Improving the tolerance of lucerne to soil acidity

2010

Research organisaton

Trial details

Researcher(s) Alan Humphries (SARDI)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor Agriculture Kangaroo Island Incorporated
Trial location(s) Cygnet RIver,
Kersbrook, SA
McLaren Flat, SA
Mount Gambier, SA
Barnawatha, VIC
Boorhaman, VIC
Improving the tolerance of lucerne to soil acidity locations
Aims
  • To report on the development of a rhizobium strain which is able to nodulate with lucerne at lower pH.
Key messages
  • The research aims to find rhizobia that will support lucerne growth on acidic soils.
  • Good levels of nodulation found on acidic sand at Kingscote, despite soil acidity, pHCa 4.6
  • Lucerne is highly recommended for KI soils that do not receive lengthy periods of water logging or have high levels of aluminum.
  • Purchase freshly coated seed as background levels of lucerne rhizobia are low.
Lead research organisation Agriculture Kangaroo Island Incorporated
Host research organisation N/A
Related program CRC Future Farm Industries
Acknowledgments

Thanks to the trial sponsor CRC Future Farm Industries.

A special thanks to Greg Johnsson for his assistance with this trial – very much appreciated!


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

Method

Crop type Hay: Lucerne
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Type
  • Crop: Nutrition
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown

Cygnet RIver 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Kersbrook 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

McLaren Flat 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Mount Gambier 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Barnawatha 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Boorhaman 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

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Root nodulation score (%) Nodulation (nodules/plant)
1 No rhizobia 29 2.4
2 RRI128 89 9.1
3 RRI128 + lime 89 6.4
4 SRDI291 87 13
5 SRDI672 87 6.6
6 Poorest strain 70 4.4

Nodulation nodules/plant


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Root nodulation score %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Cygnet RIver, Not specified
Kersbrook, SA Not specified
McLaren Flat, SA Not specified
Mount Gambier, SA Not specified
Barnawatha, VIC Not specified
Boorhaman, VIC 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 Cygnet RIver Kersbrook SA McLaren Flat SA Mount Gambier SA Barnawatha VIC Boorhaman VIC
2010 587.6mm532.6mm477.0mm229.7mm629.0mm171.8mm
2009 538.2mm479.1mm419.6mm232.9mm551.6mm70.6mm
2008 496.3mm416.7mm388.4mm216.3mm511.1mm72.1mm
2007 507.3mm446.7mm397.2mm218.7mm491.0mm52.3mm
2006 546.1mm484.9mm417.7mm209.7mm494.2mm110.0mm
2005 542.6mm528.9mm460.8mm223.0mm562.4mm200.8mm
2004 584.4mm509.0mm486.6mm227.9mm541.9mm183.6mm
2003 599.5mm491.3mm472.4mm233.3mm498.4mm173.6mm
2002 560.0mm453.0mm432.1mm223.1mm497.9mm204.0mm
2001 605.6mm480.2mm473.1mm233.1mm532.6mm319.9mm
2000 613.8mm424.5mm421.1mm220.9mm486.3mm354.7mm
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.

Cygnet RIver VIC

Kersbrook VIC

McLaren Flat VIC

Mount Gambier VIC

Barnawatha VIC

Boorhaman VIC

Cygnet RIver VIC

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Kersbrook VIC

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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McLaren Flat VIC

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Mount Gambier VIC

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Barnawatha VIC

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Boorhaman VIC

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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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 09:26am AEST