The years 2006-2008 were quite dry, apart from a wet winter in 2007, and the yields measured on focus paddocks reflect this (Table 15). Heavy paddocks at Culgoa and Minyip had relatively low yields in all three years. A good grain yield was obtained from the Yaapeet No Till paddock in 2008, but otherwise yields were low and the Till farmer made hay in all years. Better yields were achieved in the Sea Lake, Patchewollock No Till and Donald paddocks. On a whole paddock basis, there was a yield benefit from Till paddock fallows at Sea Lake, but not at Donald. Cereal crops gave higher yields than pulse crops, as might be expected.

Wheat crops generally achieved Hard 1 quality, and barley crops Feed 1. All barley crops were malting variety, but seasons were unfavourable (because of protein or grain size) for malt barley.

Table 15. Whole paddock yield and quality for focus paddocks, 2006-2008.

NH = not harvested

N = not reported

Hand harvest yields from the sample areas tended to reflect paddock yields quite well (Figure 36), particularly in no-till paddocks. Yields corresponded particularly well when hand harvest yield was less than 1.5 t/ha. Hand harvest yields from Till paddocks tended to over-estimate the whole-paddock yield. This may indicate that the sample area was located in a better part of the paddock, that Till paddocks were generally less even, that harvest losses were higher, or that there was a bias in the hand harvest process. A notable exception was the Sea Lake Till paddock in 2006, where the sample area was in part of the paddock that was frosted, and had much lower yield than the paddock as a whole.

Figure 36. Relationship between grain yield measured on hand harvests in the sample area, and whole paddock grain yield recorded by the farmer.