GRAIN OF TRUTHMay 2016 | Issue 193

www.luisettiseeds.co.nz

LUISETTI20 Ashley StreetPO Box 77Rangiora 7440

P: 03-313-7176F: 03-313-7555E: admin@luisettiseeds.co.nz

188 Dobson StreetPO Box 380Ashburton 7740

P: 03-308-9103F: 03-308-2078E: stapletons@stapletons.co.nz

AGRONOMISTS

Andrew JohnstonPhone 027 433 4876

Craig DireenPhone 027 404 0540

Edward LuisettiPhone 027 287 6393

John McCawPhone 027 280 4082

Jono YoungPhone 027 466 0030

Kerry ThomasPhone 027 439 6104

Peter AyersPhone 027 522 5628

Vincent LuisettiPhone 027 435 5106

Luisetti Seeds and Plant & Food Research

Tackle the “Yield Robbers” Head On

Scald Resistance in BarleyBarley breeding lines with resistance against scald have been developed by Luisetti Seeds and Plant & Food Research using the wild relative Hordeum bulbosum as the donor of this resistance. A molecular technique called marker assisted selection (MAS) was used to track the resistance in crosses with elite cultivars (Booma and Bumpa). Marker assisted selection involves selecting individuals based on their marker pattern (genotype) rather than their observable traits in the field or glasshouse. Following three backcross generations, markers were also used to determine which lines were genetically similar to Booma and Bumpa whilst also possessing scald resistance. These lines were field trialled for the first time in the 2015-16 season and showed enhanced resistance when compared to their parental cultivars Booma and Bumpa. Sufficient seed is now available for agronomic evaluation (yield, kernel weight etc.) in the 2016-17 season.

In the meantime, our latest barley cultivar CRBA144 (which topped the F.A.R. autumn sown cultivar trials at Rakaia) offers a substantial improvement in scald resistance compared to existing cultivars. Seed for this cultivar will be available for autumn and spring sowing this year. Contact your Luisetti Seeds Agronomist to secure your seed now.

A Canterbury man left the cold streets of Timaru for a vacation in Sydney. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick email.

Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her email address, he did his best to type it in from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, and let out a piercing scream.

At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:

Dear Wife

Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

Your loving Husband

P.S. Sure is hot here

The Luisetti Seeds/Plant & Food Research cereal breeding programme is the largest cereal breeding operation in New Zealand and both companies have deliberately decided to attempt to breed resistance to the three biggest yield robbers of the New Zealand cereal crop.

Darfield Rugby ClubMaintains Quality of Its Grounds

Last season the Darfield club hosted finals day in Ellesmere rugby. As a result of bad weather, especially snow, the two fields at the club were badly affected (by not only the weather but the use of the farm machinery in getting them ready and the games played on them) and the rugby had to be transferred from the Saturday to the Sunday. Club officials thought something had to be done to avoid a repeat. Enter Luisetti Seeds. The proud principal sponsor of Country Rugby was approached by Darfield officials and as a result provided $3,000-$4,000 worth of seed to assist with ground maintenance at the club and to reduce the risk of similar problems occurring in future.

“This is not the first time that we have helped a club,” Luisetti Seeds director Vincent Luisetti says. “Although it was a bigger prospect in that the seed we have given is being used for two fields.”

The seed is sown in the autumn to ensure that it is established by the winter. The effect of the sports turf grass is that it makes the playing surface more robust and, accordingly, it allows for better rugby.

Luisetti Seeds, and the Luisetti Family have a strong rugby tradition in North Canterbury rugby built over five generations. “Rugby plays an important part in communities in rural Canterbury and we are delighted that we are able to help from time-to-time,” Vincent says.

Vincent says that the Darfield club has expressed its gratitude for Luisetti Seeds’ assistance. While it is hoped, as always, that climatic conditions will not adversely affect rugby in Canterbury this season, if it does then Darfield will be one of the best places in the province to lace-up the boots.

Craig Millar, club captain of the Darfield Rugby Club, says the club is extremely grateful for the assistance of Luisetti Seeds. “Luisetti Seeds are a fantastic supporter of Country Rugby and they have come to the party and helped us. Their generosity has meant that not only our players, but players throughout Ellesmere and Country, will have much better surfaces to play on in wet weather.”

Craig says that the seed has been laid recently on one Darfield field already by club members, with the second field to follow and as a result the club will be prepared for bad weather this season.

Article reprinted from CRFU newsletter

Darfield Rugby Club PresidentJames Scollay inspects the newly sown pitch

BYDV Resistance in WheatThe first field trials of advanced wheat lines that feature resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) were sown in the 2015-16 season. Two series of lines were developed using marker assisted selection to track the BYDV resistance into the milling wheat Viceroy and biscuit wheat Empress. These breeding lines were assessed for their field performance relative to the original Viceroy and Empress. The Viceroy selections were a fraction shorter, but had similar disease resistance qualities, test weight and grain protein content. These lines are currently undergoing milling quality testing. Unfortunately, all of the Empress selections were more susceptible to stripe rust and powdery mildew so have not been progressed. Selections from an earlier generation of Empress

crosses will be field trialled in the 2016-17 season. Once resistance to BYDV has been established in New Zealand adapted elite wheat backgrounds, they will be more easily incorporated into the main wheat breeding program through their use as parental lines.

Septoria Tritici Blotch Resistancein WheatLuisetti Seeds and Plant & Food Research are cur-rently trying to obtain a series of wheat lines featuring the complete set of resistance genes to septoria tritici blotch (STB). Unfortunately, due to New Zealand’s strict biosecurity standards, it has been difficult to find inter-national collaborators that can meet the requirements to provide seed. A small set of lines has been obtained from AgCanada. This seed has been increased in the glasshouse and will be field trialled in the 2016-17 season. STB is a major disease problem in wheat and there are documented cases of resistance to fungicides. Having wheat cultivars with genetic resistance to New Zealand pathotypes of STB is a key target for the Luisetti Seeds/Plant & Food Research wheat breeding programme.

BYDV symptoms in a wheat crop

Although Luisetti Seeds and Plant & Food Research are confident in offering growers Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) resistant cultivars in the long term, we must reduce the effect of this virus by controlling aphids using pesticides in the short term.

BYDV can cause significant yield losses in cereals, especially in autumn sown crops. Empress wheat, in particular, requires a robust insecticide programme to prevent BYDV infection.

The majority of wheat growers now use Poncho treated seed which offers protection from aphids for about six weeks after drilling. Traditionally, the first insecticide for a wheat crop has been applied with a herbicide about six weeks after sowing and this has tied in well with the end of the “Poncho protection period”.

Managing BYDV in this Season’sWheat, Barley & Oats

More recently, wheat growers have been using the pre-emergent herbicide, Firebird, and the insecticide application often required six weeks after planting has been missed.

Warmer temperatures promote the survival and reproduction of aphids, with global warming and warmer autumn and springs, wheat growers need to be aware of the signification risk of BYDV.

Symptoms of BYDV may not become evident until 3 weeks after infection and include stunting, yellowing or reddening of the leaves. It can often be confused with nutrient deficiencies.

Initial BYDV infection occurs when infected aphids fly into a newly emerging crop. These aphids reproduce, creating offspring which can spread secondary BYDV infection within the crop.

Cereals are most vulnerable to BYDV when they are infected as seedlings up to GS 31 (1st node visible on main stem). Aphids tend to feed on the plant at, or just below, ground level.

The risk of BYDV infection is greatest between GS 21 (start of tillering)and GS 31(1st node visible on main stem)

Crop Inspection andFoliar InsecticidesCrop inspection should commence immediately after crop emergence (if no seed treatment insecticide has been used) otherwise from the start of tillering (GS 21).

Dig up to 50 plants from throughout the paddock and examine plants, especially around the base, for aphid presence.

If aphids are present, apply KARATE ZEON at 40 ml/ha (plus a non-ionic wetting agent) as soon as possible. Luisetti Seeds recommendation is that the 40 ml/ha rate is better value for money in most circumstances.

Additional insecticide applications may be needed if aphids continue to migrate into the crop.

Spray Coverage andNozzle SelectionEnsure good spray coverage to the base of the plants where aphids tend to feed. The use of angled Syngenta DEFY nozzles prior to stem extension will optimise spray coverage. After stem extension, AMISTAR AI (Air Induction) nozzles are recommended to reach the base of the crop, and they can also reduce spray drift by up to 75%.

Resistance ManagementKARATE ZEON is a Group 3 (pyrethroid) insecticide. To reduce the risk of resistance, growers should rotate or alternate with insecticides from a different chemical group. Options for alternating with KARATE ZEON include Transform* (Group 4 insecticide) and PIRIMOR (Group 1 insecticide). Do not alternate KARATE ZEON with other Group 3 (pyrethroid) insecticides (e.g. Mavrik*).

IPM selectivityBeneficial insect populations are relatively low at the early growth stage of cereals, when the risk of BYDV infection is greatest. The use of KARATE ZEON early in the season is therefore unlikely to have a significant impact on beneficial insect populations.

Withholding Periods

Product Withholding Period

KARATE ZEON

70 days for cereals grown for grain.

28 days for barley and wheat grown for forage.

For further information on Karate Zeon or insecticide use in cereals, see your Luisetti Seeds Agronomist.

Insecticide PersistenceInsecticide persistence is influenced by temperature and ultraviolet (UV) light, with insecticides having greater persistence in autumn sown crops, due to lower temperatures and lower UV levels than spring sown crops.

F.A.R. trial data shows that KARATE ZEON provides longer aphid control than some other foliar insecticides when applied to autumn sown winter wheat (see table below).

Mean persistence of insecticides applied in

autumn sown winter wheat

Treatment ml/ha Persistence (days)

KARATE ZEON® 40 25.3

KARATE ZEON® 20 20.0

Mavrik* 150 15.2

Mavrik* 75 6.9

PIRIMOR® 200 5.9

Benefits of KARATE ZEONfor BYDV control• Contains a powerful UV protectant for longer lasting

aphid control and protection against BYDV.

• Fast knockdown, repellency and anti-feeding activity helps prevent the spread of BYDV.

• Low use rate means fewer containers to handle and dispose of when empty.

• Capsule Suspension (CS) formulation reduces product odour and risk of skin sensitisation.

• Capsules adhere strongly to the plant when dry for reliable rainfastness.

• Effective at low temperatures.

• Excellent tank mix compatibility with herbicides, fungicides and plant growth regulators.

Source: FAR Arable Update – Cereals, Issue 205 (Feb 2016)

Aphids on cereal leaf