Break crop options for the low rainfall zone

Authors: Sarah Day¹

¹SARDI New Variety Agronomy

Funded By: GRDC DAS00162-A

Project Title: Validating recent research on break crop options in the low rainfall zone to determine the best options for the difference climate, soil type and biotic stress situations.

Peer Review: Penny Roberts (SARDI)

Key Words: pulses, legumes, lentils, chickpeas, field peas, vetch, canola

Key Messages

• The project aim is to increase grower confidence to utilising break crops in rotations, with a target of 10-15% break crop inclusion in the cropping program, in low rainfall cropping systems.
• Break crop performance was variable across the four trials in 2017, due to high variation in seasonal rainfall.
• Grain yield of break crops at the Mildura trial site ranged from 0.9 – 1.98 t/ha, with field pea, lupin and vetch being the top yielding break crops.