Impact of water repellence management on the availability of soil nutrients

2011
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bre Best (DAFWA)
Stephen Davies (DAFWA)
Criag Scanlan (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2011
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Impact of water repellence management on the availability of soil nutrients locations
Aims

To determine how mouldboard ploughing (soil inversion), rotary spading and banded wetting agent affect the availability of soil nutrients.

Key messages
  • Our results from the first year of the study show that the method used to manage soil water repellence had little impact on soil nutrient supply with the exception of phosphorus. The lack of grain yield response to applied P in the mouldboard and spading treatments suggest that soil phosphorus is more available in these soils, though is not clear whether this is due to the removal of the non-wetting constraint or mineralisation following tillage.
  • The lower grain yield and harvest index in the spading treatment suggests that there was less soil water available late in the growing season. Further research is required to determine how these management practices, in particular inversion and rotary spading, changes fertiliser advice. The results of this work will be used to develop guidelines on if or how nutrition should be managed for crops sown on soils treated for water repellence.
Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source GRDC
Trial funding source DAFWA
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Thanks for the contributions of Jeff Fordham, the West Midlands Group, David and Paul Hayes and David Gartner (WMG). DAFWA technical support from Garry Mackin, Steve Cosh and Trevor Bell is acknowledged.


Other trial partners Not specified
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Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Properties
  • Soil Improvement
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated,Blocked

Badgingarra 2011

Sow rate or Target density 80kg/ha
Sow date 8 June 2011
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 1.54m x 30m
Plot replication Not specified
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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 Not specified
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
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

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

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 report and links

2011 trial report



Trial last modified: 09-07-2019 10:05am AEST