To demonstrate the production and associated economic benefits from ameliorating soil acidity over the long term.
Key messages
The application of lime and gypsum to a sodic soil has produced improvements in soil structure observable to visitors of the trial site.
Improvement in soil structure have been associated with variable responses in grain yield and quality across years, apparently in response to varying available soil moisture over the last 5 crop years (2000 to 2004).
Yield increases with soil amelioration are associated with years where crop growing conditions were conducive to high yield and/or reasonable levels of sub soil moisture were available to the crop (years 2001 and 2002).
In contrast, barley yield declines of 40% - 80% and quality downgrades have occurred in the last two very dry years (2003 and 2004). This is thought to be due to the soil amelioration treatments promoting additional early season vegetative growth but being followed by severe spring conditions leading to the crop "haying off”.
The trial has sown no economic benefit of soil amelioration in 5 years.
Lead research organisation
Central West Farming Systems
Host research organisation
N/A
Related program
N/A
Acknowledgments
These trials were conducted as part of the CWFS Regional Site program. The trial sites were supported by the Grain Growers Association and GRDC. Greg Gibson (NSW DPI), Sharon Taylor (CWFS) and Allan
L’Estrange (CWFS) provided invaluable technical assistance. The data was analysed by Helen Nicol (consulting statistician). Thanks go to Mark Judson (trial co-operator) for his cooperation over the last 5 years.
No observed climate data available for this trial. Derived climate data is
determined from trial site location and national weather sources.
Gunning Gap 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.
