Managing the risk of canola production in low rainfall environments

2017

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Mick Brady (CSIRO - Agriculture )
Sue Budarick (SARDI)
Leigh Davis (MSF)
Bill Davoren (SARDI)
Therese McBeath (CSIRO - Agriculture)
Todd McDonald (MSF)
Michael Moodie (MSF)
Willie Shoobridge (CSIRO - Agriculture )
Brenton Spriggs (MSF)
Andrew Ware (SARDI)
Year(s) 2017
Contributor CSIRO - Agriculture and Food
Trial location(s) Minnipa, SA
Managing the risk of canola production in low rainfall environments locations
Aims

To explore whether sowing canola into legume stubble can reduce N fertiliser requirement and provide a risk management strategy.

Key messages
  • Sowing at the earliest opportunity (which requires rainfall) is an important component of reducing the risk of canola production in low rainfall environments.
  • The amount of N available to the crop is critical to productivity in a canola crop that has established well.
  • Applying adequate doses of fertiliser N at seeding or early in the crop’s development have produced the highest grain yields but this was less important in a wet spring like 2016.
  • Legumes can provide N to a subsequent canola crop, but in many cases, canola growing on legume residue will still respond to fertiliser N inputs.
  • Analysis of the profit-risk context for optimal N inputs for canola produced in low rainfall environments is underway.
Lead research organisation CSIRO - Agriculture and Food
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC CSP00187
Related program Optimised Canola Profitability Project
Acknowledgments

Thanks to the Loller family for their generous support in hosting the trial, and to Jeff Braun and Lou Flohr for discussions around trial design and management. This work is a component of the 'Optimised Canola Profitability' project (CSP00187), a collaboration between NSW DPI, CSIRO and GRDC, in partnership with SARDI, CSU, MSF and BCG.


Other trial partners Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF), South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Soil Properties: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown

Minnipa 2017

Sow date 3 May 2017
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

11 kg P/ha, 11 kg S/ha, 27 kg K/ha and foliar Zn, Cu and Mn to ensure other nutrients were nonlimiting.

Fertiliser was applied as 50 kg/ha  MAP + 1% Zn at sowing (5kg N) and any additional fertiliser was applied after the crop emerged at 2-4 leaves by top dressing with Urea (at 30 or 80 kg N/ha) on the 21st of June.

Minnipa 2017

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

Download results

Trial results Dune soil

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 5 kg N/ha 0.7
2 30 kg N/ha 0.92
3 80 kg N/ha 1.5
4 Wheat residue 0.79
5 Lupins residue 1.29

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Mid-slope soil

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 5 kg N/ha 0.74
2 30 kg N/ha 0.71
3 80 kg N/ha 1.07
4 Wheat residue 0.7
5 Lupins residue 0.98

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Swale soil

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 5 kg N/ha 0.79
2 30 kg N/ha 0.79
3 80 kg N/ha 0.88
4 Wheat residue 0.78
5 Lupins residue 0.86

Grain yield t/ha


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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
2017 323.8mm
2016 315.3mm
2015 289.3mm
2014 336.5mm
2013 290.8mm
2012 330.8mm
2011 383.4mm
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 last modified: 14-05-2023 08:13am AEST