As harvest is already underway, some farmers would already be aware of the quality of their drought affected grain. Grain quality will not only affect price at the silo, but if kept for seed will also influence how well next years crops emerge and establish.

Drought affected grain will be smaller in size and weight and this will directly impact on seed vigour. Whilst nothing can be done to improve grain quality, there are some management options to help make the best of a bad situation.

• Purchasing new seed

Purchasing new seed of good quality is an option but unrealistic on a large scale. If buying new seed be aware of the ownership rights on different varieties as many of the newer varieties do attract a royalty.

Quite often sourcing new seed from within your own district is best as this can give you a better idea of the quality you can expect and what weeds may be present in the seed.

• Saving seed

Assess paddocks prior to or at harvest to determine which will provide the best source of seed. The biggest sized grains will be best and the most likely source will be from robust varieties. Seed should be graded prior to storage to maximise the uniformity of the grain.

In situations where it will be necessary to make do with off-sized seed, there will be a number of things to consider.

Keep storage conditions as optimal as possible with close attention to insects.

It will be useful to do a germination test and weigh the seeds to determine the correct seeding rate – if you work with a standard seeding rate every year, smaller seeds will increase your plant numbers in the paddock.

Focus closely on seeding conditions as they will need to be as good as possible to help maximise emergence.

If your seeder set up is not perfect, invest the time to get this right as seeding depth will need to be accurate, not too deep and ensure no chemical damage.

At seeding consider the soil type and how hard the seeds will need to work to get out of the ground. Sands will be easier on exhausted seeds than heavier flats and adjustments will need to be made accordingly.

Don't forget chemical residues as the minimum withholding periods can lengthen in the absence of average rainfall.

 For more information or to discuss seed issue for next year, contact Tanja Morgan, Rural Solutions SA – Field Crops at the Murray Bridge Office on 08 8535 6404 or 0428 831278.