The 40 hectare paddock of Ventura at Howlong has earned the top honours in the Southern Region of the Agricultural Societies Council of NSW dryland field wheat competition.

It was grown by Hilton and Marjorie Nicholas, “Oakbank” and stands in an area where acres of winter crops have been cut for hay due to frost damage.

Property manager Nick Ennis said it was fortunate this particular paddock had survived and he was pleased with how it was looking.

He was planning to start stripping the crop today (**subs Thursday) and was confident it would yield at least five tonnes a hectare.

Despite the severe frost damage throughout the district Mr Ennis attributed the topography of the paddock and perhaps some luck for the reprieve.

The crop got off to quite a traditional start for winter sowing in Southern NSW and was planted after the soil profile benefited from Anzac-day rainfall.

It was sown on May 14 and at the same time 75 kilograms a hectare of MAP was applied.

Before sowing the area was sprayed with Roundup, at a rate of 2.5 litres a hectare together with 35g/ha of Logran.

Mr Ennis said a typical rotation at the Howlong property was two years of wheat followed by triticale and then Canola.

He was pleased with how the Ventura performed, especially because of the frost pressure in the region. And the crop also received just 350 millimetres of rain for the growing season.

He said the only disease pressure was from stripe rust and preventative strategies were put in place to minimise the damage.

The crop was sprayed when it was at the flag leaf stage with Bayleton at a rate of 1l/ha one using a ground rig.

Once the head was fully emerged a fungicide called Opus was used and it was applied using an aircraft.

“We had quite a lot of stripe rust pressure,” he said.

During the growing season the post emergent spray Axial was used at a rate of 550 ml/ha to reduce weed pressure.

Mr Ennis said it was extremely fortunate the crop had stood up so well to the frost damage which impacted the region.

Full story in The Land on Thursday.