To identify and retest historic pH monitoring sites from previous publicly funded projects.
Key messages
Soil acidification is a natural process accelerated by high crop yields and fertilizer use. It is an unseen cost of doing business.
To maintain a good soil pH profile, producers should aim for a pHCa above 5.0 in the 0-10cm of topsoil or 5.5 if subsoil acidity issues are present. The target in the 10-30cm zone is greater than
pHCa 4.8.
Correct pH is paramount when growing legumes, especially if the decision to grow them is to increase soil nitrogen levels.
Liming needs to be thought of as a farm input, like checking and changing the oil in the tractor (maintaining capital), rather than buying urea (dollars returned per dollar invested).
Lead research organisation
Central West Farming Systems
Host research organisation
N/A
Related program
N/A
Acknowledgments
The research undertaken as part of this project is made possible by the significant contributions of growers through both trial cooperation and the support of the GRDC. The author would like to thank them for their continued support. I would also like to acknowledge the support of Nick Hill, former CWFS project manager and the help provided by Belinda Hackney, NSW LLS.
Other trial partners
CSIRO
Method
Crop type
None: No crop specified
Trial type
Trial design
Euabalong West 2016
Sow date
Not specified
Harvest date
Not specified
Plot size
Not specified
Plot replication
Not specified
Condobolin 2016
Sow date
Not specified
Harvest date
Not specified
Plot size
Not specified
Plot replication
Not specified
Tottenham 2016
Sow date
Not specified
Harvest date
Not specified
Plot size
Not specified
Plot replication
Not specified
Ungarie 2016
Sow date
Not specified
Harvest date
Not specified
Plot size
Not specified
Plot replication
Not specified
Trial source data and summary not available Check the trial
report PDF for trial results.
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.
Euabalong West NSW
Condobolin NSW
Tottenham NSW
Ungarie NSW
Euabalong West NSW
NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
Condobolin NSW
Tottenham NSW
Ungarie NSW
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.