On that basis, the Durack variety has not yet met all criteria for industry acceptance for a milling grade variety and will undergo further nutritional evaluation during 2017. Industry expects that the additional evaluation of Durack will be completed by the end of February 2018.
If Durack meets the nutritional component of the commercial evaluation in the course of 2017 and is endorsed by industry as a milling variety, it would be eligible for delivery as OAT1 or OAT2 from the time of that industry endorsement (that is, post February 2018). Durack has been developed to partner the varieties Bannister and Williams as the benchmark milling quality oat varieties for Western Australian production. Durack is expected to enhance on-farm oat profitability, targeting low-medium rainfall areas, as well as enhance Western Australia's reputation as a world leader in the production of high quality milling oats for export.
Growers who choose to grow Durack in 2017 to gain experience with the variety, or for seed bulk-up, will by arrangement with CBH be eligible to deliver as OAT2 from the 2017/18 harvest if the variety does not pass the nutritional evaluation.
With Asian demand for milling oats growing gradually, it is expected that Durack, Bannister and Williams will equip industry with the opportunity to capture expanding high value human food markets and provide grain growers with more profitable and productive alternatives to high yielding feed oats.
Tested as WA02Q302-9, from the cross 01Q211/94Q106-45-28, Durack is a product of the National Oat Breeding Program. This program breeds oats for southern Australia under a partnership between the South Australian Research and Development Institute, the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Grains Research and Development Corporation, with assistance from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
Agronomic characteristics
Durack is the earliest maturing oat variety of any current milling or hay variety. As a short season type it is suited for conventional sowing windows in medium-low rainfall areas or for delayed sowing opportunities in traditional (medium-high rainfall) oat areas. Relative to other varieties in breeding trials it was:
- 7-10 days earlier than Mitika
- 10-12 days earlier to head than Carrolup
- 10-16 days earlier than Yallara and Williams
- 15-18 days earlier than Bannister
- 18-20 days earlier than Kojonup.
Durack is moderately tall, standing at between 80-90cm. Its grain yield is similar to other tall varieties Carrolup and Yallara assessed in yield trails across four states. While yields associated with tall oat varieties may not surpass dwarf oats, the yield is competitive and grain quality characteristics of Durack indicate it will provide robust performance when compared to other varieties in medium-lower rainfall areas.
Yield performance
| Variety | Yield (t/ha) SA | Yield (t/ha) VIC | Yield (t/ha) NSW | Yield (t/ha) WA | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannister | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Carrolup (tall) | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| Durack (tall) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| Kojonup | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Mitika | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Williams (tall) | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Yallara (tall) | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
Data courtesy National Oat Breeding Program, NVT Programs in SA, Vic and NSW and CVT Program in WA. Analysis by Chris Lisle, (Statistics for the Australian Grains Industry Project).
| Variety | Yield (t/ha) Agzone 2 | Yield (t/ha) Agzone 3 | Yield (t/ha) Agzone 4 | Yield (t/ha) Agzone 5 | Yield (t/ha) Agzone 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannister | 4.04 | 3.91 | 2.0 | 3.25 | 4.78 |
| Carrolup (tall) | 3.37 | 3.19 | 1.8 | 2.81 | 3.74 |
| Durack (tall) | 3.45 | 3.29 | 1.64 | 2.88 | 3.82 |
| Kojonup | 3.72 | 3.64 | 1.8 | 2.99 | 4.54 |
| Mitika | 3.67 | 3.44 | 1.83 | 3.03 | 4.56 |
| Wandering | 4.00 | 3.49 | 2.17 | 3.56 | 4.44 |
| Williams (tall) | 4.09 | 4.12 | 1.88 | 3.23 | 4.58 |
| Yallara (tall) | 3.49 | 3.4 | 1.65 | 2.92 | 3.38 |
| Number of trials | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Data courtesy National Oat Breeding Program and CVT Program in WA. Analysis by Chris Lisle, (Statistics for the Australian Grains Industry Project).
Grain quality
Durack grain quality is excellent. It has an improved hectolitre weight and lower screenings compared to current milling varieties. Screening levels are a major improvement over Kojonup and Williams. Groat percent, and indication of processed yield after milling, is an improvement over Bannister and Williams.
| Variety | Hectolitre weight (kg/hl) | Grain weight (g) | Screenings (%<2mm) | Protein (%) (NIR)* | Oil (%) (NIR) | Groat (%) (NIR) | Beta-glucan ** (%) | Hull lignin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannister | 49.0 | 32.9 | 10.9 | 10.6 | 7.5 | 70.8 | 4.3 | high |
| Carrolup (tall) | 50 | 33.4 | 16.2 | 12.0 | 6.1 | 72.7 | 4.2 | high |
| Durack (tall) | 51.4 | 35.4 | 9.3 | 12.3 | 7.0 | 72.6 | 4.1 | high |
| Kojonup | 47.3 | 33.4 | 12.3 | 12.0 | 6.1 | 74.5 | 4.4 | high |
| Mitika | 49.1 | 35.3 | 9.0 | 12.2 | 6.9 | 72.7 | 4.4 | low |
| Williams (tall) | 48.0 | 31.7 | 15.1 | 10.6 | 7.3 | 69.4 | 5.2 | high |
| Yallara (tall) | 49.5 | 33.3 | 9.2 | 10.7 | 5.2 | 75.2 | 4.2 | high |
*NIR refers to near infra-red spectrometry assessment
** Beta-glucan data was collected from 2012-2014
Disease resistance
Durack is resistant to cereal cyst nematode and to predominant strains of leaf rust in WA. It is susceptible to stem rust.
| Variety | Stem rust | Leaf rust | Yellow dwarf virus | Septoria avenae blotch | Bacterial blight | Cereal cyst nematode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannister | MR-S | R | MS | S | MR-S | R |
| Carrolup (tall) | MS | VS | S | S-VS | MS | S |
| Durack (tall) | S | R-S | MS-S | S | MR-S | R |
| Kojonup | S | VS | MS | S | VS | S |
| Mitika | MR-S | R | S | S | MR | S |
| Williams (tall) | MR-S | R | MS | MS | MR | S |
| Yallara (tall) | MR-S | R | MS | S | MR | R |
R = resistant, MR = moderately resistant, MS = moderately susceptible, S = susceptible, VS = very susceptible, MT = moderately tolerant, MI = moderately intolerant and I = intolerant.
Seed availability
Durack seed is available through Heritage Seeds.
Durack has been bred to satisfy milling requirements. It will undergo final commercial milling evaluation after harvest 2016 to confirm its status before sowing in 2017.
The National Oat Breeding Program
The National Oat Breeding Program is a partnership between:
- Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA)
- South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
- Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
- Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
Its mission is to release improved oat varieties for grain or hay production, adapted to Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales.