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Assessing clay rates and incorporation methods for amelioration of water repellent sandplain soil

2010
CC BY 4.0

Research organisations
Funding source
West Midlands Group Western Australia No-tillage Farmers Association
<abbr title='Grains Research and Development Corporation'>GRDC</abbr>

Trial details

Researcher(s) Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
Jade Dempster (WANTFA)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Bolgart, WA
Assessing clay rates and incorporation methods for amelioration of water repellent sandplain soil locations
Aims

To assess the interaction between clay rate and incorporation methods to overcome soil water repellence and improve crop establishment and productivity.

Key messages
  • Addition of clay-rich subsoil improved crop establishment at this site in 2010.
  • There was a very dry finish to the growing season with <15 mm in total for September and October so those cultivation and claying treatments with increased biomass and higher yield potential would have been more prone to haying off.
  • Poor incorporation of surface applied clay-rich subsoil can also hold more moisture near the surface which is then subject to evaporation and competes with the roots for water with small rainfall events.
  • Despite these factors cultivation with or without the addition of clay-rich subsoil did increase grain yields from <700 kg/ha in the uncultivated situation to an average yield of 1.3 t/ha for the rotary hoe and rotary spaded treatments combined.
  • Ongoing monitoring of this trial will be required to see the longer-term benefits of these cultivation and clay incorporation treatments on establishment and yield in seasons with a better finish.
Lead research organisation Western Australia No-tillage Farmers Association
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source GRDC DAW00204
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Special thanks to WANTFA no-till grower Trevor Syme for organizing the on-ground works and participating in extension activities. Technical support from Breanne Best and Bill Bowden of DAFWA is acknowledged.
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement : Rate
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Bolgart 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
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
Bolgart, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Bolgart, WA Sodosol
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 Bolgart WA
2010
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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.

Bolgart WA

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

2010 trial report



Trial last modified: 27-06-2019 13:33pm AEST