Managing secondary or trace nutrients in the current cropping environment

2008

Research organisatons

Trial details

Researcher(s) Sam Stacey
Year(s) 2008
Contributor South Australian Research and Development Institute
Trial location(s) Goolagong, NSW
Further information View external link
Managing secondary or trace nutrients in the current cropping environment locations
Aims

To investigate the economical viability of trace nutrient (Zn) application.

Key messages
  • With high grain prices, small increases in productivity can significantly improve farm profitability.
  • At Goolagong, NSW, wheat yields were significantly increased by the use of a balanced fertiliser regime including N, P, K, S, Mg and Zn.
  • An analysis of gross margins showed that the application of secondary and trace elements would have significantly improved farm profitability.
  • Zinc-efficient (Excalibur) and inefficient (Gatcher) wheat cultivars grown in calcareous subsoil with low micronutrient levels, high pH and B. Treatments were +/- basal nutrients (exc Zn) and +/-Zn.
  • Gatcher produced 47% more DM tops and double the root length density of Excalibur by maturity.
  • Excalibur was far more efficient in Zn uptake and 7 times more efficient than Gatcher in partitioning zinc to grain.
  • Simulated dry sowing was not shown to have any detrimental effect on Zn fertiliser use efficiency.

Result: Fertiliser incubated in dry soil tended to have greater lability but diffusion was limited, although this did not have any effect on availability to subsequent wheat.

Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation University of Adelaide
Related program More Profit from Crop Nutrition
Acknowledgments

Thanks to Mosaic L.L.C. for funding and supplying fertilisers for the trial and Chris Dowling and David Harbison for managing the trials.


Other trial partners Not specified

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
Trial type Unknown
Trial design Unknown

Goolagong 2008

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

Commercial granular and liquid monoammonium phosphate fertilizers enriched with isotopic Zn were incubated under dry and wet conditions to test effects of dry sowing on fertiliser diffusion, lability and subsequent availability to wheat (Axe)

Other trial notes

Lombi E, Scheckel KG, Armstrong RD, Forrester S, Cutler JN and Paterson D (2006) Speciation and distribution of phosphorus in a fertilized soil: a synchrotron-based investigation. Soil Science Society of America Journal 70(6): 2038-2048.

Reuter DJ and Robinson JB (1997) 'Plant analysis: an interpretation manual.' (2nd edn) (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)

Stacey SP, McLaughlin MJ, Cakmak I, Hettiarachchi GM, Scheckel KG and Karkkainen M (2008) Root uptake of lipophilic zinc-rhamnolipid complexes. J. Agric. Food Chem.

Trial report and links


No trial reports or attachments found


Trial last modified: 09-10-2019 11:44am AEST