Long term tillage and rotation trial

2015
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Barry Haskins (AgGrow)
John Small (CWFS)
Rachael Whitworth (AgGrow)
Year(s) 2015
Contributor Central West Farming Systems
Trial location(s) Merriwagga, NSW
Long term tillage and rotation trial locations
Aims

To compare no till farming techniques against conventional farming methods over 5 different cropping
rotations.

Key messages
  • No till treatments, for all rotations, were slightly higher yielding than the conventional tillage
    treatments for wheat. The yield of peas, in rotation 2, was very low in this trial as a result of
    the season and Sakura damage.
  • Rotations including a fallow, such as the WFW treatment, had lower weed numbers compared
    to continuous cropped rotations. The continuous wheat rotation, both conventional and no till
    treatments, had a large number of ryegrass, even with Sakura.
  • Profit and income for 2015 was highest in the no till wheat/ley/fallow/wheat rotation, and lowest in Rotation 2.
  • 17 years of no till wheat on wheat is still second for profitability.
Lead research organisation Central West Farming Systems
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC CWF00018
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments
  • Ag Grow Agronomy and Research and Central West Farming Systems would like to acknowledge Ian Barber “Sylvanham” for undertaking various activities such as sowing and harvesting the trial,  as well as other local farmers in their efforts to help make this trial what it is.
  • Part of the funding for the 2014 & 2015 activities came from the GRDC project CWF00018
    ‘Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble in Central West NSW’

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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Rotation
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Merriwagga 2015

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 300m x 33.3m
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
Merriwagga, NSW Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Merriwagga, NSW Kandosol
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 Merriwagga NSW
2015 582.1mm
2014 562.1mm
2013 561.4mm
2012 588.8mm
2011 603.4mm
2010 642.9mm
2009 585.1mm
2008 598.1mm
2007 535.8mm
2006 576.4mm
2005 582.7mm
2004 535.9mm
2003 539.7mm
2002 529.8mm
2001 550.5mm
2000 539.2mm
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.

Merriwagga NSW

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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

2015 trial report



Trial last modified: 26-11-2019 14:22pm AEST