Developing and testing innovative, practical and reliable methods for incorporating lime into acidic sand plain top and subsoils in the eastern wheatbelt

2014

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Paul Blackwell (DAFWA)
Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
David Gartner (AgLime of Australia)
Chris Gazey (DAFWA)
Travis Hollins (Synergy Consulting)
Wes Lefroy (Precision SoilTech)
Peter Negus (West Midlands Group)
Wayne Parker (DAFWA)
Glen Reithmuller (DAFWA)
Anne Wilkins (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2014
Contributor Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Trial location(s) Dandaragan, WA
Developing and testing innovative, practical and reliable methods for incorporating lime into acidic sand plain top and subsoils in the eastern wheatbelt locations
Aims

To provide an overview and improve understanding of the range of tillage implements available to growers to incorporate lime, their respective costs and benefits and to assess novel options.

Key messages

(i) Several options exist to ameliorate subsoil acidity with incorporated lime. The method chosen will depend on pH profile, yield potential, budget, area affected, soil type and occurrence of other constraints that may be impacted. (ii) Modified deep ripping techniques can incorporate more topsoil and surface applied lime while at the same time effectively removing subsoil compaction. (iii) Applying adequate lime to ameliorate the soil pH profile to depth is of utmost importance and the rate of lime applied should not be compromised to pay for incorporation, although lime applications can be split with some applied before and some a year or two after incorporation.

Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAW00204
Related program Regional Cropping Solutions Network
Acknowledgments

Thanks to West Midlands Group, Peter and Daisy Negus, Scott and Ian Bowman and Neil and Jason Davis for hosting and managing trials. Thanks to David Paish helping make the ripper openers and Peter Horwood for the design. The support of McIntosh and Son machinery in Moora, Cunninghams Ag Services machinery in Three Springs, Rohan Broun, Shane and Greg Jolly, Glen and Todd Quartermaine, Hutton and Northey machinery in Mukinbudin, Aim Machinery in Merredin, AgLime of Australia is greatly appreciated.


Other trial partners Paper reviewed by Wayne Parker (DAFWA) and Ross Brennan (DAFWA)
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Method

Crop type None: No crop specified
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Dandaragan 2014

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

Note: the location of the site given here is just one of seven sites reported in these case studies, and has been provided to enable map search cabability: actual sites included were Dandaragan, Badgingarra, Nungarin and Carnamah: see attached report for full details.

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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
Dandaragan, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Dandaragan, 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 Dandaragan WA
2014 48.7mm
2013 95.3mm
2012 128.6mm
2011 86.8mm
2010 68.9mm
2009 101.7mm
2008 96.1mm
2007 45.9mm
2006 57.0mm
2005 90.5mm
2004 83.1mm
2003 96.7mm
2002 51.4mm
2001 63.6mm
2000 125.3mm
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.

Dandaragan 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

2014 trial report



Trial last modified: 07-05-2019 19:10pm AEST