Farmers leading and learning about the soil carbon frontier (EPARF)

2014
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding sources
Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation CropFacts Pty Ltd SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre

Trial details

Researcher(s) Amanda Cook (Yeruga Crop Research)
Trent Potter (Yeruga Crop Research)
Ian Richter (SARDI)
Wade Shepperd (Yeruga Crop Research)
Harm van Rees (CropFacts Pty Ltd)
Year(s) 2014
Contributor Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Trial location(s) Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA
Farmers leading and learning about the soil carbon frontier (EPARF) locations
Aims

The DAFF and GRDC funded national trial will examine existing, new and alternative strategies for farmers in the cereal sheep zone to increase soil carbon. The trial will be used as baseline data for carbon accumulation in soils and to: discuss the various forms of soil organic carbon (plant residues, particulate, humus and resistant fractions), investigate how management affects each of these pools and how humus can be increased over the medium to long term, communicate how soil organic matter affects soil productivity (through nutrient and water supply, and improvements in soils structure). Identical trials are being run by eight farm groups in SE Australia (Victoria: Mallee Sustainable Farming, Birchip Cropping Group, Southern Farming Systems; NSW: FarmLink, Central West Farming Systems; SA: Hart and Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation, both through Ag Ex Alliance; and Tasmania: Southern Farming Systems) so information can be collected on different soils and climates in the Southern Region.

Key messages

Average trial yield was 3.8 t/ha, close to the potential as identified by Yield Prophet during the season. No significant differences in yield were found between stubble treatments (stubble retained, worked or removed) and nutrient treatments (normal practice, normal practice plus additional nutrients to enhance stubble breakdown). Changes in Soil Organic Matter fractions over the duration of the trial (2012 to 2014) resulting from the stubble and nutrient treatments will be assessed in March, 2015.

Lead research organisation CropFacts Pty Ltd
Host research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial funding source DAWR AOTGR1-955086-45
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program Carbon Farming Initiative
Acknowledgments

Funding for this trial is provided from DAFF and GRDC, and project management through Ag Ex Alliance and EPARF. Yield Prophet� is an on-line modelling service based on APSIM that provides simulated crop growth based on individual paddock information and rainfall, and is registered to BCG.


Other trial partners EPARF; Ag Excellence Alliance
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Stubble: Management
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2014

Sow rate or Target density 60kg/ha
Sow date 30 April 2014
Harvest date 24 October 2014
Plot size 12m x 3m
Plot replication 4
Paddock history 2014: CL Grenade wheat2013: Mace wheat2012: Scout wheat
Fertiliser

Base fertiliser of DAP (18:20:0:0) @ 50 kg/ha. Nutrient application treatments at seeding were: (i) normal practice for P at sowing and N in crop as per Yield Prophet and (ii) normal practice PLUS extra nutrients (N, P, S) required to break down the measured wheat stubble. Based on the 2013 stubble load, the extra nutrients (17.5 units N, 2.7 units P and 5.2 units S) required to break down the stubble were applied on 13 February with a rainfall event. The extra nutrients (Plus treatment) were applied as DAP (18:20:0:0) @ 14 kg/ha, ammonium sulphate (21:0:0:24) @ 22 kg/ha and urea (46:0:0:0) @ 37.5 kg/ha. Yield Prophet was used early in the season (22 July) to predict if extra nitrogen fertiliser was required to achieve potential yield. UAN @ 50 L/ha was applied on 28 July using a broad-acre boom over all treatment plots.

Herbicide

Pre seeding chemical applications were Roundup @ 1.2 L/ha, Trifluralin @ 1 L/ha and a wetter. On 2 June, Intervix was applied at 750 ml/ha with 500 ml/ha Supercharge.

Fungicide

Prosaro @ 300 ml/ha was applied on 15 July for Yellow Leaf Spot, and Tebuconazole was applied @ 290 L/ha on 21 August on the whole paddock using a plane.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Screenings (%) 1000 grain weight (g) Hectolitre weight (kg/hL)
1 Wheat:Grenade CL Stubble removed Nutrition normal practice 10.6 3.81 2.7 42.5 85.5
2 Wheat:Grenade CL Stubble removed Nutrition normal practice PLUS N, P and S 10.9 3.9 3.4 41.2 85.3
3 Wheat:Grenade CL Stubble standing Nutrition normal practice 10.4 3.55 2.8 42.6 85.4
4 Wheat:Grenade CL Stubble standing Nutrition normal practice PLUS N, P and S 10.7 3.61 2.6 41.7 85.5
5 Wheat:Grenade CL Stubble worked Nutrition normal practice 10.7 3.81 2.7 41.5 85
6 Wheat:Grenade CL Stubble worked Nutrition normal practice PLUS N, P and S 11 3.96 2.5 42.9 85

Grain yield t/ha


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1000 grain weight g


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Hectolitre weight kg/hL


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Red sandy loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Calcarosol
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 Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA
2014 440.5mm
2013 402.0mm
2012 445.2mm
2011 465.2mm
2010 442.3mm
2009 474.7mm
2008 403.9mm
2007 395.3mm
2006 423.0mm
2005 379.0mm
2004 360.2mm
2003 378.0mm
2002 382.0mm
2001 444.0mm
2000 464.3mm
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.

Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA

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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

2014 trial report