New canola varieties for 2014 (Ballarat)

Author: | Date: 05 Feb 2014

Trent Potter1 and Andrew Ware2

1Yeruga Crop Research, 2SARDI

Take home messages

  • Check NVT trial results and the blackleg management guide to make the best decisions about new varieties;
  • Select most appropriate herbicide group based on your weed spectrum; and
  • Use varieties with high levels of blackleg resistance, especially in medium to high rainfall zones.

Once again there are a large number of new canola varieties available for 2014. There are several new open pollinated varieties being released, these will attract an end point royalty (EPR). However, the majority of new releases will be hybrids. These, together with a range of existing varieties, will give growers and advisers a wide selection of varieties across all herbicide tolerance groups for planting in 2014.

Blackleg and other diseases

Blackleg has the potential to be a very destructive disease when growing canola. Its management is critical in order to maximise yields. Growers and advisers are directed to the Blackleg Management Guide (at grdc.com.au or australianoilseeds.com) as a point of reference to help manage the disease. This document is updated annually in March.

It is important to review and monitor blackleg management strategies on a regular basis as the disease has a high capacity to breakdown varietal resistance.

Since 2011, National Variety Trials (NVT) have been sown with the same fungicide treatment on all varieties and so the reaction to blackleg will be more difficult to assess from looking at the trials.

Much higher than normal occurrences of downy mildew and white leaf spot were reported across Australia in 2013. Any varietal differences and effects these diseases are having on yield are not clear at this stage and will be the subject of on-going research.

Speciality and juncea types

In recent years a number of specialty canola varieties have been released. These include the Victory® varieties (marketed by Cargill) and Monola® varieties (marketed by Nuseed). These varieties have a different oil profile, than commodity canola, that is more suitable for use in the food industry. Agronomically, speciality canola is the same as commodity canola. Speciality canola is being offered to growers in a closed loop marketing systems, often attracting a premium price. Currently production contracts for these varieties are limited to particular regions close to crushing plants, but this may change into the future.

Juncea canola is being developed as a drought and heat tolerant alternative to canola for the low rainfall environments. In 2014 there will be two juncea varieties available for sowing (both marketed by Seednet). Sales of juncea canola must be segregated from regular canola.

Varietal selection

The selection of the most suitable canola variety for a particular situation needs consideration of maturity, herbicide tolerance, blackleg resistance, relative yield, oil content and early vigour.  

The weed species expected may dictate the need for a herbicide tolerant production system (e.g. triazine tolerant, Clearfield® or Roundup Ready®). Triazine tolerant varieties will incur a yield and oil penalty when grown in situations where they are not warranted.

When decisions are being made on canola varietal choice, the NVTs  provide an excellent, unbiased resource. Data from the NVT website (www.nvtonline.com.au) and any observations you might make from trials in 2013 will greatly add to the confidence you have on selecting a new variety.

Varietal characteristics for new varieties for 2014

Notes on a newly released conventional variety

Nuseed Diamond (tested as NHC1203C). Early-mid maturing hybrid. Nuseed indicate a blackleg rating of MR (P).  Medium plant height. Tested in NVTs in 2012-13. Bred and marketed by Nuseed Pty Ltd.

Herbicide tolerant varieties

Notes on newly released Clearfield® (imidazolinone tolerant) varieties

Hyola® 577CL. Mid maturing hybrid. Very high oil content. Very high yield, medium-tall plant height. Adapted to medium-high rainfall areas. Provisional Pacific Seeds blackleg resistance rating R-MR (P). Rotation blackleg group to be advised. Tested in NVTs in 2013. Pacific Seeds indicate excellent for standability and direct harvesting. Bred and marketed by Pacific Seeds.

Pioneer® 44Y87 (CL) (tested as Pioneer 09N121I). Early-mid maturing hybrid. Moderate-high oil content. Medium plant height. Suited to medium rainfall areas. DuPont Pioneer indicates blackleg resistance rating R-MR (P). Tested in NVTs 2012-13.

Pioneer® 45Y88 (CL) (tested as Pioneer 09N146I). Mid maturing hybrid. Moderate-high oil content. Medium plant height. Suited to high rainfall and irrigated areas. DuPont Pioneer indicates blackleg resistance rating R (P). Bred and marketed by DuPont Pioneer.

XCEEDTMX121 CL. The first hybrid Clearfield® tolerant juncea canola.  Four days later than EXCEED™ Oasis CL.  Excellent early vigour and branching ability and has high oil content. XCEED™ X121 CL has excellent pod shattering tolerance and is suitable for direct harvest. Provisional blackleg resistance of R-MR. Bred by Seednet in conjunction with GRDC. 

Notes on newly released triazine tolerant (TT) varieties

ATR Bonito(tested as NT0183). Early-mid season maturing variety. Short-medium height. Nuseed indicate a blackleg rating of MR (P). Tested in NVTs 2012-13. Bred and marketed by Nuseed. An EPR of $5 per tonne (GST ex) applies to ATR BonitoA.

ATR Wahoo(tested as NT0184). Mid maturity variety. Medium plant height. Nuseed indicate a blackleg rating of MR (P). Tested in NVT trials 2012-13. Bred and marketed by Nuseed. An EPR of $5 per tonne (GST ex) applies to ATR WahooA.

Hyola® 450TT. Early-mid maturing hybrid. Medium plant height. Provisional blackleg resistance rating of R (P), blackleg rotation group D. Pacific Seeds indicate excellent standability and shatter tolerance. Tested in NVTs in 2013. Bred and marketed by Pacific Seeds.

Hyola® 650TT. Mid to mid-late maturing hybrid. Medium-tall plant height. Provisional Pacific Seeds blackleg resistance rating of R (P). Pacific Seeds indicate excellent standability and shatter tolerance. Tested in NVTs in 2013. Bred and marketed by Pacific Seeds.

Monola™ 314TT. Early-mid open pollinated specialty oil variety. Medium plant height. Nuseed indicate a blackleg rating of MR. Bred and marketed by Nuseed Pty Ltd.

Pioneer Sturt TT.  Early-mid maturity open-pollinated variety. Moderate oil content. Short-medium plant height. Adapted to the low and medium rainfall areas. Blackleg rating of MS-S.  Tested in NVTs in 2011-13. An EPR applies. Bred by Canola Breeders but marketed by DuPont Pioneer.

Notes on newly released Roundup Ready® varieties

Hyola® 400RR. Early to mid–early maturing hybrid. Medium plant height. Suited to low to medium rainfall areas. Blackleg resistance rating 2013 R (P) and resistance group D, E. Tested in NVTs for the first time in 2013. Bred and marketed by Pacific Seeds.

Hyola® 500RR. Mid maturing hybrid. Medium-tall plant height. Suited to medium to high rainfall areas. Blackleg resistance rating 2013 R (P) and resistance group D, E. Tested in NVTs for the first time in 2013. Bred and marketed by Pacific Seeds.

IH 30 RR. Early maturing hybrid. Blackleg resistance rating MR (P). Tested in NVTs in 2012 and 2013. Bred and marketed by Bayer CropScience.

Pioneer® 44Y24 (RR) (coded PHI-5133). Early-mid maturing hybrid. Medium plant height. Adapted to medium–high rainfall areas. DuPont Pioneer consider the blackleg resistance rating should be MR-R (P). Tested in NVTs 2011-2013. Bred and marketed by DuPont Pioneer.

Notes on newly released Roundup Ready® – triazine tolerant varieties

Hyola® 525RT®. Mid maturing Hybrid RT® dual herbicide tolerant. Medium plant height. Pacific Seeds indicate high yield and high oil content. Suited to medium to high rainfall areas. Tested in NVTs for the first time in 2013. Bred and marketed by Pacific Seeds.

Contact details

Trent Potter

PO Box 819 Naracoorte SA 5271

0427 608 306

trent@yeruga.com.au