Understanding the impact of strategic tillage practices on crop performance and soil properties for a deep yellow sand at Goomalling

2017 - 2019
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Joel Andrew (Map IQ)
Tim Boyes (AgVivo)
Stephen Davies (DPIRD)
Daniel Dempster (DPIRD)
Year(s) 2017 - 2019
Contributor agVivo
Trial location(s) Goomalling, WA
Understanding the impact of strategic tillage practices on crop performance and soil properties for a deep yellow sand at Goomalling locations
Aims

To compare and showcase the broad range of strategic tillage options for amelioration of yellow sandplain soils and to assess their effectiveness at overcoming a range of soil constraints including non-wetting soil surface, compaction and subsoil acidity and increasing crop productivity.

Key messages
  • Removing subsoil compaction is critical and for some soil types can dramatically improve access to deep soil moisture.
  • Correctly ground-truthing the depth of the compaction layer can drive the success or failure of ripping outcomes.
  • Yield increases at the Goomalling site were largely driven by very deep ripping, with either the very deep ripper or delver, with yield increases of 0.55-0.74 t/ha, an increase of 74-93%. The only other treatment to increase yield was mouldboard ploughing on its own with a 0.44 t/ha, 55% yield increase.
Lead research organisation agVivo
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC AVP00003-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 GRDC investment, the author would like to thank them for their continued support. The authors acknowledge the Demspter family for hosting, implementing and assisting with the management of the research site.


Other trial partners Map IQ
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Management systems: Soil engineering
  • Soil Preparation: Tillage
Trial type
Trial design

Goomalling 2017

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Goomalling 2018

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Goomalling 2019

Sow date 25 May 2019
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1: Molarity of ethanol droplet (MED) for soil water repellence rating

# Treatment 1
Water droplet penetration time (seconds)
1 Control 1.5
2 Deep Rip 1.7
3 Deep Rip Inclusion 1.85
4 Deep Rip + Spade 0.3
5 One Way Plough 0.25
6 Mouldboard Plough 0.18

Water droplet penetration time seconds


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Trial results Table 2: 2017 Average yield for treatments

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Deep Rip 0.81
2 Deep Rip Inclusion 0.86
3 Deep Rip + Spade 0.89
4 Heliripper 1.54
5 Heliripper Inclusion 1.35
6 Heliripper + Spade 1.39
7 Heliripper + One Way Plough 1.47
8 Heliripper Inclusion + Spade 1.47
9 One Way Plough 0.92
10 Mouldboard Plough 1.24
11 Mouldboard Plough + Heliripper 1.4
12 Control 0.8
13 Delve + Spade 1.52

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Table 3: Average soil strength for each treatment

# Treatment 1
Soil loosening depth (cm) Soil strength (kPa)
1 Barrier -5 2500
2 Barrier -10 2500
3 Barrier -15 2500
4 Barrier -20 2500
5 Barrier -25 2500
6 Barrier -30 2500
7 Barrier -35 2500
8 Barrier -40 2500
9 Barrier -45 2500
10 Barrier -50 2500
11 Barrier -55 2500
12 Barrier -60 2500
13 Barrier -65 2500
14 Barrier -70 2500
15 Deep Rip -5 275
16 Deep Rip -10 509
17 Deep Rip -15 821
18 Deep Rip -20 1020
19 Deep Rip -25 1292
20 Deep Rip -30 1952
21 Deep Rip -35 3142
22 Deep Rip -40 3876
23 Deep Rip -45 4240
24 Deep Rip -50 4287
25 Deep Rip -55 4111
26 Deep Rip -60 3906
27 Deep Rip -65 3773
28 Deep Rip -70 3699
29 Control -5 676
30 Control -10 1203
31 Control -15 1936
32 Control -20 2572
33 Control -25 3053
34 Control -30 3516
35 Control -35 3886
36 Control -40 4136
37 Control -45 4208
38 Control -50 4201
39 Control -55 4020
40 Control -60 3804
41 Control -65 3583
42 Control -70 3403
43 Mouldboard Plough -5 176
44 Mouldboard Plough -10 361
45 Mouldboard Plough -15 489
46 Mouldboard Plough -20 659
47 Mouldboard Plough -25 1003
48 Mouldboard Plough -30 1897
49 Mouldboard Plough -35 2700
50 Mouldboard Plough -40 3629
51 Mouldboard Plough -45 4121
52 Mouldboard Plough -50 4219
53 Mouldboard Plough -55 3973
54 Mouldboard Plough -60 3896
55 Mouldboard Plough -65 3630
56 Mouldboard Plough -70 3533
57 Hellirpper -5 265
58 Hellirpper -10 407
59 Hellirpper -15 468
60 Hellirpper -20 507
61 Hellirpper -25 523
62 Hellirpper -30 500
63 Hellirpper -35 502
64 Hellirpper -40 500
65 Hellirpper -45 613
66 Hellirpper -50 791
67 Hellirpper -55 1135
68 Hellirpper -60 1606
69 Hellirpper -65 2164
70 Hellirpper -70 2733

Trial results Table 4: Average treatment yield for 2018 Wheat.

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Deep Rip 1.04
2 Deep Rip Inclusion 1.02
3 Deep Rip + Spade 1.15
4 Heliripper 1.58
5 Heliripper Inclusion 1.5
6 Heliripper + Spade 1.63
7 Heliripper + One Way Plough 1.4
8 Heliripper Inclusion + Spade 1.66
9 One Way Plough 1.03
10 Mouldboard Plough 1.25
11 Mouldboard Plough + Heliripper 1.32
12 Control 0.89

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Table 5: Average treatment yield for 2019 Wheat

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Deep Rip 0.39
2 Deep Rip Inclusion 0.41
3 Deep Rip + Spade 0.5
4 Heliripper 0.59
5 Heliripper Inclusion 0.57
6 Heliripper + Spade 0.6
7 Heliripper + One Way Plough 0.57
8 Heliripper Inclusion + Spade 0.63
9 One Way Plough 0.48
10 Mouldboard Plough 0.55
11 Mouldboard Plough + Heliripper 0.56
12 Control 0.39

Grain yield t/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Goomalling, WA 0 - 10cm 5.40 16.00 67.00 1.00
Goomalling, WA 0 - 10cm 5.80 0.80
Goomalling, WA 10 - 20cm 4.80
Goomalling, WA 10 - 20cm 4.80 0.20
Goomalling, WA 20 - 30cm 4.50
Goomalling, WA 20 - 30cm 4.30 0.20
Goomalling, WA 30 - 40cm 4.40
Goomalling, WA 30 - 40cm 4.30 0.10
Goomalling, WA 40 - 50cm 4.30 0.10
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Goomalling, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Goomalling, WA 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 Goomalling WA
2019 171.7mm
2018 209.1mm
2017 223.9mm
2016 206.2mm
2015 173.8mm
2014 171.4mm
2013 190.4mm
2012 179.1mm
2011 165.5mm
2010 144.8mm
2009 190.8mm
2008 198.4mm
2007 184.5mm
2006 202.0mm
2005 172.5mm
2004 175.5mm
2003 197.9mm
2002 145.0mm
2001 136.7mm
2000 221.2mm
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.

Goomalling WA

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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

Project Final Report

2017 trial report

2017 trial report

2017 trial report



Trial last modified: 15-12-2022 09:51am AEST