Nutrient removal - the hidden cost of chaff carts and windrow burning

2011
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Peter Newman (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2011
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Nutrient removal - the hidden cost of chaff carts and windrow burning locations
Aims

To determine the dollar value of nutrient removal by chaff cart or windrow burning systems of various crop types.

Key messages
  • This preliminary study suggests that both chaff carts and windrow burning removes significant amounts of nutrients from the paddock.  Most of the K left behind in the windrows remains in the paddock.  However, most harvesters now have auto-steer so these nutrients are effectively placed in the same strip each year.  Growers who make windrows and have auto-steer are advised to embark on a program of moving the windrow across approximately 1m each year.  If they do not move the header each year then all of the K is placed in the same strip each year which is essentially lost from the system which is a big cost to the grower (Table 3).
  • While the Harrington Seed Destructor (HSD) may be more capital intensive and more costly to run than a chaff cart or windrow burning, all of the nutrients contained in crop residue remain in the paddock.  The true cost of all systems should be considered when deciding which method of harvest weed seed management to adopt.  For a header harvesting 3000ha at an average yield of 3 t/ha the cost of the three systems is similar (assuming the header moves across 1m each year when making windrows) (Table 3).  For a smaller area of crop the relative cost of the destructor and chaff cart increase due to the capital cost being spread over a smaller area. 
Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Luigi Moreschi from CSBP for assisting with laboratory analysis of the samples.  A big thank you to the growers involved who took careful measurements of chaff removal.  Thank you to GRDC for ongoing support of this research.


Other trial partners Not specified
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Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Grain Legume: Lupins
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
Trial type
Trial design

Badgingarra 2011 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Badgingarra 2011 Lupins

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
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: 06-08-2019 07:54am AEST