane 1 5.61 1 32 229 48 265.75 644.82 B. Turpie Bounty i 5.27 25 326 49 209.30 633.53 B. Wakelin Advantage 5.05 19 271 51 180.99 414.84 R. McCloy Triumph Konini 1 5.31 — — — 180.00 405.65 J. and D. Boulton 4.59 23 367 46 222.20 337.50 J. McGloin and G. Tallott Otane 4.58 30 64 53 150.00 172.35 J. Lilley and M. Campbell Otane | 5.81 29 160 55 150.00 ’ i 21.22