6 IREC Farmers' Newsletter No. 199 — Autumn 2018 QUICK TAKE A 4.7 t/ha wheat crop sown after rice in the Western Murray Valley 2014. PHOTO: NSW DPI INCREASING RETURNS ON MEGALITRES AND INVESTMENT l  Growing wheat after rice is a great way to increase the productivity and profitability of an irrigated cropping system. l  Double cropping with wheat after rice may not suit every season, every paddock or every farmer but a recent project has identified some of the key requirements for success. l  If wheat after rice is the plan, selecting a well- draining paddock for the rice phase is essential, to ensure timely operations and dry ground for the harvest of the rice crop. l  A successful wheat crop sown straight after rice depends on sowing wheat early and sowing with high seed rates, topdressing nitrogen early and ensuring good drainage throughout the season. l  Managing the wheat according to the key points identified by the project, yields of 5.0 t/ha or more should be achievable. Double cropping wheat after rice provides a great opportunity for higher returns per megalitre using residual soil moisture, as well as higher returns on investment in irrigation infrastructure. Alex Schultz Research Development Officer NSW Department of Primary Industries, Deniliquin Sam North Research Hydrologist NSW Department of Primary Industries, Deniliquin GROWING wheat straight after rice is a practice that many rice growers have avoided after having bad experiences. The GRDC-funded project Soils under an irrigated environment looked at the potential to increase grain production in southern irrigation areas and to better understand the major constraints limiting grain production in surface irrigation systems. Through a survey of growers, the project found that some growers consistently produce wheat crops of 5.0 t/ha or more, directly after a rice crop. However, to achieve this there are essential steps to follow in the planning and management of both the rice and wheat crops. The dos and don’ts that need to be followed are summarised on the next page.