New commercial crops

Press, 5 August 1988, Page 15

New commercial crops

Arable farming in New Zealand has traditionally been based on a handful of crops — barley, wheat, peas, maize, oats and potatoes. A major Crop Research Division role is to seek out and test viable new crops as diversification options for farmers. Many potential crops have been assessed. A few have been successful, and some onceflourishing crops have been lost. Flax and linseed were significant crops in the 1940 s and 19505, but were overtaken by changes in industry. Low yields have been the main factor limiting development or commercial expansion of new crops, although finance, diseases and quality problems have also played a part, according to Crop Research Division’s information manager, Howard Bezar. “Enthusiastic involvement of experienced industry workers at an early stage is essential,” he says. "We need innovative farmers willing to try a new crop, although it may take five or more years to develop commercially.”

An agronomist, Dr Derek Wilson, believes sunflowers are one such promising crop. New Zealand imports $35 million worth of vegetable oils annually, which makes sunflowers and other crops worth-while prospects even without an export market. One of the world’s top sunflower breeders worked at Crop Research Division in 1987, and last year large amounts of seed were brought in from the United States for the first time.

Two farmers, Graeme and Dave Ward, of Ashburton, grew eight hectares of sunflowers; including a half-hectare trial plot for D.S.LR. At 2.5 tonnes a hectares, the yield was - much higher than the American average, Dr Wilson says.

The seed will have to be imported each season. Dr Wilson says while this is relatively expensive,

not much is needed. He hopes to run trials throughout Canterbury next season, with halfhectare plots in up to 10 locations. Traditional sunflower varieties are tall and susceptible to wind damage, but the new hybrid cultivars are only one metre high and much easier to manage. About 60,000 plants are sown per hectare, yielding heads with a diameter of about 15cm.

Dr Wilson says one of the crop’s -advantages is the low inputs required — just an initial application of herbicide and fertilisers. Sowing needs highprecision machinery, and birds can be a problem for small areas. The sunflowers can be harvested with a normal combine harvester, although it can only be driven in one direction — against the lean of the sunflower heads. Lentils are a C.R.D. success story, with the 4000 hectares grown last season expected to increase by half next season.

Mr Adriqp Russell, technician in charge of the programme, says that after six years, there is a core of experienced growers and interest is still increasing especially as world prices are rising as a result of the drought in North America.

C.R.D. Titore, a small red lentil, high yielding and virus tolerant, was commercialised in New Zealand in 1982. The crop is grown mainly for export. The local market is small, but the division’s lentil cookbook published in 1984 is now into its fourth printing. Lentils are relatively easy for experienced arable farmers to grow provided the management guidelines are followed, Mr Russell says. They have received good returns in spite of fluctuating world prices and one season of disease problems. Until recently New Zealand pasta was produced from bread wheats,

although products such as spaghetti and macaroni are best made from durum wheat. C.R.D. Tara was released in 1982, and now 10,000 tonnes of high quality pasta acceptable by world standards are produced in Mid and South Canterbury.

Durum wheat production took 15 years to develop from initial research to commercial interest, with a further eight years before pasta was made from 100 per cent durum. But now that there is sustained interest a second improved variety, Waitohi, is being released.

The search for new crops has also seen fail-

ures and setbacks. Triticale, the artificial cereal made by crossing wheat and rye, looked to be on the verge of becoming a commercially viable crop in New Zealand two years ago. Tw6 Polish cultivars, Lasko and Salvo, and one Crop Research Division cultivar, Aranui, were released in 1985, but the area sown has fallen off and breeders need to goback to select varieties for specific end uses.

Chickpeas are promising, and one or two cultivars should be released next year. Chickpeas are a high-protein crop, grown for many years in Australia, the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. The area Planted in Aus-

tralia has increased rapidly in recent years, and in New Zealand good yields are likely for the potential export market.

Cultivars of the white “navy” beans and coloured beans are also in the final stages of commercial testing.

With New Zealand importing $4 million worth of beans annually, mostly for canning as baked beans, Marlborough is the most promising growing area. Essential oils from fennel, coriander, lavender and boronia are highvalue products. There is offshore interest in developing New Zealand’s “clean green” image for the export of essential oils.