Southern barley agronomy - how much nitrogen is too much, and when should I apply it?

2013
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Megan Beveridge (La Trobe University)
Corinne Celestina (SFS)
Jon Midwood (SFS)
Year(s) 2013
Contributor Southern Farming Systems
Trial location(s) Westmere, VIC
Southern barley agronomy - how much nitrogen is too much, and when should I apply it? locations
Aims

To investigate the effects of delaying nitrogen application until GS31 on grain yield and quality by using differing nitrogen application rates across a range of popular malt and feed barleys.
 

Key messages
  • Westminster was the barley variety that gave the top gross margin with an application rate of 120 kg N/ha at GS31, closely followed by GrangeR (90 kg N/ha at GS31).
  • Oxford (45, 90 or 120 kg N/ha at GS31) yielded equal top with Westminster but the gross margin was hurt by the price difference between malt and feed barley varieties at the time of writing this report.
  • Application of N at GS31 gave significantly higher yields compared to application at GS22, across all varieties and N application rates. 
  • The most cost effective rate to consistently receive the highest yields was 90 kg N/ha.
  • Oxford was consistently the highest performer and the best choice for those who rarely make malt grade on their soils.
     
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the GRDC.
 


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Fertiliser: Timing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Westmere 2013

Sow date 28 May 2013
Harvest date 29 December 2013
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

Henley has been withdrawn from the market by Heritage Seeds due to the risk of blue aleurone. It will not be offered for sale in 2014.
 

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Westminster 120 kgN/ha GS31 9.38
2 Granger 90 kgN/ha GS31 9.04
3 Henley 45 kgN/ha GS22 8.77
4 Granger 45 kgN/ha GS31 8.75
5 Westminster 90 kgN/ha GS31 8.84
6 Westminster 45 kgN/ha GS31 8.47
7 Westminster 90 kgN/ha GS22 8.58
8 Granger 120 kgN/ha GS31 8.72
9 Westminster 120 kgN/ha GS22 8.71
10 Granger 90 kgN/ha GS22 8.55
11 Granger 45 kgN/ha GS22 8.2
12 Westminster 0 kgN/ha GS22 7.89
13 Granger 0 kgN/ha GS22 7.83
14 Westminster 45 kgN/ha GS22 7.97
15 Westminster 240 kgN/ha GS31 8.92
16 Westminster 0 kgN/ha GS31 7.62
17 Granger 240 kgN/ha GS31 8.75
18 Oxford 90 kgN/ha GS31 9.7
19 Oxford 45 kgN/ha GS31 9.39
20 Oxford 45 kgN/ha GS22 9.3
21 Oxford 90 kgN/ha GS22 9.12
22 Henley 90 kgN/ha GS22 8.98
23 Oxford 120 kgN/ha GS31 9.08
24 Henley 90 kgN/ha GS31 8.9
25 Oxford 240 kgN/ha GS31 9.77
26 Henley 120 kgN/ha GS31 9.05
27 Henley 45 kgN/ha GS31 8.55
28 Oxford 0 kgN/ha GS31 8.26
29 Oxford 0 kgN/ha GS22 8.19
30 Granger 120 kgN/ha GS22 8.85
31 Oxford 120 kgN/ha GS22 8.84
32 Henley 0 kgN/ha GS22 7.99
33 Henley 120 kgN/ha GS22 8.62
34 Henley 0 kgN/ha GS31 7.86
35 Henley 240 kgN/ha GS31 8.97
36 Granger 0 kgN/ha GS22 7.36
37 Oxford 240 kgN/ha GS22 8.51
38 Westminster 240 kgN/ha GS22 8.48
39 Henley 240 kgN/ha GS22 8.45
40 Granger 240 kgN/ha GS22 8.23

Grain yield t/ha


Loading
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Westmere, VIC Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Westmere, VIC 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 Westmere VIC
2013 451.8mm
2012 466.6mm
2011 494.5mm
2010 483.6mm
2009 416.3mm
2008 394.1mm
2007 381.0mm
2006 367.4mm
2005 388.6mm
2004 392.0mm
2003 416.1mm
2002 402.3mm
2001 451.9mm
2000 441.1mm
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

Loading

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.

Westmere VIC

Loading
Loading
Loading

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

2013 trial report



Trial last modified: 23-10-2019 10:24am AEST