— 30 IREC Farmers' Newsletter No. 200 — Spring 2018 Each season, experiments are established across the rice growing regions of southern New South Wales with current and near to release rice varieties to determine effects of agronomic management. THESE experiments are often located in growers’ commercial fields and include aerial, dry broadcast, conventional drill and drill with delayed permanent water (DPW) growing methods. The experiments conducted in the 2017–18 season and their treatments are listed in Table 1. The Jerilderie Drill, Yanco DPW and the Leeton water management (WM) experiments all had split sowing dates so that the reproductive periods of the varieties and treatments aligned so true comparisons could be achieved. The experiments are continually monitored and sampled throughout the season to determine key growth stages with panicle initiation (PI), microspore, flowering and maturity (22% grain moisture) determined for each variety. Plant establishment is counted and physical samples collected at PI and maturity so crop growth and all components that contribute to yield can be determined. Water depth and water and air temperature are also recorded at each site so their impact can be accounted for. Grain quality samples are collected from many of the experiments as each variety reaches maturity. This allows the evaluation of sowing, water management and nitrogen treatments for their impact on grain quality. Three short grain experiments were conducted this season that investigated the impact of three plant densities and ten nitrogen rate by timing treatments on grain quality of the sushi varieties (Opus, Koshihikari and YRK5). Hand sowing an aerial sown variety x nitrogen experiment in trials to determine best practices for management of current and new rice varieties Table 1. Details of rice variety by nitrogen experiments conducted in the 2017—18 season Location Sowing method Varieties Nitrogen rates (kg N/ha) Mayrung Aerial Reiziq, Sherpa, Doongara, Opus, Koshihikari, Illabong 0, 90, 150, 90-60 Coleambally Dry broadcast Reiziq, Sherpa, Doongara, Viand, Langi, Topaz 0, 120, 180, 120-60 Wakool Drill Reiziq, Sherpa, Opus, Koshihikari, Illabong, YDP 0, 60, 120, 60-60 Jerilderie Drill Reiziq, Opus, Koshihikari, Viand, YRK5, YDP 0, 90, 150, 90-60 Jerilderie Drill density Koshihikari, Opus, YRK5, Viand – 3 densities 10 treatments Yanco DPW Reiziq, Opus, Doongara, Koshihikari, Viand, YRK5, YDP 0, 60, 120 Yanco Fully aerobic Reiziq, Sherpa, Opus, Doongara, Langi, Topaz, Koshihikari, Viand, YRK5 & YDP 60 mid till + 60 PI Leeton WM Aerial, drill, DPW Reiziq & Sherpa 0, 120, 180, 240 NB Several Australian rice varieties are granted Plant Breeders Rights by IP Australia. This publication acknowledges PBR for Opusp , Reiziqp , Sherpap , Topazp and Viandp . — 30 IREC Farmers' Newsletter No. 200 — Spring 2018 Best practice for new rice varieties