Bioprime: impact on wheat production

2016
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Peter Keating (Bioscience)
Falko Mathes (Bioscience)
Year(s) 2016
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Moora, WA
Bioprime: impact on wheat production locations
Aims

The trial purpose was to compare seed dressing and foliar application of Bioprime using granular and liquid fertilisers. 

Key messages

The West Midlands site had an average yielding year for the Moora area. The Liebe Long Term Research Site had a good growing season in terms of rainfall and seasonal distribution. The average yield was about 50% higher than previous wheat trial years. This was similar to Forrestdale which also had good rainfall and seasonal distribution.

On average, all Bioprime treatments combined resulted in a 4% yield increase. Treatment 2 (foliar Bioprime and granular fertiliser) performed best, achieving a 10% yield increase averaged across the three sites). At the WMG site, five Bioprime treatments resulted in positive yield responses whereas this number was lower at the Liebe site (2 treatments). With data corrected for outliers, all Bioprime treatments resulted in a positive yield response. Given that the Liebe site, relative to the WMG site had a higher soil pH, and higher pre-seeding phosphate and exchangeable cations concentrations (Table 2), an average higher yield was expected and achieved here compared to the WMG (3.36 t/ha and 2.15 t/ha, respectively in unamended control treatments). Thus, the higher soil quality and soil health present at the Liebe site combined with the good 2016 season in terms of rainfall likely narrowed the yield gap.

As such any management options aiming to close the gap between actual and potential yield, would have had less scope to achieve this at the Liebe site in 2016. In contrast, the lower soil fertility at the WMG allowed Bioprime to more consistently improve crop production. The 2016 data suggest the opportunity to improve yield on a poor soil in a poor year is greater than on good soil in a good year.

Ongoing research will continue to further develop Bioprime technology as a tool to improve soil biology and maintain plant health and yield. There is a substantial database of microbiological and yield results which continues to expand with the expectation of understanding the links between root and plant colonization by beneficial bacteria and fungi with Bioprime application and growth improvements.

Lead research organisation Bioscience Pty Ltd
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source Bioscience
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Living Farm who conducted the trials at WMG. 


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

Method

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

Moora 2016

Sow rate or Target density 75kg/ha
Sowing machinery

Living Farm, small plot seeder & harvester 

Sow date 15 June 2016
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 12m x 14.4m
Plot replication 8
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Fertiliser

100 kg/ha Gusto Gold, 50 kg/ha Urea, post 50 L/ha UAN. 

Herbicide

pre: 1.5L/ha Glyphosate, 2L/ha Trifluralin, 118g/ha Sakura, 400g/ha Diuron. Post emergent 1L/ha Velocity.

Insecticide

Pre-emergent insecticides 1L/ha Chlorpyrifos, 300 ml/ha Bifenthrin.

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
Moora, WA Yellow sandy loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Moora, 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 Moora WA
2016 102.8mm
2015 105.1mm
2014 88.5mm
2013 118.8mm
2012 138.2mm
2011 107.4mm
2010 102.0mm
2009 113.9mm
2008 120.4mm
2007 84.7mm
2006 113.8mm
2005 97.1mm
2004 75.7mm
2003 96.1mm
2002 77.2mm
2001 56.4mm
2000 110.9mm
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

Moora WA 2016


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 324mm

Derived climate information

Moora 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

2016 trial report



Trial last modified: 23-07-2019 14:27pm AEST