Project Title: Achieving genetic potential of existing peanut varieties in high input production systems throughout Queensland

Project Supervisor: Dr GC Wright (MJ Robertson)

Funding Body: GRDC

Admin Contact: Ms Vicki Flanagan

Commencement Date: 1/7/99 Completion Date: 30/6/02

The activities to be conducted in this project can be divided into the following four categories: (i) identification of the major agronomic/management factors limiting the achievement of genetic yield potential in irrigated systems of NQ, CQ and SQ, (ii) establishment of participative on-farm R,D and E teams in each region to research and extend relevant issues, (iii) development and use of the Peanut APSIM crop model to assist in monitoring, benchmarking and decision support, and (iv) coordination of all state-wide peanut R,D and E activities to ensure effective information dissemination.

Specific details of proposed methodologies are outlined below:-

(i) and (ii) This project will involve the successfully used participative on-farm R and D team approach, where focus teams consisting of growers, researchers, extension personnel, private consultants and industry personnel will be formed in the North, Central and Southern Queensland regions. These groups will target a small number of growers and conduct on-farm trials to establish the genetic potential of existing peanut varieties (e.g. NC-7, Florunner, Streeton), by using using ‘best-practice’ agronomic and management techniques developed by local consultants and/or outputs from a number of previously funded GRDC/RIRDC/ACIAR funded projects. Direct comparisons with adjacent commercial fields will allow assessment of the major yield limiting factors in specific regions. Follow-up on-farm trials, using the action learning framework where experimental design, data collection and interpretation are discussed among team members, will target specific constraints (e.g. harvest management, plant population, irrigation management, late nitrogen application, optimum maturity indices).

A major activity of this project will be to enhance ‘on-farm’ research experiments/demonstrations currently conducted by growers and private consultants. Often, owing to time constraints and other resource limitations, it is difficult/impossible for them to effective monitor, measure and analyse these valuable trials. A major benefit of this project will therefore be to facilitate and ‘add value’ to this existing experimental activity.

(iii) The project will, in collaboration with other existing and new peanut projects, continue to develop the APSIM Peanut crop model to allow effective monitoring, benchmarking and enhanced decision making for the production of high yielding peanuts. It is proposed to use the very successful approach used by the ‘Farmscape’ program and more recently that used to assess the feasibility of spring mungbeans on the Darling Downs (Robertson et al, 1998). It is proposed that further calibration of the model in conjunction with characterisation of water holding capacity of soils etc…, will occur in each region.

(iv) A major activity of the proposed project will be to assist in the coordination of a number of other new and existing R,D and E projects to ensure close collaboration and linkage of all state-wide peanut activities for effective information dissemination. In particular we plan to work closely with the existing GRDC Peanut Improvement Project (DAQ XXX), and new projects on ‘Developing More Sustainable Farming Systems for Broadacre, Rainfed Cropping on Ferrosols’ and ‘Peanut Pathology’ (XXX title??) to ensure human and operating resources are effectively utilised.

1. An assessment of the major factors (including agronomic, disease, etc…) limiting the achievement of genetic potential of current peanut varieties in high input production systems throughout Queensland.
2. More rapid adoption of improved agronomic practices that increase ‘on-farm’ yields, by using a model of ‘action learning’ principles that have been proven in other pulse crops (e.g. mungbean).
3. Closer and more effective linkages between growers, researchers, extension personnel, private consultants and industry personnel, that can greatly enhance communication flows and identify priority research, development and extension issues.
4. A major R,D and E effort in the new and expanding peanut production regions of Central and Southern Queensland, that will contribute to better realisation of the genetic yield potential of current commercial varieities.
5. Development and use of decision support tools, such as APSIM Peanut, by researchers, consultants, extension personnel and growers that will allow monitoring, benchmarking and enhanced decision making for the production of high yielding peanuts.