Flip-flop yields of crops on alkaline soils in gilgai country - 2003 to 2006

2003 - 2006

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Roger Armstrong (DPI Horsham)
James Nuttall (DPI Horsham)
Year(s) 2003 - 2006
Contributor Birchip Cropping Group
Trial location(s) Birchip, VIC
Flip-flop yields of crops on alkaline soils in gilgai country - 2003 to 2006 locations
Aims

To increase our understanding of how relative grain yields in different parts of a paddock in the Mallee region vary year to year (and between crop types) and how these changes are related to soil type and seasonal rainfall.

Key messages
  • Grain yields can vary considerably within the paddock in the Victorian Mallee. The spatial pattern of this yield variation, however, is not always consistent, with relative yield patterns differing over consecutive seasons, and/or crop types, in a flip-flop (alternating) pattern.
  • Consistently high yielding zones existed where the shallow subsoil (10-20cm) was a clay loam texture (33% clay) with low salinity. In contrast, consistently low yielding zones possessed a shallow subsoil of light clay (40% clay) and medium to high levels of salinity.
  • Flip-flop yield zones were associated with gilgai (crab-hole) depressions where yields tended to increase in dry seasons (due to a concentration of surface water) but decreased in wet seasons (due to water logging of the heavy textured soils). In contrast where gilgai depressions and light textured soils occurred, crop yields were depressed in dry seasons.
  • Overall, the flip flop patterns in grain yields observed within paddocks was attributed to the effect of gilgai microrelief and changes in soil texture which influence soil water availability to crops.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAV00049
Related program Improving the profitability of cropping on hostile subsoils
Acknowledgments

This work is funded through the GRDC project ‘Improving the profitability of cropping on hostile subsoils’ (DAV00049). Thanks also to M Golder for paddock access to monitor crops and R Perris, M Baker, J Fitzpatrick and G Price (DPI) for their technical support.


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

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Grain Legume: Field peas Grain Legume: Chickpeas
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Type
  • Soil Properties: Type
Trial type
Trial design

Birchip 2003 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2003 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2003 Chickpeas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2004 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2004 Chickpeas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2004 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2005 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2005 Chickpeas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2005 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2006 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2006 Chickpeas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Birchip 2006 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Birchip, VIC Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Birchip, VIC Vertosol
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 Birchip VIC
2006 283.6mm
2005 316.0mm
2004 281.0mm
2003 275.8mm
2002 240.1mm
2001 285.1mm
2000 290.6mm
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

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Birchip VIC

CAUTION: Trial site locality unknown; Climate data sourced from Birchip Cropping Group office location
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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

2003 trial report



Trial last modified: 21-11-2019 15:41pm AEST