Whole farm management of water repellence in the West Midlands - productivity and economic benefits

2012
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
James Hagan (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Whole farm management of water repellence in the West Midlands - productivity and economic benefits locations
Aims

To assess the whole farm implementation of water repellence management strategies.

Key messages

Andrew’s management of water repellence demonstrates that a strategy of affordable progressive amelioration and better sowing methods for the rest of the crop can be a successful and profitable approach for managing soil water repellence. On-farm testing of water repellence management options can help confirm which strategies are likely to be successful and profitable on particular soils and landscapes. The use of winged paired-row systems, winged points, banded-wetting agents, on-row seeding or broadcast spreading a proportion of the seed ahead of the bar can all potentially improve the effectiveness of sowing on water repellent soils and this is the subject of ongoing research.

Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source GRDC DAW00204
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

We particularly thank Andrew and Gina Kenny, family and staff for trial establishment, support and allowing access to the site.


Other trial partners Not specified
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Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Farm operations: Economics
  • Soil Improvement
Trial type Demonstration
Trial design Replicated

Badgingarra 2012

Sow rate or Target density 70kg/ha
Sowing machinery

Gregoire-Besson 9-furrow mouldboard plough; Morris Contour Drill with paired-row sowing points.

Sow date 16 June 2012
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 2
Fertiliser

100 kg/ha MacroPro at seeding; 2x post-seeding of 75kg/ha NS61.

Soil amelioration

2010 – mouldboard ploughed 5 ha

2012 – mouldboard ploughed a further 30 ha in the trial area

2012 – clay strips 150 t clay-rich subsoil/ha

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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
2012 217.0mm
2011 212.7mm
2010 188.1mm
2009 221.7mm
2008 256.3mm
2007 189.6mm
2006 173.9mm
2005 249.5mm
2004 200.2mm
2003 222.6mm
2002 195.9mm
2001 169.1mm
2000 177.4mm
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 2012


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 338mm

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

2012 trial report



Trial last modified: 09-07-2019 15:49pm AEST