Break crop selection for Eyre Peninsula low rainfall farming systems

Farming systems in the low rainfall zone of southern Australia are dominated by cereal production. There is increasing concern about grass weed and soil-borne disease pressure, diminishing soil fertility (particularly nitrogen), and water use efficiency, as a result of continuously cropping cereals. Break crops have a key role to play in addressing these issues, as well as diversifying crop production and economic risk, and maintaining long-term sustainability of the system. However, there remains a lack of information available to growers about choosing the break crop best suited to their situation, as break crop development to date has largely occurred in medium and high rainfall zones. The aim of this research is to identify the best break crop options for different climate, soil type and biotic stress situations within major cropping regions of the southern low rainfall zone.