Australia
September 2, 2015
Suntime wheat is a new AGT variety suited to early sowing in NSW and Queensland
Grain growers in the northern farming zone can look forward to planting an exciting new, early-sowing variety of wheat, Suntime that will fit the lucrative Australian Prime Hard (APH) classification.
Developed by Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) at its Narrabri node in North-West NSW, Suntime will give NSW and Queensland growers an early-sowing option that offers higher yield potential and improved disease resistance.
Suntime will be officially launched at the University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute field day at Narrabri on Wednesday, 9th of September, 2015.
Growers will also have an opportunity to hear more about the new variety at a field walk to be held by Queensland DAF at the Farming Systems site on Murra Cul Cul at Billa Billa near Goondiwindi the following day, Thursday, the 10th of September, 2015.
AGT marketing and seed production manager north, Kerrie Gleeson, said Suntime had largely been developed as a replacement for the popular AGT variety, Sunzell.
“Suntime is a little bit quicker than Sunzell, however. The advantage over Sunzell is it is eligible for APH whereas Sunzell is only eligible for AH, and Suntime has proven to be significantly higher yielding than Sunzell in late April planted trials” he said.
“It is about delivering better yields and a better disease package. It has good stem, leaf and stripe rust resistance and moderate tolerance and moderate resistance to root lesion nematode.”
In NVT trials from 2010 to 2014, Suntime consistently outperformed Sunzell in grain yield and many disease resistance traits at sites from Central Queensland to North-West NSW.
Mr Gleeson said Suntime’s optimum sowing window was from 25th April to mid-May but is best suited to planting in the last week of April and first week of May in the north.
“We believe the excellent package of yield, maturity, disease resistance and APH classification should make Suntime a clear choice when picking a wheat variety for the Anzac Day planting window,” he said.
A 230-hectare seed-increase block of the new variety planted this season on the Woods’ family’s Goondiwindi farm, Billa Billa, is up and growing well.
“We are watching it with interest. It looks magnificent,” Tom Woods said.
“It appears to be a genuine early variety the industry is looking for that you can plant around the end of April/early May.
“There are a lot of mid-season varieties, but we are looking for a genuine early variety and Suntime looks like it will fit that space.
“Of the varieties we are growing here now, Suntime is the longer or slower variety and looks like it will yield well.
“It is eligible for Prime Hard, has dark leaves and looks very good at this stage.”
Commercial quantities of Suntime seed will be available for the 2016 season through AGT affiliates and local retailers. Visit www.agtbreeding.com.au for a list of stockists.
For further information, contact: AGT Marketing and Seed Production Manager North, Kerrie Gleeson, 0427 958 259.
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