Grass weed management in pasture

2013 - 2015
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Amanda Cook (SARDI)
Ian Richter (SARDI)
Wade Shepperd (SARDI)
Year(s) 2013 - 2015
Contributor Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Trial location(s) Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA
Related trials
Grass weed management in pasture locations
Aims

The GRDC project ‘Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula’ aims to produce sustainable management guidelines to control pests, weeds and diseases while retaining stubble to maintain or improve soil health, and reduce exposure to wind erosion. The major outcome to be achieved is increased knowledge and skills allowing farmers and advisers to improve farm profitability while retaining stubble in farming systems on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP).

The Minnipa Agricultural Centre S3S pasture trial was established in 2013 to assess barley grass weed management with a two year medic pasture break. The trial had different grass weed management and tillage treatments imposed in 2013 and in 2014. The trial was then sown with wheat in 2015.

Key messages

Following two years of grass free medic pasture soil mineral nitrogen levels averaged 158 kg N/ha and all disease inoculum levels were low.

Cutting the medic pasture for hay lowered dry matter production and medic pod set in the following season.

An early light tickle resulted in higher weed germination and lower powdery mildew damage in spring.

Full cut tillage following two years of grass free medic resulted in the highest wheat yields while a discing prior to seeding resulted in the lowest yield.

Working medic residues in the year prior reduced the following wheat yield but grain protein was higher.

Cutting a medic pasture for hay in 2013 reduced medic productivity in 2014 and lowered wheat grain protein in 2015.

Lead research organisation Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Host research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial funding source GRDC EPF00001
Related program Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble
Acknowledgments

Trial funded by GRDC Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula (EPF00001).


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Grazing: Timing
  • Herbicide: Type
  • Stubble: Management
Trial type
Trial design

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2013

Sow rate or Target density Not specified
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Tillage Not specified

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2014

Sow rate or Target density Not specified
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Tillage Not specified

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2015

Sow rate or Target density 60kg/ha
Sow date 20 May 2015
Harvest date 12 November 2015
Plot size 18m x 2m
Plot replication 3
Fertiliser

60kg/ha DAP

Tillage In 2015 pre-sowing treatments imposed were: (i) harrowing to remove medic stubble, (ii) disc/light t
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Yield (t/ha) Test weight (kg/hL) 1000 grain weight (g) Crop Establishment (plants/m2) Protein (%)
1 2013 Pasture topped 2014 unworked 2015 Disc 2 74.3 24.4 114 14.9
2 2014 worked 2015 Disc 1.84 73 23.1 101 15.5
3 2013 Mowing/haycut 2014 unworked 2015 Disc 2.25 75.4 25.3 118 14.3
4 2014 worked 2015 Disc 2.07 73.7 24.2 126 14.9
5 2013 Selective grass only 2014 unworked 2015 Disc 1.77 76.1 24.6 106 15.6
6 2014 unworked 2015 Disc 1.55 74.3 23.2 116 16.2
7 2013 Pasture topped 2014 unworked 2015 Full cut 2.3 74.6 24.7 125 14.5
8 2014 worked 2015 Full cut 2.17 73.2 23.5 120 14.9
9 2013 Mowing/haycut 2014 unworked 2015 Full cut 2.33 76.2 25.9 112 13.8
10 2014 worked 2015 Full cut 2.15 73.8 23.9 112 14.7
11 2013 Selective grass only 2014 unworked 2013 Full cut 1.98 77.2 26.4 120 14.1
12 2014 worked 2015 Full cut 1.77 74 23.5 117 15.5
13 2013 Pasture topped 2014 unworked 2015 Harrowed 2.21 73.5 24.2 126 15
14 2014 worked 2015 Harrowed 2.14 72.7 23.2 136 15.2
15 2013 Mowing/haycut 2014 unworked 2015 Harrowed 2.27 75.8 26 119 14
16 2014 worked 2015 Harrowed 2.2 73.8 24.1 124 14.8
17 2013 Selective grass only 2014 unworked 2015 Harroweed 1.93 75.7 24.6 141 15.1
18 2014 worked 2015 Harrowed 1.77 74.4 24.6 132 15.7
19 2013 Pasture topped 2014 unworked 2015 Direct drilled 2.15 74.2 24.8 129 14.6
20 2014 worked 2015 Direct Drilled 1.95 73.2 23.2 140 15.3
21 2013 Mowing/haycut 2014 unworked 2015 Direct drilled 2.31 76 26.2 116 13.9
22 2014 worked 2015 Direct Drilled 2.28 73.7 24.5 132 14.6
23 2013 Selective grass only 2014 unworked 2015 Direct drilled 1.78 75.3 24.4 134 15.4
24 2014 worked 2015 Direct Drilled 1.6 73.1 22.9 130 16.2

1000 grain weight g


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Crop Establishment plants/m2


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Protein %


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Test weight kg/hL


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Yield t/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA 0 - 10cm 8.00 1.44 35.00 39.00
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA 10 - 30cm 8.00 1.43 5.00 47.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Red loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, 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 Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA
2015 381.0mm
2014 439.7mm
2013 385.5mm
2012 407.7mm
2011 453.8mm
2010 454.3mm
2009 466.5mm
2008 380.6mm
2007 367.6mm
2006 384.7mm
2005 350.4mm
2004 343.8mm
2003 348.6mm
2002 343.5mm
2001 396.8mm
2000 422.6mm
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

Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA 2015


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 325mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 241mm
Rainfall trial total (mm) 333mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 258mm

Derived climate information

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 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

2015 trial report



Trial last modified: 06-08-2019 07:54am AEST