Effect of lime incorporation on soil nutrient availability

2013
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Ross Brennan (DAFWA)
Gavin Sarre (DAFWA)
Criag Scanlan (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2013
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Regans Ford, WA
Effect of lime incorporation on soil nutrient availability locations
Aims

To determine whether a profit can be achieved from incorporating lime in the year it is applied.

Key messages
  • Our results suggest shifting investment from nutrients to lime and cultivation and maintaining profit in the first year for the 2 sites we ran is a feasible proposition.  However, this is dependent on the soil constraints and existing soil fertility.  In this trial, it appears that the cultivation response was driven by an increase in the mineralisation rate of organic matter. The incorporation of lime did not provide any yield benefit; while the rotary spader provided adequate mixing of the lime this had no impact on growth because soil pH was already above target levels.  The yield benefit from cultivation was enough to offset the cost of the cultivation and most of the lime application, and the net margin in the year of application could be improved by reducing fertiliser rates.
  •  
Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source DAFWA
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dave Gartner and Anne Wilkins (WMG), Trevor Bell, Steve Cosh, Larry Prosser and Damien Priest (DAFWA) and to the Negus family.


Other trial partners Not specified
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Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Regans Ford 2013

Sow rate or Target density 80kg/ha
Sowing machinery

DAFWA plot seeder and harvester.

Sow date 13 June 2013
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 1.54m x 20m
Plot replication 3
Fertiliser

Phosphorus: 20 kg P/ha drilled as Double Phos

Nitrogen: 10 kg N/ha drilled + 10 kg N/ha topdressed at sowing, + 20 kg N/ha topdressed 4 WAS Potassium: 100 kg K/ha topdressed at sowing as Muriate of Potash

Sulphur: 20 kg S/ha topdressed at sowing as Gypsum (includes fertilizer and chemical treatments)

 

Herbicide

28th May: Trial sown, Talstar @ 2 L/ha, Dominex @ 100 mL/ha, Sprayseed @ 2 L/ha, Treflan @ 1.5 L/ha

13th June: Trial resown, Treflan @ 1.5 L/ha, Sprayseed @ 4 L/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
Regans Ford, WA Deep yellow sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Regans Ford, WA Tenosol
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 Regans Ford WA
2013 151.9mm
2012 138.2mm
2011 136.9mm
2010 129.1mm
2009 142.1mm
2008 151.9mm
2007 107.9mm
2006 103.7mm
2005 142.2mm
2004 124.4mm
2003 142.9mm
2002 113.0mm
2001 115.0mm
2000 134.4mm
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

Regans Ford WA 2013


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 440mm

Derived climate information

Regans Ford 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

2013 trial report



Trial last modified: 09-07-2019 15:51pm AEST