Minnipa farming systems competition - a review of soil health after 10 years

2010

Research organisaton

Trial details

Researcher(s) Roy Latta (SARDI)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial location(s) Minnipa, SA
Minnipa farming systems competition - a review of soil health after 10 years locations
Aims

The Farming Systems Competition was commenced in 2000 to compare the impact of four different management strategies on production, profitability and sustainability at the Minnipa Agricultural Centre.

Key messages
  • A comparison of 2001 and 2010 soil analysis suggests that organic carbon levels may have declined over the 9 year competition, irrespective of the rotation utilised and production achieved.
  • However to suggest that there is a continuing long term decline in soil health in the face of improved “sustainable” farming techniques is premature.
  • The competition ceased in its current form in 2010 with all paddocks sown to an oilseed (canola or juncea).
Lead research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Host research organisation N/A
Related program Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems
Acknowledgments

References:

  • Cordon N (2003) Sustainability on the far West Coast – results from a survey. Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems 2003 Summary. Minnipa Agricultural Research Centre, Plant Industries and Resources South Australia, ISBN 0 7590 1344 6.
  • Coventry DR Holloway RE and Cummins JA (1998) Farming fragile environments: low rainfall and difficult soils in South Australia. Proceedings of the 9th Agronomy Conference Wagga Wagga 1998 pp.107-116.

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

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Oilseed: Canola Grain Legume: Field peas Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Type
  • Crop: Rotation
Trial type
Trial design

Minnipa 2010 Wheat

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

Minnipa 2010 Canola

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

Minnipa 2010 Field peas

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

Minnipa 2010 Barley

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
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
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Minnipa, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Minnipa, 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 SA
2010 385.3mm
2009 391.3mm
2008 330.4mm
2007 331.2mm
2006 334.5mm
2005 288.0mm
2004 296.1mm
2003 293.2mm
2002 283.3mm
2001 343.9mm
2000 389.0mm
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.

Minnipa 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

2010 trial report



Trial last modified: 08-10-2019 13:58pm AEST