Does canola have a fit in mixed farming systems?

2012
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Annieka Paridean (SFS)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor Southern Farming Systems
Trial location(s) Dunkeld, VIC
Does canola have a fit in mixed farming systems? locations
Aims

 To treat the canola as a forage brassica until autumn, when it would be locked up to be carried on to produce grain at harvest 2012.
 

Key messages
  • Winter habit canola was successfully sown in spring 2011, grazed over summer and harvested for grain in 2012.
  • Grazing over summer increased grain yield compared to no grazing. Ungrazed yield was 1.9 t/ha, grazed was 2.7 t/ha. Taurus sown at the conventional time (April) yielded 2.3t/ha. 
  • Number of grazings had a small effect on yield. Grazing twice produced the best result, yielding 0.1t/ha more than grazing once and 0.2t/ha more than grazing three times. Although there was a yield penalty by grazing 3 times compared to two times, the third grazing supplied an additional 1t/ha of high quality feed at the beginning of May.
  • Heavy grazing reduced yield compared to light grazing irrespective of the number of times it was grazed. However the reduction in yield was small and the heavy grazing produced 4t/ha of feed compared to 1.4 t/ha when lightly grazed. 
  • Applying nitrogen over summer has no yield benefits except for multiple (3) heavy grazings. In this case yield went from 2.0 t/ha to 2.7 t/ha
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Hamilton Branch and Committee, Doug McArthur for use of the land.
 


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

Method

Crop type Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Grazing: Application Method
Trial type Demonstration
Trial design Unreplicated

Dunkeld 2012

Sow date 16 November 2011
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Cb Taurus Ungrazed 1.9
2 Cb Taurus April sown 2.3
3 Cb Taurus 3 grazings @ light rate 2.66
4 Cb Taurus 3 grazings @ heavy rate 1.96
5 Cb Taurus 2 grazings @ light rate 3.01
6 Cb Taurus 2 grazings @ heavy rate 2.78
7 Cb Taurus 1 grazing @ light rate 2.56
8 Cb Taurus 1 grazing @ heavy rate 2.68

Grain yield t/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Dunkeld, VIC Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Dunkeld, VIC Tenosol
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 Dunkeld VIC
2012 716.8mm
2011 728.5mm
2010 706.2mm
2009 649.0mm
2008 626.2mm
2007 628.2mm
2006 579.1mm
2005 579.6mm
2004 600.7mm
2003 622.2mm
2002 595.6mm
2001 618.8mm
2000 614.6mm
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.

Dunkeld VIC

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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 last modified: 28-10-2019 14:28pm AEST