Deep ripping, deeper deep ripping and water use efficiency

2016
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bindi Isbister
Craig Topham
Year(s) 2016
Contributor Agrarian Management
Trial location(s) Arrino, WA
Eradu, WA
Mullewa, WA
Ogilvie, WA
Walkaway, WA
Related trials
Deep ripping, deeper deep ripping and water use efficiency locations
Aims

To provide growers and advisers with a better understanding of the benefits of deep ripping and in particular depth of deep ripping required to optimise crop yield and profit.

Key messages
  • Ripping below the hard pan (greater than 500mm) in pale sands, yellow sands and yellow loams in wheat or canola increases yield.
  • Soil moisture probes show ripping deeper (below 500mm) allows more plant roots to access moisture deeper in the profile for longer in the season. Water infiltration also increase with depth of ripping.
  • Leaving a firm even seed bed after deeper ripping is important to reduce seeding establishment issues.
  • A negative yield response to deeper ripping in lupins on yellow sand was measured at Binnu in 2016.
  • Crop yield response to ripping does vary depending on seasonal conditions and crop type therefore the economics of ripping must be considered over multiple seasons and timing of ripping in the rotation.
Lead research organisation Grains Research and Development Corporation
Host research organisation Agrarian Management
Trial funding source GRDC GER9
Related program Regional Cropping Solutions Network
Acknowledgments

Thank you very much to the host farmers Ben Cripps, Paul Messina, Spring Park Farms, Matt Freeman and Braden Bagley.

Thank you to DAFWA GRDC funded project DAW00243 for providing advice on trial setup, assistance with soil compaction assessments and result interpretation.

Thanks to Richard Riddle, Data into Profit for providing data analysis through the Crop Manager Program.


Other trial partners Precision Agriculture
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Properties: Compaction
  • Soil Properties: Type
  • Soil Improvement
Trial type
Trial design

Arrino 2016

Sowing machinery Not specified
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Insecticide Not specified
Soil amelioration Not specified
Tillage Not specified

Eradu 2016

Sowing machinery Not specified
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Insecticide Not specified
Soil amelioration Not specified
Tillage Not specified

Mullewa 2016

Sowing machinery Not specified
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Insecticide Not specified
Soil amelioration Not specified
Tillage Not specified

Ogilvie 2016

Sowing machinery Not specified
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Insecticide Not specified
Soil amelioration Not specified
Tillage Not specified

Walkaway 2016

Sowing machinery

controlled traffic farming system 3:1 ratio 12.2m header, 12.2m seeder, 36.6m sprayer, 6.2m ripper

Sow date 5 June 2016
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

85 kg Vigour 40 Flexi N up front then 60kg of Urea plus and 30 litres MaxAm plus with 5kg potassium nitrate post seeding

Insecticide

Blanket paddock practice

Soil amelioration
  • Ripped 600mm (paddock control)
  • Ripped 300mm
  • Ripped 600 with inclusion plates
Tillage Deep ripping
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Walkaway, WA 0 - 10cm pale white sand 6.40 6.00 11.00
Walkaway, WA 10 - 20cm 6.00 3.00 1.00
Walkaway, WA 20 - 30cm 5.80 1.00 1.00
Walkaway, WA 30 - 40cm 5.50 1.00 1.00
Walkaway, WA 40 - 50cm 5.40 2.00 1.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Arrino, WA Not specified
Eradu, WA Not specified
Mullewa, WA Not specified
Ogilvie, WA Not specified
Walkaway, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Arrino, WA Sodosol
Eradu, WA Tenosol
Mullewa, WA Tenosol
Ogilvie, WA Kandosol
Walkaway, 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 Arrino WA Eradu WA Mullewa WA Ogilvie WA Walkaway WA
2016 139.2mm189.6mm110.7mm72.2mm110.7mm
2015 152.3mm199.8mm115.2mm91.3mm115.2mm
2014 136.9mm183.8mm117.6mm52.7mm117.6mm
2013 158.9mm196.9mm123.4mm62.3mm123.4mm
2012 142.9mm188.0mm109.2mm56.9mm109.2mm
2011 162.3mm234.4mm130.6mm112.4mm130.6mm
2010 144.8mm180.8mm93.2mm44.8mm93.2mm
2009 146.7mm186.6mm96.3mm70.7mm96.3mm
2008 152.8mm218.4mm123.7mm112.9mm123.7mm
2007 124.3mm167.0mm87.5mm70.9mm87.5mm
2006 148.1mm169.2mm78.5mm84.6mm78.5mm
2005 133.9mm187.7mm92.3mm73.5mm92.3mm
2004 126.0mm173.7mm79.8mm76.9mm79.8mm
2003 145.4mm180.0mm94.0mm69.6mm94.0mm
2002 111.1mm161.8mm69.3mm60.2mm69.3mm
2001 127.6mm135.5mm75.0mm48.0mm75.0mm
2000 177.0mm203.5mm122.2mm100.3mm122.2mm
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

Walkaway WA 2016


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 330mm

Derived climate information

Arrino WA

Eradu WA

Mullewa WA

Ogilvie WA

Walkaway WA

Arrino WA

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Eradu WA

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

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Ogilvie WA

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Walkaway 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

2016 trial report



Trial last modified: 27-11-2019 14:36pm AEST