Big lupin responses to amelioration of repellent soil

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
Big lupin responses to amelioration of repellent soil locations
Aims

To assess water repellent soil amelioration options and to determine whether a one-way plough can be used to ameliorate non-wetting sand for much lower cost than mouldboard ploughing or rotary spading.

Key messages
  • Pale deep sand has inherently poor yield potential and given the high cost of the water repellence amelioration treatments it can be difficult to determine whether the investment is worthwhile.
  • At this site the productivity gains have been sufficient to offset the costs and be profitable for each of the options tested.
  • Claying despite being expensive does have the advantage of being long-lasting and reduces wind erosion risk. Shallower cultivation with offset discs or one-way ploughing can give profitable improvements but the example of the one-way plough demonstrated that the benefits can be reduced or even negated by wind erosion damage.
  • It should be noted that other research indicates that improving the effectiveness of the seeding operation can give yield gains of similar magnitude or even greater than those measured for the offset discs without the erosion risk. Exploring this possibility is probably a first step for growers looking to manage repellence on these soils.
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

Particular thanks to Colin ‘Ferret’ McAlpine for establishing the trial.


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

Method

Crop type Grain Legume: Lupins
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated,Blocked

Badgingarra 2012

Sow rate or Target density 80kg/ha
Sow date 28 May 2012
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 9m x 190m
Plot replication Not specified
Soil amelioration

1)    Control - untreated

2)    Mouldboard ploughing to ~35 cm,  April 2011

3)    Clay-spreading, 120 t clay-rich subsoil/ha, April 2011, shallow (10 cm) incorporation

4)    Rotary spaded to ~35 cm, April 2010

5)    Offset discs to ~10 cm, April 2011

6)    One-way disc plough to ~15 cm, April 2011

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
2012 236.0mm
2011 224.8mm
2010 209.6mm
2009 228.5mm
2008 246.8mm
2007 198.9mm
2006 196.0mm
2005 242.6mm
2004 204.2mm
2003 230.9mm
2002 212.7mm
2001 192.5mm
2000 206.7mm
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) 325mm

Derived climate information

Badgingarra 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 last modified: 09-07-2019 12:04pm AEST