Strategic winter fallow reduces financial and agronomic risk for Western Australian wheatbelt farmers

2012
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton

Trial details

Researcher(s) Sally Jolly (Landmark)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor Liebe Group
Trial location(s) East Dalwallinu, WA
Strategic winter fallow reduces financial and agronomic risk for Western Australian wheatbelt farmers locations
Aims

To compare the economic and agronomic response between the paddock rotations of wheat on wheat, wheat on late pasture topping and wheat on chemical fallow. This investigation aims to identify winter fallowing as a low-risk rotational strategy for low rainfall cropping systems in the North and Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.

Key messages
  • Think of a fallow as a risk reducing investment for your property.
  • Soil testing after chemical fallow is essential to determine the starting point of available nutrients in the soil.
  • Good agronomic practices that maximise plant health and growth will allow crops to use water more effectively, improving yield potential.
  • Weed free fallows mean increased moisture conservation leading to potentially higher yielding crops for the following year and more profitable rotations.
  • The use of a residual herbicide to help suppress weeds over summer will be beneficial.
  • If this trial was to be repeated, results will vary given different seasons and different soil types
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Darren Chitty and Meagan Pearce, Landmark Agronomists The Mills Family.


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Rotation
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated,Blocked

East Dalwallinu 2012

Sow rate or Target density 50
Sow date 13 June 2012
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 110m x 18.2m
Plot replication 3
Paddock history 6th continuous wheat
Fertiliser

50 kg/ha DAP at seeding

50 kg/ha Urea post emergent

Herbicide

13/6/12: 2 L/ha Trifluralin, 1.5 L/ha Glyphosate, 250 g/ha Diuron

17/7/12: 500 mL/ha Jaguar + 300 mL/ha LVE MCPA + 140mL/ha Zinc

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Hectolitre weight (kg/hL) Screenings (%) Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Wheat on chemical fallow 81.0 (c) 3.1 (a) 14.4 (a) 1.6
2 Wheat on LPT 79.6 (b) 4.9 (b) 13.6 (b) 1.2
3 Wheat on wheat 80.3 (a) 5.3 (b) 13.5 (b) 0.8

Grain yield t/ha


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Hectolitre weight kg/hL


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
East Dalwallinu, WA 0 - 10cm Loamy Clay 5.40
East Dalwallinu, WA 10 - 30cm Loamy Clay 6.50
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
East Dalwallinu, WA Loamy clay
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
East Dalwallinu, WA Kandosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year East Dalwallinu WA
2012 309.7mm
2011 288.9mm
2010 265.3mm
2009 286.5mm
2008 314.0mm
2007 276.0mm
2006 277.8mm
2005 242.3mm
2004 259.5mm
2003 282.6mm
2002 232.5mm
2001 266.2mm
2000 340.9mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

East Dalwallinu WA 2012


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 132mm

Derived climate information

East Dalwallinu WA

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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2012 trial report