Maximising canola yield by getting establishment right - MACS5 Trial 1

2015

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Leigh Davis (SARDI)
Brenton Spriggs (SARDI)
Andrew Ware (SARDI)
Year(s) 2015
Contributor SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial location(s) Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA
Piednippie, SA
Maximising canola yield by getting establishment right - MACS5 Trial 1 locations
Aims

To maximise canola productivity through creating soil specific management strategies that improve canola yields, profitability and establishment in field trials on Eyre Peninsula.

In 2015, seven separate trials were conducted as part of this project at Minnipa Agriculture Centre and Piednippie on upper Eyre Peninsula. Three trials will be reported in this article. Further trials were conducted on lower Eyre Peninsula and will be reported in the LEADA results booklet.

Key messages
  • Early sowing (22 April) had the largest positive impact on canola yield when comparing a range of treatments trialled in 2015, similar to results observed in 2013 and 2014. Sowing on 22 April improved yields up to 12%, depending on variety, compared to 29 April sowing date.
  • Different management practices are needed to establish canola on different soil types under marginal moisture conditions. On a loamy soil at Minnipa deeper sowing (to 4 cm) produced the highest yields, whereas shallower sowing (1 cm) produced the highest yields at Piednippie, particularly with the smaller seeded variety Stingray.
  • Trials at Piednippie in 2015 showed that yields up to 0.8 t/ha are achievable in a below average rainfall season, provided the crop is established early and achieves around 50 plants/m2 in open-pollinated varieties.
  • Results from similar trials in 2013, 2014 and 2015 have all shown that the highest yielding canola has consistently come from plots with plant establishments of over 50 plants/m2 for open pollinated varieties and 40 plants/m2 for hybrid varieties.
Lead research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source SAGIT S1113
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Thank you to the South Australian Grains Industry Trust (SAGIT) for providing the funding (S1113). Thank you to Minnipa Agricultural Centre and Dion Trezona for providing the land to the trials. ATR Stingray is a registered variety of Nuseed Pty Ltd. Hyola 559TT is a registered variety of Pacific Seeds.


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

Method

Crop type Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Sowing: Method
  • Sowing: Rate
  • Sowing: Timing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown,Replicated

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2015

Sow rate or Target density Sowing Rates (calculated allowing for an establishment rate of 70% with the small seed Stingray and 85% with the larger seeded Hyola 559TT): 40 plants/m2 (equivalent to 1.9 kg/ha Stingray and 3.0 kg/ha Hyola 559TT) and 60 plants/m2 (equivalent to 2.9kg/ha
Sow date 22 April 2015 Sowing dates in 2015: Time of Sowing (TOS) 1: 22 April, TOS2: 28 April, TOS3: 18 May, TOS4: 21 May.
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

The trial received a total of 69 kg/ha 19:13:0 S9% + 57 kg/ha urea fertiliser, applied at seeding and a further 50 kg/ha of urea and 52 kg/ha sulphate of ammonia broadcast during the season (total of 72 kg/ha of nitrogen).

Herbicide

800 ml/ha Atrazine (500g/l a.i), 90 ml/ha Verdict and 1.0% Kwicken was applied to control weeds.

Insecticide

Multiple products were used during the season to control insects.

Piednippie 2015

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
Herbicide Not specified
Insecticide 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
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Not specified
Piednippie, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Rudosol
Piednippie, 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 Piednippie SA
2015 321.8mm177.8mm
2014 374.5mm213.4mm
2013 309.1mm173.0mm
2012 331.2mm170.8mm
2011 372.1mm215.5mm
2010 355.3mm198.2mm
2009 367.4mm222.1mm
2008 310.4mm181.4mm
2007 330.8mm160.0mm
2006 342.9mm192.1mm
2005 316.5mm170.9mm
2004 323.7mm164.3mm
2003 305.0mm164.6mm
2002 305.7mm147.2mm
2001 303.3mm174.2mm
2000 332.8mm202.8mm
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

Piednippie SA

Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA

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Piednippie SA

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 last modified: 08-10-2019 13:42pm AEST