Grass weed management in pasture

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) Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA
Related trials
Grass weed management in pasture 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).

 

The Minnipa Agricultural Centre S3S pasture trial was established in 2013 to assess the impact of a two year medic pasture break on barley grass. The trial had different grass weed management and tillage treatments imposed in 2013 and 2014. The trials were sown with wheat in 2015 and 2016, and allowed to regenerate with medic pasture in 2017.

Key messages
  • Hay cutting in 2013 resulted in lower medic dry matter in 2017.
  • Grass weed numbers were very low in 2017 due to low opening rains and poor germination.
  • Two years of wheat increased Rhizoctonia, Yellow leaf spot and Pratylenchus.
  • A two year pasture break was beneficial to the following cereal because of lower grass weed numbers, higher soil reserves of N and lower disease levels.
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

Thanks to Ian Richter, Brett Hay, Katrina Brands and Rochelle Wheaton for helping with sampling and processing samples. Trial funded by GRDC Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble - upper Eyre Peninsula (EPF00001).


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

Method

Crop type Pasture: Medic
Treatment type(s)
  • Management systems: Integrated weed management
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2017

Sow rate or Target density Regenerating medic pasture
Sowing machinery

Nil

Sow date 1 March 2017
Harvest date Not applicable
Plot size 10m x 2m
Plot replication 3
Tillage See article
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
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA 0 - 10cm 8.40 18.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Red loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, 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 Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA
2017 437.2mm
2016 409.0mm
2015 381.0mm
2014 439.7mm
2013 385.5mm
2012 407.7mm
2011 453.8mm
2010 454.3mm
2009 466.5mm
2008 380.6mm
2007 367.6mm
2006 384.7mm
2005 350.4mm
2004 343.8mm
2003 348.6mm
2002 343.5mm
2001 396.8mm
2000 422.6mm
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

Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA 2017


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 325mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 241mm
Rainfall trial total (mm) 281mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 155mm

Derived climate information

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 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 13:27pm AEST