| Researcher(s) |
Sam Cockayne (SFS) Renick Peries (DPI) Gary Sheppard (SFS) Rohan Wardle (SFS) |
|---|---|
| Year(s) | 2007 |
| Contributor | Southern Farming Systems |
| Trial location(s) |
Inverleigh, VIC
|
The key aims of this project have been to develop agronomic guidelines and seeding technology solutions which can allow for increased stubble retention practices, thereby reducing the dependence on burning.
On average, the surface retained treatments appeared to yield marginally better across this site. There appeared to be no difference in grain quality between treatments. There appeared to be no significant levels of insect pest or predator numbers in either the assessed standing stubble or the burnt treatment at the crop early emergence stage. There was however twice as many beneficial species in the stubble retained treatment. Insects that were present included both beneficial and harmful earwigs at very low levels, spiders and carabid beetles (that were of importance). Soil water data at crop anthesis indicates that the higher yielding treatments experienced lower soil moisture levels to 60cm, reflecting a possible increase in transpiration from greater crop biomass. Plant available water in the burnt and wider row treatments was higher, but not significantly different.
| Lead research organisation | N/A |
|---|---|
| Host research organisation | N/A |
| Trial funding source | GRDC |
| Related program | N/A |
| Acknowledgments |
Special thanks to the property owners Andrew and Katie Stoney for allowing SFS to conduct this trial, and to the various Inverleigh branch coordinators who organized key extension events to tell the story about stubble retention practices to more than 300 visitors during the life (so far) of this principle research site. Thanks also to Paul Horne and Jessica Page from IPM Technologies for undertaking insect observations. Thanks also to Renick Peries for undertaking soil sampling and providing interpretation and guidance over the past three years at this site. |
| Other trial partners | Not specified |
| Crop type | Oilseed: Canola |
|---|---|
| Treatment type(s) |
|
| Trial type | Experimental |
| Trial design | Randomised,Replicated,Blocked |
| Sow date | 19 May 2007 |
|---|---|
| Harvest date | 8 December 2007 |
| Plot size | Not specified |
| Plot replication | 4 |
| # | Variety |
Treatment 1
|
Establishment plants (plants/m2) | Oil (%) | Grain yield (t/ha) | Insect incidence (%) | Weeds (plants/m2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | █ ATR Summit | █ Wide rows (16") | 25.75 | 40.98 | 1.25 | NR | 0.47 |
| 2 | █ ATR Summit | █ Standing stubble | 41 | 41.53 | 1.43 | 12.5 | 0.09 |
| 3 | █ ATR Summit | █ Scratch Till | 33 | 42.9 | 1.33 | NR | 0.22 |
| 4 | █ ATR Summit | █ Harvest to row spacing height | 40.5 | 41.8 | 1.4 | NR | 0.16 |
| 5 | █ ATR Summit | █ Harvest Low | 35 | 41.55 | 1.3 | NR | 0.34 |
| 6 | █ ATR Summit | █ Cellulose digestor | 35 | 42 | 1.43 | NR | 0.16 |
| 7 | █ ATR Summit | █ Burn | 36 | 41.8 | 1.33 | 8.5 | 0.28 |
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.
