Managing nutrition on sandy soils – yield gains from Zn and N

2016

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Mick Brady (MSF)
Bill Davoren (MSF)
Rick Llewellyn (MSF)
Therese McBeath (CSIRO)
Michael Moodie (MSF)
Willie Shoobridge (CSIRO)
Year(s) 2016
Contributor CSIRO - Agriculture and Food
Trial location(s) loxton, SA
Managing nutrition on sandy soils – yield gains from Zn and N locations
Aims

To explore the effects of nitrogen, sulfur and zinc on wheat productivity. The treatments included a range of N, S and Zn based treatments which were designed to address whether;
1) Constraints to productivity on sands could be managed by manipulating the nutrition package,
2) Early application of N is the most profitable option,
3) Zn is a constraint to yield and if the source of Zn is important, and
4) S is a constraint to yield and if the source of S is important.

Key messages
  • The highest yield in 2016 at Loxton could be achieved with either 40 kg N/ha as urea or 20 kg N/ha as Zn-coat urea or Zn-enriched MAP.
  • Compared to applying 20 kg N/ha as normal urea, using Zn-coated urea (20 kg N/ha) or Zn-enriched MAP with urea (20 kg N /ha) increased yield by more than 20%.
  • Nitrogen was a key driver of wheat productivity again, with 40 kg/ha N at sowing increasing yield by over 20% compared to 20 kg/ha N at sowing, but water use efficiency remained poor on this sandy soil.
  • There was also no benefit in delaying N application at Ouyen, however very high rates (60-80 kg/N ha) using higher late application rates increased yield on the midslope.
  • This is the second consecutive season that Zn coated Urea at sowing (20kg N/ha) has significantly increased yield compared to normal Urea (20 kg N /ha).
  • Applying foliar Zn has not increased yield at this site in 2015 or 2016.
  • In 2016 there was a large difference in yield between the midslope (2.90 t/ha) and the nearby sand dune (0.86 t/ha) at Ouyen which could not be closed through the addition of N,S and Zn to the sand.
Lead research organisation CSIRO - Agriculture and Food
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC MSF00003
Trial funding source CSIRO
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

We thank Bulla Burra (Loxton) and the Hastings family (Ouyen) for hosting the field sites. Thanks to Navneet Aggarwal for technical assistance. Thanks to Jeff Braun and Lou Flohr for discussions around trial design. Thanks to Colin Rivers and Ros Baird for preparing granular Zn fertilisers. This research is funded by GRDC and CSIRO Agriculture and Food (project MSF00003).


Other trial partners Mallee Sustainable Farming
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Fertiliser: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown

loxton 2016

Sow date 16 May 2016
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

All plots received 50 kg/ha of single super phosphate. The rate x timing trial also received a pre-sowing application of 33 kg/ha of potassium sulfate to eliminate K and S and foliar applications of Zn, Mn and Cu. The fertiliser source trial received a foliar application Mn and Cu only

Herbicide

1.5 L/ha of trifluralin pre-sowing

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Ouyen results

# Treatment 1
Treatment 2
GS31 Biomass (t/ha)
1 Midslope 0 kg N/ha @ sowing 2363
2 Midslope 20 kg N/ha @ sowing 2960
3 Midslope 40 kg N/ha @ sowing 3328
4 Midslope 60 kg N/ha @ sowing -
5 Midslope 80 kg N/ha @ sowing -
6 Midslope 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller -
7 Midslope 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 2595
8 Midslope 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 3067
9 Midslope 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 3310
10 Midslope 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 3458
11 Midslope 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller -
12 Midslope 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3317
13 Midslope 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3157
14 Midslope 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3657
15 Midslope 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3707
16 Sand 0 kg N/ha @ sowing 402
17 Sand 20 kg N/ha @ sowing 856
18 Sand 40 kg N/ha @ sowing 833
19 Sand 60 kg N/ha @ sowing -
20 Sand 80 kg N/ha @ sowing -
21 Sand 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller -
22 Sand 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 707
23 Sand 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 895
24 Sand 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 1081
25 Sand 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 1222
26 Sand 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller -
27 Sand 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 705
28 Sand 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 892
29 Sand 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 1153
30 Sand 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 1262

GS31 Biomass t/ha


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Trial results Table 2

# Treatment 1
Treatment 2
GS31 Biomass (t/ha) Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Nil 0 0 0.26 0.77 9.1
2 Urea 20 0 0.36 1.08 8.4
3 Urea 40 0 0.33 1.32 8.5
4 Zn-coated Urea 20 0.4 0.5 1.3 8.4
5 Zn-coated Urea 40 0.8 0.3 1.43 8.3
6 Urea plus foliar Zn-sulfate 20 0.4 0.35 1.04 8.4
7 Urea plus Zn enriched MAP 20 0.4 0.39 1.36 8.4
8 Urea plus Zn-oxide powder 20 0.4 0.38 1.18 8.3
9 Midslope 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 3310
10 Midslope 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 3458
11 Midslope 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller -
12 Midslope 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3317
13 Midslope 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3157
14 Midslope 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3657
15 Midslope 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 3707
16 Sand 0 kg N/ha @ sowing 402
17 Sand 20 kg N/ha @ sowing 856
18 Sand 40 kg N/ha @ sowing 833
19 Sand 60 kg N/ha @ sowing -
20 Sand 80 kg N/ha @ sowing -
21 Sand 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller -
22 Sand 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 707
23 Sand 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 895
24 Sand 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 1081
25 Sand 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller 1222
26 Sand 0 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller -
27 Sand 20 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 705
28 Sand 40 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 892
29 Sand 60 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 1153
30 Sand 80 kg N/ha @ sowing + early tiller + late tiller 1262

Grain yield t/ha


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GS31 Biomass t/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
loxton, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
loxton, 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 loxton SA
2016 229.1mm
2015 211.2mm
2014 245.1mm
2013 221.3mm
2012 276.0mm
2011 331.8mm
2010 278.3mm
2009 216.3mm
2008 216.5mm
2007 213.9mm
2006 222.8mm
2005 245.4mm
2004 200.3mm
2003 181.7mm
2002 182.0mm
2001 237.7mm
2000 251.5mm
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

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

loxton 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

2016 trial report



Trial last modified: 14-05-2023 08:12am AEST