Trial Results
Sown Annuals for Biomass Production
Key Outcomes
 Sown cereals produced the highest dry matter of winter sown annual species
 There are a range of annuals that are not currently being used that could have a
role in farm production
 Annual pasture legumes only produced significant growth in spring
 The yield of summer species indicates they can be productive on high soil moisture
holding soils that actually contain high amounts of plant available water
Trial Objectives: The aim of the project is to compare a range of sown annual
species for biomass production. The biomass production could be utilised for grazing,
fodder conservation or energy.
Plot Size:
10m x 1.6m
Replicates:
3
Treatments
Results
A replicated trial site was established at Navan, near
Tarlee, in the Mid North of South Australia. Plots of a
range of species were sown using a cone seeder at
an appropriate sowing time given the break to the
season.
Seeding rates were to achieve recommended or
commonly used plant populations.
There were three times of seeding: TOS 1 June 6,
2011 when all winter growing annuals were planted,
TOS 2 November 1, 2011 and TOS 3 November 4
2011 when summer growing annuals were planted.
The trial consisted of three replicates and contained
28 ‘winter’ species and 14 ‘summer’ species or
varieties.
Dry matter production was assessed at critical times
during the growing season and total dry matter
production measured for each ‘winter’ treatment
when the first flowers were withering for legumes,
when anthers were protruding for cereals and before
grain colour formation in brassicas.
For ‘summer’ species a single dry matter
assessment was conducted in late autumn 2012.
Winter annuals were sown into good moisture
conditions. Summer annuals were sown into fallow
conditions created by maintaining weed control
during winter and although initial conditions for
germination were not ideal on Nov 1 heavy rolling
immediately after sowing on the Nov 4 seeding
created ideal conditions for germination.
Summer crops were sprayed for helicoverpa and
baited for mice.
The soil type chosen for this trial was able to store
substantial quantities of soil water from winter
rainfall and had no barriers to root proliferation in the
top 1 metre of soil. In actual fact it is the ideal soil
type for storing water from rainfall for subsequent
use.
The dry matter yields of the sown cereals ranged
from 5.9 to 11.2 t/ha. The early season production of
Moby barley was the highest of all entries. The total
production of Endeavour triticale and Southern
Green Ryecorn was the greatest. Wheat selected for
early vigour (UA47) due to rapid leaf area
development produced more dry matter than the
dual purpose winter wheat, Naparoo. Pasture
legumes produced poor early and winter growth but
some made significant growth during spring. The
highest pasture legume dry matter was achieved
with the Zulu 2 arrowleaf clover. Production of
Foxtail Restharrow, Melilotus elegans and
hedysarum flexuosum in spring was reasonable.
Sub clover is grown widely throughout the mid north
but the production of Antas was poor in this trial.
The summer growing species had good yields with
the exception of the summer legumes. There was no
significant difference in the yields of the forage
sorghum varieties, one grain sorghum and one
maize. White French Millet was significantly lower
yielding than the forage sorghum and maize. The
millet showed moisture stress much earlier and
more significantly than any other species.
Of the summer legumes the lab lab and soybean
produced worthwhile production while the pigeon
pea and cowpea production was very low.
Summer growing species may be viable where the
soil has a high Plant Available Water Capacity and
high Plant Available Water at seeding. This trial was
conducted on some of the deepest, well structured
soils of the mid north.
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Table 1 Dry matter production of winter
growing annuals
Winter Growing Species
Endeavour Triticale
Southern Green Ryecorn
Kohl Rabi
Winterstar 2 Ryegrass
Commander Barley
Hyola 50 Canola
Moby Barley
Tetrone Ryegrass
Wintaroo Oats
Tuckerbox Triticale
Naparoo Wheat
Zulu 2 Arrowleaf Clover
Jeanne Ryegrass
Eurabbie Oats
Foxtail Restharrow
UA 47 Wheat
Sungrazer Ryegrass
Melilotus elegans
Garden Radish
Hedysarum flexuosum
Morava Vetch
Blaza Crimson Clover
Elite 2 Berseem Clover
Turnip (tops + bottoms)
Morgan Peas
Narbon Beans
Antas Sub Clover
Spring Onion
LSD (P=0.05)
LSD (P=0.05)
DM
(kg/ha)
11190.0
10845.5
8718.2
8506.7
8428.4
7870.4
7862.0
7702.5
7687.4
6985.5
6768.8
6072.7
6031.3
5959.1
5941.4
5896.6
5832.7
5316.6
5056.7
5008.2
4936.1
4579.6
3833.7
3799.8
3784.6
3139.2
2492.4
488.5
2605.7
1876
Table 2 Dry matter production of summer
growing annuals
Dry
Matter
Summer Growing Species kg/ha
Sprint Forage Sorghum
BettaGraze Forage Sorghum
Rocket BMR Forage
Sorghum
Speed Feed 2 Forage
Sorghum
PAC2434 Grain Sorghum
84G22 Grain Sorghum
38F70 Maize
36Y84 Maize
White French Millet
Pigeon Pea
A6785 Soybean
Rongai Lab Lab
Highworth Lab Lab
Red Caloona Cowpea
LSD (P=0.05)
9896
9374
10298
8651
7445
8819
8887
7664
3551
987
1444
1047
829
NA
1876
Putting It Into Practice
Early season (July) dry matter production was
greatest in sown cereals with Moby barley being the
highest.
July/August production was greatest with sown
cereals and the cruciferous species but the vetch
was reasonable. Peas and narbon beans did not
produce as much dry matter as vetch and the
ryegrasses starting to accumulate dry matter during
the early tillering phase.
Possible contributing factors – Short periods of
waterlogging occurred during winter and may have
limited production of very sensitive winter growing
species. The LSD is high due to large variability
caused by soil type variation.
The soil type and Plant Available Water for summer
production were near field capacity at sowing.
Acknowledgements

Pat and Mary Connell for allowing the MNHRZ
group trials on their land

SARDI for supplying seed of some species

Seed companies for supplying seed
Funding Body
Grain & Graze 2 – A GRDC & Caring for Our
Country initiative
26 | T r i a l R e s u l t s 2 0 1 1
Weather Probe
27 | T r i a l R e s u l t s 2 0 1 1