Business Feature
Last year Associated Grain put their high quality, treated chickpea seed to the test with Goondiwindi grower, Charlie Clarke.
Mr Clarke compared seed that he had graded, augered and treated on-farm alongside professionally processed and treated seed from Associated Grain, Dalby from an identical seed lot.
Mr Clarke observed much faster emergence and a more even crop stand resulting from the seed processed and treated at Associated Grain.
“It was easy to see, right from the start,” he said.
“It came as a bit of a shock, given that we grade and treat our own seed on farm, expecting a top result.”
Associated Grain seed manager Geoff Birch said their are many benefits to purchasing quality seed.
“Our seed is sourced from crops that have been inspected regularly during the growing season by qualified seed production agronomists,” he said.
“This enables us to choose seed lines that meet our high standards for genetic purity, seed germination and seedling vigour.”
He said the selected seed lines are then professionally graded and processed using state of the art equipment and techniques.
“What professionally processed seed offers is a guarantee of higher quality seed with the best possible germination percentage and seedling vigour.
“Weed seed contamination is also eliminated through professional grading and processing.”
He said all chickpea seed should also be treated with a Thiram-based fungicide to protect the young seedling from fungal diseases such as ascochyta blight and botrytis grey mould.
Mr Birch said the complete coverage of chickpea seed that is achieved through the seed treatment process at Associated Grain is essential to ensure the crop gets off to a healthy start.
“Fungal diseases are expected to be particularly important for the coming chickpea season where higher levels of inoculum are likely, due to the high disease incidence in many 2016 crops.”
For Charlie Clark there is a simple take home message.
“Our business is about extracting the best yield from our paddocks and this means starting with the best seed you can get.”
PBA Seamer impresses
In preparation for 2017, Associated Grain has good stocks of the new chickpea variety PBA Seamer.
PBA Seamer is an improved desi chickpea developed for the northern region with the highest available Ascochyta blight resistance rating (rated R).
It is broadly adapted from central NSW to central Queensland, with significantly higher grain yield than all current varieties in high disease years.
PBA Seamer has a semi-erect plant type with superior lodging resistance to PBA HatTrick and PBA Boundary.
PBA Seamer has improved seed quality with larger seed size than PBA HatTrick and higher dhal milling yield than all current varieties in southern Queensland and northern NSW.
Growers are invited to place their seed orders early by calling (07) 4669 9500 or by emailing seedorders@associatedgrain.com.au