31 July 1984 Plant counts take place at Wheat 84

Plant counts on the ICI-Tasman Wheat 84 competitors' plots at Weedons, on the Main South Road about one kilometre north of Rolleston, are mostly 200 to the square metre.

Highest count is 240 plants to the square metre on the plot of Broadfield farmer Mr Bevan Weir, who sowed Advantage.

Close behind is the 230 plants/ sq metre, sown in Arawa, on the plot of Mr Dudley Jarman, of Darfield.

Lowest count is that of Ashburton farmer Mr Mervyn Brenton, who sowed Oroua, and has 64. per cent emergence at 160 plants to the square metre.

This year competitors sowed early, with the first sowing on May 8 and the last on June 1.

Most of the. competitors had sown before the middle of May, but Mr Brenton sowed on June 1 and Methven farmer Mr Peter Mccaw sowed on May 8.

This is the third year of the wheat competition sponsored by ICITasman and administered by Lincoln College.

Wheat 84 is being organised by representatives from DSIR Crop Research Division, Federated Farmers, Lincoln College, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the New Zealand Wheat Board, and the North Canterbury Agricultural Merchants Association and United Wheat Growers Limited.

Further information from Dr Warwick Scott, Plant Science Department, Lincoln College, Canterbury, New Zealand.