A call is out for southern maize growers to explain how seasonal conditions influence production and crop performance.
In a statement, Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) researcher Owen Gibson said maize was planted at its Southern Research Hub in Knapdale, north of Gore, in the 2025-26 season.
A trial crop was planted on the 2ha site to evaluate the potential for increased maize silage production in Southland.
Although crop establishment was excellent and the crop looked highly promising in January, a series of frosts in early March and mid-April resulted in a "less-than-ideal" crop at harvest.
Average yields were about 12 tonnes per hectare, accompanied by poor forage quality.
The early frosts also affected maize growers across Southland, he said.
FAR was seeking to engage with growers to gain a broader understanding of how seasonal conditions influenced maize production and crop performance in the South, Mr Gibson said.
• The 2026-27 season is under way and the focus at the hub had shifted to oats, including a comparison of southern-bred oat cultivars.
This year, the site will be used as a demonstration to compare "L5" and "Gardyne" oats bred by the Oat Industry Group.
The work would also contribute to FAR’s oat monitoring project.
Oats are known to possess allelopathic properties, releasing compounds from their root systems which can inhibit the growth of surrounding weeds.
"We will evaluate differences in weed suppression and the potential contribution of allelopathy to an integrated weed management system."
