Growth, recovery, and yield of dual-purpose canola (Brassica napus) in the medium-rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia

Article

<< Previous

Next >>

Contents Vol 63(7)

doi:10.1071/CP12078

Plant Sciences, Sustainable Farming Systems & Food Quality

	Search




	Advanced Search



	Journal Home

	About the Journal

	New Editor-in-Chief

	Editorial Board

	Contacts



	Content

	Online Early

	Current Issue

	Just Accepted

	All Issues

	Special Issues

	Research Fronts

	Farrer Reviews

	Sample Issue



	For Authors

	General Information

	Notice to Authors

	Submit Article

	Open Access



	For Referees

	Referee Guidelines

	Review Article

	Annual Referee Index



	For Subscribers

	Subscription Prices

	Customer Service

	Print Publication Dates

e-Alerts

Subscribe to our Email Alert or

feeds for the latest journal papers.

Connect with us

Farrer Reviews

Invited Farrer Review Series. More...

PrometheusWiki

Protocols in ecological and environmental plant physiology

Growth, recovery, and yield of dual-purpose canola (Brassica napus) in the medium-rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia

Jeffrey I. McCormick ^A ^C ^D, Jim M. Virgona ^A and John A. Kirkegaard ^B

^A EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
^B CSIRO National Sustainable Agriculture Flagship, CSIRO Plant Industry, PO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
^C Present address: Lincoln University, PO Box 84, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New Zealand.
^D Corresponding author. Email: jeffrey.mccormick@lincoln.ac.nz

Crop and Pasture Science 63(7) 635-646 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/CP12078
Submitted: 7 March 2012 Accepted: 24 August 2012 Published: 18 October 2012





	PDF (389 KB) $25



	Export Citation

Print

Abstract

The effect of grazing of vegetative canola (Brassica napus) with sheep on crop growth and yield was investigated in two field experiments (Expts 1 and 2) in 2008 at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. The experiments included a range of cultivars, sowing rates, and grazing periods to investigate the influence of these factors on grazing biomass, crop recovery, and grain yield. Three spring canola cultivars (representing triazine-tolerant, conventional, and hybrid types) were used in both experiments and were sown at three sowing rates and grazed by sheep for 7 days in midwinter in Expt 1, while two different grazing periods were compared in Expt 2. Supplementary irrigation was applied to Expt 1 to approximate average growing season conditions, while Expt 2 received no irrigation. Increased sowing rate produced greater early shoot biomass for grazing, but the-triazine tolerant cultivar produced less biomass than the conventional or hybrid cultivars in both experiments. Grazing reduced dry matter and leaf area by >50%, delayed flowering by 4 days on average, and reduced biomass at flowering by 22–52%. However, there was no impact of cultivar or sowing rate on the recovery of biomass and leaf area after grazing. Grazing had no effect on final grain yield under supplementary irrigation in Expt 1, but reduced grain yield under the drier regrowth conditions in Expt 2. The results demonstrate that grazing canola is feasible under average seasonal conditions in a medium-rainfall environment (400–600 mm) without yield penalty, provided the timing and intensity of grazing are matched to available biomass and anticipated seasonal water supply to support grain production. More broadly, we suggest that grain yield reductions from grazing could be avoided if suitable conditions for regrowth (residual dry matter, length of regrowth period, and adequate moisture) can generate biomass levels in excess of a target value of ~5000 kg ha^–1 at flowering. This target value represents a biomass level where >90% of photosynthetically active radiation was intercepted in our study, and in other studies represents a biomass level above which there is little further increase in potential yield. Such a target provides a basis for more objective grazing management but awaits further confirmation with experimentation and modelling.

Additional keywords: feed gap, forage, grazing crop, mixed farming, rapeseed, water use, yield potential.

References

Berry PM, Spink JH (2006) A physiological analysis of oilseed rape yields: past and future. The Journal of Agricultural Science 144, 381–392.
| CrossRef |

Diepenbrock W (2000) Yield analysis of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.): a review. Field Crops Research 67, 35–49.
| CrossRef |

Harrison MT, Kelman WM, Moore AD, Evans JR (2010) Grazing winter wheat relieves plant water stress and transiently enhances photosynthesis. Functional Plant Biology 37, 726–736.
| CrossRef | CAS |

Harrison MT, Evans JR, Dove H, Moore AD (2011a) Dual-purpose cereals: can the relative influences of management and environment on crop recovery and grain yield be dissected? Crop & Pasture Science 62, 930–946.
| CrossRef |

Harrison MT, Evans JR, Dove H, Moore AD (2011b) Recovery dynamics of rainfed winter wheat after livestock grazing 1. Growth rates, grain yields, soil water use and water-use efficiency. Crop & Pasture Science 62, 947–959.
| CrossRef |

Hocking PJ, Stapper M (2001) Effects of sowing time and nitrogen fertiliser on canola and wheat, and nitrogen fertiliser on Indian mustard. I. Dry matter production, grain yield, and yield components. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 623–634.
| CrossRef |

Hocking PJ, Kirkegaard JA, Angus JF, Gibson AH, Koetz EA (1997) Comparison of canola, Indian mustard and linola in two contrasting environments. I. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer on dry-matter production, seed yield and seed quality. Field Crops Research 49, 107–125.
| CrossRef |

Kirkegaard JA, Sprague SJ, Dove H, Kelman WM, Marcroft SJ, Lieschke A, Howe GN, Graham JM (2008a) Dual-purpose canola—a new opportunity in mixed farming systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59, 291–302.
| CrossRef |

Kirkegaard JA, Sprague SJ, Marcroft SJ, Potter TD, Graham J, Virgona J, McCormick J (2008b) Identifying canola varieties for dual-purpose use. In ‘Global Issues. Paddock Action. Proceedings of the 14th Australian Agronomy Conference’. 21–25 September. (Ed. M Unkovich) (Australian Society of Agronomy/The Regional Institute Ltd: Gosford, NSW)

Kirkegaard JA, Sprague SJ, Hamblin PJ, Graham JM, Lilley JM (2012) Refining crop and livestock management for dual-purpose spring canola (Brassica napus). Crop & Pasture Science 63, 429–443.
| CrossRef |

Lunn GD, Spink JH, Stokes DT, Wade A, Clare RW, Scott RK (2001) Canopy management in winter oilseed rape. Home Grown Cereals Authority, UK, Project Report OS49.

Meier U (1997) ‘Growth stages of mono- and dicotyledonous plants.’ BBCH Monograph. (Blackwell Science: Berlin)

Mendham NJ, Salisbury PA (1995) Physiology: crop development, growth and yield. In ‘Brassica oilseeds. Production and utilization’. (Eds DS Kimber, DI McGregor) pp. 11–64. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)

Mendham NJ, Scott RK (1975) The limiting effect of plant size at inflorescence initiation on subsequent growth and yield of oilseed rape (Brassica napus). The Journal of Agricultural Science 84, 487–502.
| CrossRef |

Mendham NJ, Shipway PA, Scott RK (1981) The effects of delayed sowing and weather on growth, development and yield of winter oil-seed rape (Brassica napus). The Journal of Agricultural Science 96, 389–416.
| CrossRef |

Ockerby SE, Midmore DJ, Yule DF (2001) Leaf modification delays panicle initiation and anthesis in grain sorghum. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 127–135.
| CrossRef |

Passioura JB (2006) Increasing crop productivity when water is scarce - from breeding to field management. Agricultural Water Management 80, 176–196.
| CrossRef |

Robertson MJ, Kirkegaard JA (2005) Water-use efficiency of dryland canola in an equi-seasonal rainfall environment. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 1373–1386.
| CrossRef |

Thurling N (1974) Morphophysiological determinants of yield in rapeseed (Brassica campestris and Brassica napus). I. Growth and morphological characters. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 25, 697–710.
| CrossRef |

Thurling N, Vijendra Das LD (1979) The relationship between pre-anthesis development and seed yield of spring rape (Brassica napus L.). Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 31, 25–36.
| CrossRef |

Virgona JM, Gummer FAJ, Angus JF (2006) Effects of grazing on wheat growth, yield, development, water use, and nitrogen use. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 1307–1319.
| CrossRef |

Subscriber Login

	Username: Password:

Legal & Privacy | Contact Us | Help