Both varieties offer growers the sought after characteristic of a grain recovery bonus after long periods of grazing by livestock.

NSW DPI Director of Rural Innovation Science and Research, Dr Steve Thomas, said both varieties boast new improvements on older varieties including improved yield production, increased grazing ability and disease resistants.

“Mannus oats, named after the district near Tumbarumba, is a dual purpose grazing-grain variety bred and developed at the NSW DPI’s Oat Improvement Program at Temora Agricultural Research and Advisory Station,” DPI Oats Breeder Glenn Roberts said.

“Breeders selected Manus for its early to mid maturity winter growth.

“It has a number of advantages over other current varieties including height and its vegetative phase that, if managed correctly, will give excellent grain recovery yields.

“Manus is more productive than other varieties such as Cooba, Bimbil, Blacknutt, Nile and Yarran.”

DPI Barley Breeder, Dr Shoba Venkatanagappa, said Urambie Barley is a semi-dwarf feed barley bred at Barley Improvement Program based at Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute.

“Urambie has a true winter that requires it to endure a cold spell to induce heading,” she said.

“Because of this, Urambie is ideally suited to those areas where growers like to sow early, graze for an extended period and then recover grain.

“This variety truly provides a grain and graze option.

“Urambie is resistant to leaf scald, barley grass stripe rust and boasts very strong grain recovery, even after long periods of grazing.”

GRDC were partners in the selection of the varieties. Both are being commercialised by Waratah Seeds.