Soil amelioration trial at Badgingarra - claying benefits come to the fore in a wetter season

2011
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2011
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Soil amelioration trial at Badgingarra - claying benefits come to the fore in a wetter season locations
Aims

To look at the following soil amelioration treatments on water repellent pale sand:

  • no amendment (nil);
  • 3t/ha limesand; and
  • 150 t/ha clay rich (31% clay) subsoil spread with a multi-spreader
Key messages
  • Good soil moisture conditions at sowing reduced the impact of repellence on establishment; all treatments established a healthy number of plants.
  • Claying improved crop establishment, growth and grain yield in 2011; this appears to be driven by better seedbed moisture retention and reduced nutrient leaching, espeically nitrogen.
  • Good soil moisture conditions during grain fill minimised any water shortage (haying off) effects from claying.
  • Cultivation treatment had no impact on grain yield, possibly because seasonal conditions were not conductive to showing differences or because the cultivation impacts are reducing over time, ongoing assessment should clarify this.
  • Drier conditions at seeding and harder finishes would be expected to result in greater impact from the repellence management treatments.
Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source GRDC DAW00204
Trial funding source DAFWA
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Particular thanks to Andrew Kenny for seeding and in-season management and Trevor Bell (DAFWA) for harvest. We acknowledge the collaboration of the West Midlands Group and all the growers who helped establish the trial.


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Maize
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated,Blocked

Badgingarra 2011

Sow rate or Target density 100kg/ha
Sow date 11 June 2011
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 4m x 20m
Plot replication 4
Fertiliser

At seeding: 100 kg/ha K Till Plus

Post: 85 kg/ha NS (27 June); 85 kg/ha NS (25 July); 40 L/ha Flexi N (12 August)

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
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Badgingarra, WA Pale deep sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
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
2011 167.7mm
2010 147.5mm
2009 176.1mm
2008 192.9mm
2007 135.2mm
2006 142.1mm
2005 169.7mm
2004 128.0mm
2003 144.9mm
2002 140.2mm
2001 128.6mm
2000 161.9mm
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

Badgingarra WA 2011


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 485mm

Derived climate information

Badgingarra 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

2011 trial report



Trial last modified: 09-07-2019 11:20am AEST