CLIMATE change is expected to have a big effect on the way Victorian grain growers farm.

A drier climate means the grain industry has to get smarter about the way water is used to grow crops.

Wimmera farmers and researchers are planning for that change by looking at the water-use efficiencies of crops grown under chemical fallow and various stubble treatments.

Four-year stubble trials using farm-scale sized equipment are being run southwest of Warracknabeal at Sheep Hills, and east of Horsham.

The trials are part of the Department of Primary Industries' wide-ranging Fast Tracking program.

The work was identified as a priority by a committee comprising leading farmers, DPI extension and research staff and members of local agribusinesses.

Cameron and Travis Penny are hosting one of the stubble trials on their farm at Sheep Hills. Cameron said the trial began with the sowing of a wheat crop in 2008.

He said five management treatments of the resulting stubble, plus a chemical fallow comparison, were carried out before a barley crop was sown last year.

The stubble management treatments were:

  • Stubble left standing (control treatment).
  • Burnt stubble.
  • Stubble cultivated into the soil.
  • Mulched stubble.
  • Stubble cut and baled.

Similar treatments will be carried out this year before a lentil crop is sown.

The trial plots are the full width of the Pennys' 18m seeder.

Each treatment is randomly replicated four times.

Cameron said moisture probes were sunk 1.2m into the ground to monitor water content at various levels in the soil profile.

"We should be able to see how long water infiltrates into the soil after rain falls," he said.

DPI project officer Ash Wallace said the trial was designed to see what effect each treatment had on crop yield.

"The aim is to assist local farmers to learn more about agronomic practices which help water-use efficiency of crops, and therefore help growers adapt to a changing climate," Mr Wallace said.

Data from the first year of results has not shown statistical differences in crop yields between each stubble treatment.

"But it would not surprise us over time to see differences between treatments," Mr Wallace said.

"But on a profitability basis, there would be differences.

"For example, there are extra costs with cultivation of the stubble, compared with sowing direct into standing stubble.

"And where we are cutting up the straw and baling it, there is extra income."

The project is funded by the DPI.