Australia
August 17, 2016

The reliability of chickpea production entered a new era today with the release of a new variety that promises to deliver superior disease resistance and standability.

The release of the new desi variety, PBA Seamer, was announced by New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water, Niall Blair and Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) northern panel chair James Clark (pictured) today at the AgQuip Field Days at Gunnedah.

Mr Clark said PBA Seamer (CICA 0912) offered superior disease resistance to existing varieties PBA HatTrick and PBA Boundary, with the potential to deliver valuable yield benefits in high-pressure disease years.

“PBA Seamer has a number of agronomic benefits that will help keep dollars in growers’ pockets through yield improvements and reductions in fungicide costs,” Mr Clark said.

“This is particularly relevant in years like this one where large areas of the north are experiencing a wetter than average winter which vastly increases the risk of yield loss from diseases such as Ascochyta blight and botrytis grey mould.”

The release is the result of targeted long term investment in chickpea breeding by the GRDC and research partners NSW Department of Primary Industries and Pulse Breeding Australia.

In addition to improved Ascochyta blight resistance to PBA HatTrick and PBA Boundary, PBA Seamer offers moderate resistance to Phytophthora root rot, equivalent to PBA HatTrick.

It is a semi-erect plant type with superior lodging resistance and a larger seed size than PBA HatTrick and PBA Boundary and is preferred by end users due to a greater dahl milling yield.

It’s broadly adapted to suit the northern production regions from central NSW to central Queensland.

 

Website: http://www.grdc.com.au

Published: August 17, 2016