With little planting progress in January, many growers have turned their sights to spring beans.
In 2019, the spring bean area failed to recover to the highs of 2017 but still proved a profitable crop due to a decent price and a protein aid payment.
Department sources have confirmed the Protein Aid Scheme will return in 2020 and with a large spring crop area forecast, spring beans are expected to be popular.
However, with demand high, it seems likely the area will be restricted due to seed availability.
This year’s recommended list was recently released by the Department of Agriculture. There were 11 varieties trialled across four sites. However, no new varieties have been provisionally added this year.
In Table 1 you’ll find the relative agronomic characteristics of recommended varieties this year. Figures shown in brackets are based on extremely limited data and should be treated with caution.
The control varieties used in 2018 and 2019 were Fanfare and Lynx.
Yield and crude protein content are expressed relative to the mean of the control varieties (100 = mean of control varieties which was 6.1t/ha at 15% moisture with crude protein of 26.2%)
Boxer: Yield has slipped four points on 2019 and protein content has slipped one point. More prone to diseases than the others. It is regarded as being moderately susceptible to chocolate spot and moderately resistant to downy mildew. It is handled here by Goldcrop Ltd.
Fanfare: Good yield combined with good protein content. It is tall with good disease resistance, rated moderately resistant to chocolate spot. It rates as resistant to downy mildew although it has slipped one point from 2019. It is handled here by SeedTech.Lynx: This is now fully recommended and is the highest yielder on the list. Protein content remains good. It is medium in height between Boxer and Fanfare. It has good resistance to chocolate spot and downy mildew. It is also handled here by SeedTech.
With little planting progress in January, many growers have turned their sights to spring beans.
In 2019, the spring bean area failed to recover to the highs of 2017 but still proved a profitable crop due to a decent price and a protein aid payment.
Department sources have confirmed the Protein Aid Scheme will return in 2020 and with a large spring crop area forecast, spring beans are expected to be popular.
However, with demand high, it seems likely the area will be restricted due to seed availability.
This year’s recommended list was recently released by the Department of Agriculture. There were 11 varieties trialled across four sites. However, no new varieties have been provisionally added this year.
In Table 1 you’ll find the relative agronomic characteristics of recommended varieties this year. Figures shown in brackets are based on extremely limited data and should be treated with caution.
The control varieties used in 2018 and 2019 were Fanfare and Lynx.
Yield and crude protein content are expressed relative to the mean of the control varieties (100 = mean of control varieties which was 6.1t/ha at 15% moisture with crude protein of 26.2%)
Boxer: Yield has slipped four points on 2019 and protein content has slipped one point. More prone to diseases than the others. It is regarded as being moderately susceptible to chocolate spot and moderately resistant to downy mildew. It is handled here by Goldcrop Ltd.
Fanfare: Good yield combined with good protein content. It is tall with good disease resistance, rated moderately resistant to chocolate spot. It rates as resistant to downy mildew although it has slipped one point from 2019. It is handled here by SeedTech.Lynx: This is now fully recommended and is the highest yielder on the list. Protein content remains good. It is medium in height between Boxer and Fanfare. It has good resistance to chocolate spot and downy mildew. It is also handled here by SeedTech.
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