Variable rate fertiliser NR and CR Kernik Coonalpyn/Field

2010
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Nicole Dimos (SPAA)
Felicity Turner (Vision Ag)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor Society of Precision Agriculture Australia
Trial location(s) Coonalpyn , SA
Variable rate fertiliser NR and CR Kernik Coonalpyn/Field locations
Aims

To compare the effects and to demonstrate the economic benefits that may result from the use of variable rate fertiliser applications by broad acre farmer trial.

Key messages

The objective of this GRDC / SPAA funded project is to increase the level of adoption of PA 'beyond guidance' by broadacre farmers. The project specifically aims to increase the level of adoption of variable rate (VR) by growers in the project to 30% by 2013.This goal will be achieved by demonstrating how to use PA tools to growers at a regional level and by increasing the skills of growers and industry in PA to a level where they can then use PA tools in their farming systems to achieve economic, environmental and social benefits. Fertiliser rates were selected after discussing with farmer that the lower yielding zones would never produce yields comparable to medium and high yielding zones, due to the low fertility and poor water and nutrient holding capacity of the soil. The farmer believed that that fertiliser was being wasted on the sand zones of his farm, and wanted to see if cutting fertiliser rates would be detrimental to yield in this zone.

Lead research organisation Society of Precision Agriculture Australia
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC SPA000010
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
Trial type Precision agriculture
Trial design Not applicable

Coonalpyn 2010

Sow rate or Target density 110kg/ha
Sowing machinery

70 ha plots

Sow date 23 May 2010 23 May 2010
Harvest date 10 January 2010
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

DAP

Other trial notes

The results indicate that the land owner may see economic benefit (as per Gross Margin) from the uptake of variable rate technology in paddocks with varying soil types such as this trial paddock.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha) Grain zinc (mg/kg) Grain copper (mg/kg) Grain manganese (mg/kg)
1 Zone 1 (Low) - Rate 1 @ 40kg/ha DAP 0.481 23.63 2.87 21.07
2 Zone 1 (Low) Rate 2 @ 60kg/ha DAP 0.371 28.51 2.38 30.63
3 Zone 1 (Low) - Rate 3 @ 80kg/ha DAP 0.341 28.88 2.03 29.26
4 Zone 2 (Med) - Rate 1 @ 40kg/ha DAP 2.371 19.31 2.18 8.73
5 Zone 2 (Med) - Rate 2 @ 60kg/ha DAP 2.714 19.97 2.97 6.85
6 Zone 2 (Med) - Rate3 @ 80kg/ha DAP 2.693 22.18 3.03 8.23
7 Zone 3 (High) - Rate 1 @ 40kg/ha DAP 3.269 19.51 1.72 18.19
8 Zone 3 (Med) - Rate 2 @ 60kg/ha DAP 3.102 16.92 1.83 12.26
9 Zone 3 (High) - Rate 3 @ 80kg/ha DAP 3.416 18.08 1.45 17.88

Grain yield t/ha


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Grain copper mg/kg


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Grain manganese mg/kg


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Grain zinc mg/kg


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Coonalpyn , SA Brown sandy loam over clay
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Coonalpyn , 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 Coonalpyn SA
2010 584.4mm
2009 549.4mm
2008 532.0mm
2007 548.2mm
2006 563.1mm
2005 560.7mm
2004 553.1mm
2003 548.6mm
2002 519.2mm
2001 550.3mm
2000 561.6mm
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.

Coonalpyn 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

2010 trial report



Trial last modified: 30-09-2019 16:08pm AEST