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Long-term comparison of stubble management strategies

2008
CC BY 4.0

Research organisation
Funding source
Southern Farming Systems
<abbr title='Grains Research and Development Corporation'>GRDC</abbr>

Trial details

Researcher(s) Brett Davey (SFS/TIAR)
Geoff Dean (SFS/TIAR)
Regan Parkinson (TIAR)
Angela Smith (TIAR)
Year(s) 2008
Contributor Southern Farming Systems
Trial location(s) Perth, TAS
Long-term comparison of stubble management strategies locations
Aims

The aim of this trial was to compare the long term effects of different stubble treatments on crop establishment, growth, grain yield and quality.

Key messages
  • Five stubble management strategies were compared: fully retained, cut and baled, burnt and incorporated with Lemkin or offset discs. 
  • Grain yield from the burnt plots was significantly higher compared with stubble retained (fully retained and cut and baled) and both incorporation treatments were significantly higher yielding than where stubble was fully retained. It is likely that this effect is a result of increased stubble from retained treatments leading to poorer plant establishment.
  • Fully retained stubble resulted in significant soil improvements i.e. increased soil moisture (particularly early in the season), higher invertebrate and microbial populations and improved soil physical characteristics.
  • Rain at the end of the season may have masked potential yield benefits from improved soil moisture with retained stubble treatments.   
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Thanks to Bill Chilvers for use of land and spraying.
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

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

Perth 2008

Sow date 29 February 2008
Harvest date 29 January 2009
Plot size 50m x 8m
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

Approximate location
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
 Treatment 1
Establishment plants (plants/m2) Dry matter (t/ha)
1 █ Mackellar █ Offset disc 125.1 NR
2 █ Mackellar █ Lemkin 139.4 NR
3 █ Mackellar █ Fully retained 110.2 14.54
4 █ Mackellar █ Cut + baled 124.4 NR
5 █ Mackellar █ Burnt 145.1 15.47

Dry matter t/ha

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Establishment plants plants/m2

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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Perth, TAS Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Perth, TAS Sodosol
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 Perth TAS
2008
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2001
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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.

Perth TAS

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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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

2008 trial report



Trial last modified: 08-11-2019 14:44pm AEST