Effect of fertiliser sown with wheat seed on Mallee soils

2016

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bill Davoren (CSIRO)
Rick Llewellyn (CSIRO)
Therese McBeath (CSIRO)
Willie Shoobridge (CSIRO)
Year(s) 2016
Contributor Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
Trial location(s) Karoonda, SA
Effect of fertiliser sown with wheat seed on Mallee soils locations
Aims

There are major opportunities to improve crop performance on Mallee sands, opportunities to invest in the transformation of poor sands and opportunities to improve yield through more targeted agronomy of sandy soils. In 2015 wheat plant establishment was significantly better on non-wetting sand (crest and dune) plots that received no fertiliser with the seed compared with those that received 50 kg DAP/ha. Similar effects were measured in trials established by Jack Desbiolles at Moorlands in 2015 (McBeath et al. 2016).

Key messages
  • Just 50 kg DAP/ha knife point drilled with 70 kg/ha wheat seed is enough to reduce wheat plant  establishment.
  • Wheat fertilised with DAP with seed yielded 0.5 t/ha (20%) less than wheat with DAP placed below seed in 2016.
  • The addition of 35 kg urea/ha below the seed overcame the yield penalty in the DAP-with-seed plots, suggesting access to N was a driver.
Lead research organisation Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
Host research organisation Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Trial funding source GRDC MSF00003
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

We thank the Loller family for hosting the field site and input from Jeff Braun is gratefully acknowledged. This research is funded by GRDC and CSIRO Agriculture and Food in partnership with Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF00003).


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Karoonda 2016

Sowing machinery

28 cm row spacing.

The trial was established using knife points and a dual shoot system.

Sow date 2 June 2016
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

All plots received a pre-sowing application of 33 kg/ha of potassium sulfate to eliminate K and S as confounding issues with an in-crop foliar application of Zn, Cu and Mn. Fertiliser placed below the seed was approximately 5cm below seeding depth.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial source data unavailable: Trial may be in progress or trial results have not been recorded.

Trial results Table 1

#
1 Nil
2 50kg DAP/ha
3 50kg DAP/ha
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Karoonda, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Karoonda, 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 Karoonda SA
2016 276.6mm
2015 261.2mm
2014 252.1mm
2013 237.4mm
2012 295.6mm
2011 357.6mm
2010 309.7mm
2009 240.5mm
2008 226.5mm
2007 265.4mm
2006 275.1mm
2005 288.1mm
2004 252.3mm
2003 265.0mm
2002 222.9mm
2001 240.8mm
2000 304.2mm
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

Loading

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.

Karoonda SA

Loading
Loading
Loading

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: 25-06-2019 09:58am AEST