Crop establishment on non-wetting sand

2017
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Amanda Cook (SARDI)
Ian Richter (SARDI)
Year(s) 2017
Contributor Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Trial location(s) Lock, SA
Related trials
Crop establishment on non-wetting sand locations
Aims

The GRDC project ‘Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula’ aims to produce sustainable management guidelines to control pests, weeds and diseases while retaining stubble to maintain or improve soil health, and reduce exposure to wind erosion. The major outcome to be achieved is increased knowledge and skills allowing farmers and advisers to improve farm profitability while retaining stubble in farming systems on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP).

 

One issue EP farmers identified as a problem with stubble retained systems was sowing into non-wetting sands and the resulting uneven and reduced germination. A trial was undertaken from 2013 to 2015 at Murlong (near Lock) to compare crop establishment and performance with time of sowing, sowing rate, row position and sowing depth on a non-wetting sand. The trial site was moved in 2016 to another non-wetting site near Lock due to excessive weed issues.

 

Key messages

Neither crop establishment, grain yield nor quality were changed by on-row seeding or by increased seeding rate in 2017, similar to results in 2016.

Crop establishment in the non-wetting soil was poor in 2017.

In 2015, with low moisture at seeding, improved crop establishment from on-row seeding in the non-wetting soil increased crop competition and lowered brome grass weed seed set.

Lead research organisation Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation
Host research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial funding source GRDC EPF00001
Related program Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble
Acknowledgments

Thank you to the Polkinghorne family for having this trial on their property, and the Hentschke family in previous seasons. Trial funded by GRDC Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula (EPF00001). Ian Richter, Agricultural Officer.


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Sowing: Placement
  • Sowing: Rate
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Lock 2017

Sow rate or Target density 50 and 70 kg/ha sowing rate
Sowing machinery

Plot size seeder and harvester

Sow date 19 May 2017
Harvest date 21 November 2017
Plot size 12m x 2m
Plot replication 3
Fertiliser

Base fertiliser was 18:20:0:0 (DAP) @ 60 kg/ha and a trace element mix of manganese sulphate @ 1.5 kg Mn/ha, zinc sulphate @ 1 kg Zn/ha and copper sulphate @ 0.2 kg Cu/ha was also delivered as banded fluid at seeding.

Herbicide

The trial was sprayed with a knockdown of 1.5 L/ha of glyphosate, 1.5 L/ha trifluralin, 80 ml/ha of carfentrazone-ethyl and a wetter, LI700, prior to sowing.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

@T1: @T2: @T3:
# Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Screenings (%) Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Establishment plants (plants/m2) Dry matter (t/ha) Establishment plants (plants/m2) Dry matter (t/ha) Establishment plants (plants/m2)
1 On-row 50 kg/ha 5.9 12.7 0.45 4.6 0.38 9.9 1.51 24
1 On-row 70 kg/ha 2.9 11.5 0.44 8.6 0.35 9.6 1.08 26
1 Inter-row 50 kg/ha 2.5 13 0.47 9.8 0.44 15.2 1.21 21
1 Inter-row 70 kg/ha 3.7 12.7 0.61 12.8 0.46 15 1.41 23
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4

Grain yield t/ha


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Dry matter t/ha


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Establishment plants plants/m2


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Lock, SA 0 - 10cm 7.10 49.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Lock, SA Non-wetting sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Lock, SA Calcarosol
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 Lock SA
2017 100.7mm
2016 88.8mm
2015 76.2mm
2014 115.3mm
2013 94.8mm
2012 86.7mm
2011 109.6mm
2010 89.6mm
2009 95.6mm
2008 69.1mm
2007 67.5mm
2006 105.5mm
2005 89.1mm
2004 58.9mm
2003 81.0mm
2002 72.2mm
2001 87.7mm
2000 110.5mm
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

Lock SA 2017


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 336mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 250mm
Rainfall trial total (mm) 338mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 185mm

Derived climate information

Lock 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

2017 trial report



Trial last modified: 04-06-2019 13:14pm AEST