Can kikuyu improve soil organic carbon levels on Kangaroo Island?

2010

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Jonathan Sanderman (CSIRO)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor Agriculture Kangaroo Island Incorporated
Trial location(s) Kangaroo Island, SA
Can kikuyu improve soil organic carbon levels on Kangaroo Island? locations
Aims

To investigate whether kikuyu improve soil organic carbon levels on Kangaroo Island.

Key messages

Perennial based pasture systems can offer numerous benefits, including increased access to fresh summer feed,
lowered water table with a decrease in associated salinity issues, and minimisation of surface erosion. While it
is premature to apply these results broadly across KI, these results suggest that the decision to switch to a perennial
pasture should not be made based solely upon anticipated changes in soil carbon levels.

Lead research organisation Agriculture Kangaroo Island Incorporated
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Recently CSIRO, with funding from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), and the Grains
Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has begun a study of soil organic carbon change under perennial
pastures.


Other trial partners CSIRO
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Pasture: Kikuyu
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Application Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Kangaroo Island 2010

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
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
Kangaroo Island, SA 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 Kangaroo Island SA
2010 515.4mm
2009 513.6mm
2008 471.8mm
2007 460.6mm
2006 505.5mm
2005 500.0mm
2004 513.6mm
2003 541.7mm
2002 507.7mm
2001 516.7mm
2000 508.2mm
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

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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.

Kangaroo Island SA

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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

2010 trial report



Trial last modified: 15-12-2021 10:01am AEST