Trade off: when to terminate medic pastures in the Mallee

2012

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Ben Jones (Mallee Focus)
Dannielle McMillan (BCG)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor Birchip Cropping Group
Trial location(s) Jil JIl, VIC
Trade off: when to terminate medic pastures in the Mallee locations
Aims

To measure the trade-off between medic pasture growth and yield of a following cereal crop, with different termination timing of the medic pasture.

Key messages

With pasture growing in a dry spring, not accessing stored water and producing little biomass, the effect on soil water/nitrogen and on the following crop is minimal. Prioritise paddocks which need medic seed set for retaining as pastures, but terminate more pastures later if feed is an issue. In a year when pasture is growing fast and using water and possibly fixing nitrogen, the trade-off may not be so flat (or simple) and will depend more on the following season (unpredictable).

Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC BWD00018
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This project is supported by Northern Victoria Grain and Graze 2 (GRDC project BWD00018; funded by GRDC and Caring for Our Country).


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

Method

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

Jil JIl 2012

Sow date 28 May 2012
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 3
Fertiliser

28 May - MAP (30kg/ha)

Herbicide

29 March - Roundup Attack® (1.5L/ha) + Goal® (100ml/ha) (not trial treatments) 25 May - Gramoxone® (2L/ha) 23 July - Velocity® (67ml/ha) +Lontrel® (100ml/ha) + BS1000® (0.25%)

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha) Test weight (kg/hL) Protein (%)
1 August Pasture Termination 3.09 79.1 9.45
2 September Pasture Termination 3.05 80.1 9.15
3 October Pasture Termination 3.11 78.8 9.15
4 January Pasture Termination 2.96 79.9 8.91

Grain yield t/ha


Loading

Protein %


Loading

Test weight kg/hL


Loading
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Jil JIl, VIC Calcarosol
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Jil JIl, VIC 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 Jil JIl VIC
2012 827.0mm
2011 850.6mm
2010 853.5mm
2009 810.2mm
2008 802.1mm
2007 809.8mm
2006 814.0mm
2005 848.9mm
2004 795.2mm
2003 821.3mm
2002 792.0mm
2001 801.4mm
2000 744.9mm
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.

Jil JIl VIC

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

2012 trial report