Long term tillage and rotation trial

2014
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) John Small (CWFS)
Year(s) 2014
Contributor Central West Farming Systems
Trial location(s) Merriwagga, NSW
Long term tillage and rotation trial locations
Aims

To compare no till farming techniques against conventional farming methods over 5 different cropping rotations: No-till • all weed control by herbicides or narrow windrow burning • sown with NDF single disc seeder • stubble retained where possible Conventional • weed control both by herbicides and cultivation • sown with NDF single disc seeder • stubble incorporated.

Key messages
  • No till treatments have been higher yielding and more profitable in continuous cropping rotations. Cultivation has increased yield and profit in 18 month fallow rotations.
  • Two cereals followed by a break crop of either fieldpeas or canola no till has been the most profitable rotation. Interestingly 16 years continuous wheat has not been too far behind.
  • Weed spectrum and numbers have changed dramatically within rotations and tillage methods. Interestingly no till treatments have hosted less weeds than cultivated treatments.
  • One year of no pre emergent herbicide has taken the trial back 6 years and allowed large numbers of ryegrass to again become established and set seed.
Lead research organisation Grains Research and Development Corporation
Host research organisation Central West Farming Systems
Trial funding source GRDC CWF00018
Related program Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble
Acknowledgments

Ag Grow Agrononmy and Research and Central West Farming Systems would like to acknowledge Ian Barber "Sylvanham" for undertaking various activities such as sowing and harvesting the trial, as well as other local farmers in their efforts to help make this trial what it is. Also we would like to thank David Coddington and pioneer Dupont for their continued support by providing a weighbin at harvest.


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

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Grain Legume: Field peas Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Rotation
  • Stubble: Management
Trial type
Trial design

Merriwagga 2014 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

The Merriwagga tillage and rotation trial was established in 1999 aimed at comparing no till farming techniques against conventional farming methods over 5 different cropping rotations. This trial has been managed by local growers and NSW DPI district agronomists Myles Parker and Barry Haskins, and is now managed by Ag Grow Agronomy and research on behalf of Merriwagga growers and our research partner Central West Farming Systems Inc. During this

Merriwagga 2014 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

The Merriwagga tillage and rotation trial was established in 1999 aimed at comparing no till farming techniques against conventional farming methods over 5 different cropping rotations. This trial has been managed by local growers and NSW DPI district agronomists Myles Parker and Barry Haskins, and is now managed by Ag Grow Agronomy and research on behalf of Merriwagga growers and our research partner Central West Farming Systems Inc. During this

Merriwagga 2014 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 100m x 100m
Plot replication 3
Other trial notes

The Merriwagga tillage and rotation trial was established in 1999 aimed at comparing no till farming techniques against conventional farming methods over 5 different cropping rotations. This trial has been managed by local growers and NSW DPI district agronomists Myles Parker and Barry Haskins, and is now managed by Ag Grow Agronomy and research on behalf of Merriwagga growers and our research partner Central West Farming Systems Inc. During this

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Merriwagga, NSW Red sandy loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Merriwagga, NSW Kandosol
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 Merriwagga NSW
2014 562.1mm
2013 561.4mm
2012 588.8mm
2011 603.4mm
2010 642.9mm
2009 585.1mm
2008 598.1mm
2007 535.8mm
2006 576.4mm
2005 582.7mm
2004 535.9mm
2003 539.7mm
2002 529.8mm
2001 550.5mm
2000 539.2mm
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.

Merriwagga NSW

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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



Trial last modified: 26-11-2019 14:21pm AEST