Rotary spading and mouldboard ploughing water repellant sandplain soil fulfils promise

2010
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
Criag Scanlan (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Badgingarra, WA
Badgingarra, WA
Binnu, WA
East Nabawa, WA
Marchagee, WA
Warradarge, WA
West Moora, WA
Rotary spading and mouldboard ploughing water repellant sandplain soil fulfils promise locations
Aims

To assess the impact of full inversion mouldboard ploughing and partial inversion rotary spading on soil repellance, crop growth and grain yield using large scale on-farm trials.

Key messages
  • Both rotary spading and mouldboard ploughing sucessfully overcame water repellance and both resulted in large grain yield increases mostly in the order of 500-1200kg/ha.
  • Spading and ploughing of water repellant sandplain soils that have reasonable subsiol water holding capacity is more beneficial than for the pale deep sands whose low water holding capacity limits the opportunity to realise the improved yield potential, particularly is seasons with a dry finish.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source GRDC DAW00204
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Thanks to all the growers who allowed us access to their trials: Damian Harris (Binnu); Simon Smart (E. Nabawa); Michael O’Callaghan (Marchagee); David and Paul Hayes (Badgingarra); Jeff Fordham (Badgingarra); Andrew Kenny (Badgingarra) and Ben McTaggart (West Moora). Our thanks to the West Midlands Group, Northern Agri and Liebe grower groups. This research was funded by GRDC through the ‘Delivering agronomic strategies for water repellent soils in WA’ (DAW00204) and ‘Putting Precision Agriculture on the ground in WA’ (CSA00016 – O’Callaghan site) projects.


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: Application Method
Trial type Demonstration
Trial design Unreplicated

Badgingarra 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Badgingarra 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Badgingarra 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Binnu 2010

Sow date 23 May 2010
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

East Nabawa 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Marchagee 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Warradarge 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

West Moora 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Harris - Binnu

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Magenta Nil 0.4 12.2 3 >600 142 3.4 1.2 31
2 Magenta Spader 0.38 11.4 5 470 252 5 1.9 32.3

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Kernel weight mg


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Shoot biomass t/ha


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Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Trial results O'Callaghan - Marchagee

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Magenta Nil 0.4 12.2 3 >600 142 3.4 1.2 31
2 Magenta Spader 0.38 11.4 5 470 252 5 1.9 32.3

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Kernel weight mg


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Shoot biomass t/ha


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Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Trial results Hayes - Warradage

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Mace Nil 0.29 18.5 3 >600 161 3.4 1.4 16.4
2 Mace Spader 0.25 17.9 5 470 348 5 3.4 12.8

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Protein %


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Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Trial results Hayes - Badgingarra

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Magenta Nil 0.4 12.2 3 >600 142 3.4 1.2 31
2 Magenta Spader 0.38 11.4 5 470 252 5 1.9 32.3

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Kernel weight mg


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Shoot biomass t/ha


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Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Trial results McTaggart - West Moora

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Calingiri Nil 0.41 12.7 3 >600 175 3.4 0.5 36.3
2 Calingiri Spader 0.47 10.8 5 470 248 5 1 43.1

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Trial results Smart - East Nabawa

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Wyalkatchem Nil 0.39 13 3 >600 201 3.4 1 28.2
2 Wyalkatchem Mouldboard 0.41 14.3 5 470 277 5 2.2 28.7

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Trial results Fordham - Badgingarra

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Wyalkatchem Nil 0.44 12.8 3 >600 98 3.4 1.4 29.6
2 Wyalkatchem Mouldboard 0.35 14.9 5 470 165 5 1.9 29.6

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Kernel weight mg


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Trial results Kenny - Badgingarra

# Variety
Treatment 1
Harvest index (value) Protein (%) Shoot biomass (t/ha) Water droplet penetration time (seconds) Head abundance (heads/m2) Screenings (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Kernel weight (mg)
1 Calingiri Nil 0.4 16.4 3 >600 146 3.4 0.5 29.1
2 Calingiri Mouldboard 0.46 15 5 470 207 5 1 36

Grain yield t/ha


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Harvest index value


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Head abundance heads/m2


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Kernel weight mg


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Protein %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Badgingarra, WA Not specified
Badgingarra, WA Not specified
Badgingarra, WA Not specified
Binnu, WA Yellow deep sand
East Nabawa, WA Not specified
Marchagee, WA Not specified
Warradarge, WA Not specified
West Moora, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
Badgingarra, WA Podosol
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
Binnu, WA Chromosol
East Nabawa, WA Tenosol
Marchagee, WA Sodosol
Warradarge, WA Podosol
West Moora, WA Tenosol
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 Badgingarra WA Badgingarra WA Binnu WA East Nabawa WA Marchagee WA Warradarge WA West Moora WA
2010 218.4mm68.9mm188.1mm324.7mm45.2mm116.8mm68.9mm452.4mm
2009 260.9mm74.7mm221.7mm358.5mm55.2mm142.5mm74.7mm453.4mm
2008 281.5mm96.8mm256.3mm398.8mm91.9mm173.8mm96.8mm457.9mm
2007 207.4mm73.5mm189.6mm280.7mm74.5mm145.3mm73.5mm429.8mm
2006 221.0mm42.2mm173.9mm313.7mm65.7mm148.3mm42.2mm479.5mm
2005 271.4mm91.8mm249.5mm342.3mm51.9mm126.5mm91.8mm449.0mm
2004 209.5mm77.2mm200.2mm319.6mm49.5mm110.2mm77.2mm429.9mm
2003 231.9mm83.6mm222.6mm338.0mm59.3mm125.4mm83.6mm435.5mm
2002 216.3mm94.6mm195.9mm333.0mm63.5mm108.8mm94.6mm400.3mm
2001 203.4mm86.4mm169.1mm338.8mm43.9mm101.6mm86.4mm390.3mm
2000 232.6mm54.4mm177.4mm381.7mm86.3mm171.8mm54.4mm472.8mm
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

Binnu WA 2010


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 165mm

Derived climate information

Badgingarra WA

Badgingarra WA

Badgingarra WA

Binnu WA

East Nabawa WA

Marchagee WA

Warradarge WA

West Moora WA

Badgingarra WA

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Badgingarra WA

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Badgingarra WA

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Binnu WA

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

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

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

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West Moora WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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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: 13-12-2019 13:55pm AEST