As Queensland grain growers start thinking about what to plant next season, based on how crops performed this year, the latest GRDC sowing guide could help inform their decision making.

The newly released GRDC 2022 Queensland Winter Crop Sowing Guide contains the latest information for wheat, barley and chickpea varieties.

Available as a hard copy or for download on the GRDC website, the publication enables growers to drill down into specific variety characteristics such as yield performance and disease ratings to ensure selected varieties are ideally suited to local production conditions.

GRDC NVT Regional Manager – North, Laurie Fitzgerald said the new 2022 Queensland Winter Crop Sowing Guide can help inform growers’ decisions about what seed to retain for planting next year. Photo GRDC.

GRDC’s National Variety Trials (NVT) Regional Manager – North, Laurie Fitzgerald, says the sowing guide covers three new varieties released in 2021 for growers to consider, along with the latest disease resistance ratings.

“The 2022 Queensland Winter Crop Sowing Guide draws on the advice, knowledge and experience of experts in the grains sector, as well as validated trial data to help growers make informed choices ahead of next season,” Mr Fitzgerald says.

“The guide aims to help growers select the best variety for their sowing conditions which can be the difference between a profitable or unprofitable crop.”

Mr Fitzgerald says only varieties deemed suitable for Queensland conditions were included in the new guide and if a variety was not mentioned there was either no commercial seed available or concern it may not have robust disease resistance.

“As harvest is underway or finishes in Queensland, growers will be planning ahead to 2022 winter crops and making decisions about what seed to keep, depending on how crops have performed this year, including how they’ve handled issues, such as disease,” Mr Fitzgerald says.

“The GRDC sowing guide can really help support their decision making. Selecting the best variety for the situation is an important decision and has a significant bearing on grain yield and profitability.

“Put simply, knowing your paddock, and knowing your varieties is critical. This guide summarises the latest information on individual wheat, barley and chickpea varieties, including agronomic and disease ratings from NVT data across the region.”

The 2022 Queensland Winter Crop Sowing Guide and NVT Regional Harvest Reports are also available via the GRDC NVT website.