Assessing rotary spading, mouldboard ploughing and claying for amelioration of pale deep sand

2009
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2009
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Assessing rotary spading, mouldboard ploughing and claying for amelioration of pale deep sand locations
Aims

To assess the impact of various levels of soil disturbance (cultivation methods) on water repellence and productivity and the interaction of these cultivation methods with soil amendments, lime and clay.

Key messages
  • One of the fundamental problems of pale deep sands is their poor water and nutrient holding capacity. While cultivation techniques can overcome water repellence they do not necessarily greatly alter the lack of water holding capacity. Similarly addition of clay at rates of 100-150 t/ha can be used to overcome water repellence but will not greatly increase water holding capacity.
  • Deep ripping or the soil loosening caused by rotary spading or mouldboard ploughing allows faster root growth and improved nutrient and water uptake and this appears to be one of the primary reasons for the improved yields. The advantage of the rotary spader and mouldboard plough over deep ripping alone is improved weed control and reduced water repellence although the longevity of this is unknown.
  • Reduced water repellence may prove to be more significant in certain seasons and more sensitive crops. Sustained productivity benefits are likely to be required for these approaches to be economically viable.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by the GRDC. We would like to thank the West Midlands Group trials committee and Gary Peacock, John Auld, Andrew Kenny, Dennis Martin, David Hayes, Steve Cosh (DAFWA), Larry Prosser (DAFWA) for helping establish the trial and Dave Gartner (Aglime) for providing the limesand for the trial.


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Rate
  • Soil Improvement: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Badgingarra 2009

Sow rate or Target density 90kg/ha
Sow date 28 May 2009
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

80kg/ha Agstar Extra IBS

Soil amelioration

Soil amendment treatments applied on 8th April, cultivation treamtents applied 21st April as per trial report

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Organic carbon 0-30cm (t/ha) Resistance at 30cm (MPa) Head abundance (heads/m2) Shoot dry weight (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Organic carbon 10-20cm (t/ha) Organic carbon 20-30cm (t/ha) Resistance at 20cm (MPa) 0-10cm clay (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Head dry weight (t/ha) Plant density (plants/m2) Organic carbon 0-10cm (t/ha)
1 Calingiri Nil Nil 21.5 4 320 5.6 3.1 2.8 3.7 127 12.8
2 Calingiri Nil Clay 19 - 1 5.5 2.4 - 4.2 116 11.1
3 Calingiri Nil 301 6.2 2 3.6
4 Calingiri Offset Discs Nil 20.9 3.7 190 5.8 3.6 2.3 3.4 68 11.5
5 Calingiri Offset Discs Clay 22.1 - 1 5.5 3.3 - 4.2 94 13.3
6 Calingiri Offset Discs 309 7 2.1 4
7 Calingiri Rotary Hoe Nil 20.4 3.7 75 5 1.9 2.3 3.9 77 13.5
8 Calingiri Rotary Hoe Clay 20.2 - 4 4.7 2.4 - 3.9 126 13.1
9 Calingiri Rotary Hoe 294 6.2 2.1 3.5
10 Calingiri Deep Ripping Nil - 1.4 155 - - 0.5 3.4 101 -
11 Calingiri Deep Ripping Clay - - 1 - - - 4.9 84 -
12 Calingiri Deep Ripping 320 7.3 2.4 4.3
13 Calingiri Rotary Spader Nil 19.6 3.1 11 8.6 3.7 1.3 2.9 140 7.3
14 Calingiri Rotary Spader Clay 22.5 - 4 8.6 3.7 - 3.4 141 10.2
15 Calingiri Rotary Spader 302 6.7 2.2 4
16 Calingiri Mouldboard (dry) Nil 100
17 Calingiri Mouldboard (dry) Clay 96
18 Calingiri Mouldboard (dry) 334 8.1 2.4 4.8
19 Calingiri Mouldboard (wet) Nil 25.6 0.9 1 10.8 9.7 0.6 2.7 66 5.1
20 Calingiri Mouldboard (wet) Clay 20.9 - 1 8.5 8.4 - 2.4 42 4
21 Calingiri Mouldboard (wet) 330 8 - 4.9

Grain yield t/ha


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0-10cm clay %


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Head dry weight t/ha


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Organic carbon 0-10cm t/ha


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Organic carbon 0-30cm t/ha


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Organic carbon 10-20cm t/ha


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Organic carbon 20-30cm t/ha


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Plant density plants/m2


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Resistance at 20cm MPa


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Resistance at 30cm MPa


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Shoot dry weight t/ha


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Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Badgingarra, WA Pale deep sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
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 Badgingarra WA
2009 176.1mm
2008 192.9mm
2007 135.2mm
2006 142.1mm
2005 169.7mm
2004 128.0mm
2003 144.9mm
2002 140.2mm
2001 128.6mm
2000 161.9mm
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

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Climate

Badgingarra WA 2009


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 447mm

Derived climate information

Badgingarra WA

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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

2009 trial report



Trial last modified: 27-06-2019 13:01pm AEST