Crop establishment on non-wetting sand

2016
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Amanda Cook (SARDI)
Year(s) 2016
Contributor Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Trial location(s) Lock, SA
Crop establishment on non-wetting sand locations
Aims

The GRDC project ‘Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula’ aims to produce sustainable management guidelines to control pests, weeds and diseases while retaining stubble to maintain or improve soil health, and reduce exposure to wind erosion. The major outcome to be achieved is increased knowledge and skills allowing farmers and advisers to improve farm profitability while retaining stubble in farming systems on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP).

 

One issue EP farmers identified as a problem with stubble retained systems was sowing into non-wetting sands and the resulting uneven and reduced germination. A trial was undertaken from 2013 to 2015 at Murlong (near Lock) to compare how crop establishment and performance is affected by time of sowing, sowing rate, row position and sowing depth on a non-wetting sand. The trial site was moved in 2016 to another non-wetting site near Lock.

 

Key messages
  • Crop establishment was not improved by on-row seeding or by increasing seeding rate in 2016.
  • Higher seeding rate increased early dry matter but this effect declined during the growing season.
  • In 2016 row placement or seeding rate did not affect grain yield or grain quality.
  • Sowing on-row may be an advantage on non-wetting soils with low moisture at seeding.
Lead research organisation Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Host research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial funding source GRDC EPF00001
Related program Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble
Acknowledgments

Thank you to the Polkinghorne family for having this trial on their property, and the Hentschke family in previous seasons. Trial funded by GRDC Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula (EPF00001).


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Sowing: Method
  • Sowing: Rate
  • Sowing: Timing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Lock 2016

Sow rate or Target density 40kg/ha, 60 kg/ha
Sow date 23 May 2016
Harvest date 8 December 2016
Plot size 12m x 2m
Plot replication 3
Paddock history 2016: Kord wheat 2015: Mace wheat 2014: Medic pasture
Fertiliser

The trial was sown with CL Kord wheat on 23 May at 30 cm row spacings and into good soil moisture. Base fertiliser was 18:20:0:0 (DAP) @ 60 kg/ha and a trace element mix of manganese sulphate at 1.5 kg Mn/ha, zinc sulphate at 1 kg Zn/ha and copper sulphate at 0.2 kg Cu/ha was also delivered as banded fluid at seeding. Application of 50 kg/ha of urea spread on 6 August

Herbicide

The trial was sprayed with a knockdown of 1.5 L/ha of glyphosate, 1.5 L/ha trifluralin, 80 ml/ha of carfentrazone-ethyl and a wetter on 23 May. The whole trial was sprayed with imazepic and imazepyr on 6 of July

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
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Lock, SA 0 - 30cm 6.90 50.00 72.00
Lock, SA 0 - 100cm 6.90 50.00 111.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Lock, SA Non-wetting sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Lock, 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 Lock SA
2016 69.3mm
2015 60.7mm
2014 80.3mm
2013 63.5mm
2012 56.0mm
2011 82.1mm
2010 74.1mm
2009 71.5mm
2008 58.4mm
2007 61.3mm
2006 71.5mm
2005 73.7mm
2004 48.1mm
2003 69.7mm
2002 60.6mm
2001 63.3mm
2000 67.1mm
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

Lock SA 2016


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 336mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 250mm
Rainfall trial total (mm) 401mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 314mm

Derived climate information

Lock SA

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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

2016 trial report