Impact of modifying subsoil at Parndana

2005

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Nigel Wilhelm (SARDI)
Year(s) 2005
Contributor Agriculture Kangaroo Island Incorporated
Trial location(s) Stokes Bay Road,
Impact of modifying subsoil at Parndana locations
Aims

To test the impact of adding gypsum, lime or fertilisers to the subsoil.

Key messages
  • Similar to previous years and at other sites on Kangaroo Island, adding soil improvement agents to the subsoil did not produce any tangible benefits to wheat performance. However, chemical analysis of the soil to a depth of 40 cm below the surface did not reveal any major constraints to growth at this site except low fertility. This would help explain why adding lime and gypsum to the soil (either to the surface or into the subsoil) had no impact on crop productivity.
  • In trials with deep placed nutrients in other environments, spectacular yield benefits have been measured in sandy profiles with all their fertility concentrated close to the surface and top soil drying being a frequent  occurrence during spring. Although fertility decreased at the site tested here, there was still reasonable fertility in the 10-20 cm layer and rarely did the top soil get a chance to dry in spring last year. Perhaps both of these features decreased the value of nutrients placed deep into the profile.
  • Some treatments will be re-applied in 2006 in this trial so we will be able to test whether they will have an impact in a different season, and if so, how fresh applications compare to those applied in the previous year.
Lead research organisation Agriculture Kangaroo Island Incorporated
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source NLP
Related program National Landcare Programme
Acknowledgments

Thanks to the National Landcare Program for funding through the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management
Board.


Other trial partners SARDI
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 Unknown

Stokes Bay Road 2005

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Plant density (plants/m2)
1 Control 12.23 2.96 220
2 Lime on the surface 12.18 3.02 234
3 Gypsum on the surface 11.35 3.41 199
4 Deep ripping 11.8 3.14 250
5 Deep ripping with lime at depth 12.33 3.02 215
6 Deep ripping with gypsum at depth 12.23 3.21 198
7 Deep ripping with nutrients at depth 14.35 2.31 230
8 Control (deep ripping in 2006) 12.18 3.23 220
9 Control (nutrients at depth in 2006) 11.65 3.06 251

Grain yield t/ha


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Plant density plants/m2


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Protein %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Stokes Bay Road, Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
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 Stokes Bay Road
2005 437.9mm
2004 467.6mm
2003 479.7mm
2002 428.8mm
2001 437.5mm
2000 429.7mm
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.

Stokes Bay Road

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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

2005 trial report



Trial last modified: 15-12-2021 10:14am AEST