Strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser applied to dryland sorghum. Part 1. Effects on crop production and gross margins - Tamworth

2014 - 2015

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bruce Haigh (NSW DPI)
Graeme Schwenke (NSW DPI)
Year(s) 2014 - 2015
Contributor Department of Primary Industries NSW
Trial location(s) Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW
Further information View external link
Strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser applied to dryland sorghum. Part 1. Effects on crop production and gross margins - Tamworth locations
Aims

To investe options for reducing nitrous oxide emissions from dryland summer grain cropping in northern NSW. 

Key messages
  • Fertiliser nitrogen (N) rates should be tailored to suit paddock history and soil mineral N levels at sowing.
  • Sorghum yields without N fertiliser, although high in a favourable season, were still well below those achieved using additional N fertiliser.
  • At Tamworth, in-season rainfall ideally suited a split-N application strategy resulting in the highest yields.
  • At Breeza, drier conditions meant that neither split N application nor slowrelease N products boosted grain yields above those reached using urea all applied at sowing.
  • Gross margins for most alternative N strategies were greater than that achieved when no N was applied.
     
Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAN00129
Related program NANORP Filling the Research Gap
Acknowledgments

This project was funded by NSW DPI and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture as part project DAN00129: NANORP Filling the Research Gap. Many thanks to Helen Squires, Mandy Holland, and Peter Sanson for assistance with field sampling and measurements, and the Tamworth cereal agronomy team for assistance with crop agronomy. Thanks also to Incitec Pivot Fertilisers Ltd for the supply of Entec®, NV®, and the polymer-coated urea (not currently a commercial product).


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2014

Sow date 28 November 2014
Harvest date 6 March 2015
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2015

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

Download results

Trial results Effect of treatments on gross margin at Tamworth

# Treatment 1
Gross margin ($/ha)
1 (sorg) 0N 1441
2 (sorg) 120N 2112
3 (soy) 0N 1763
4 (soy) 40N 2185
5 (sorg) 40N + 80N split 2432

Gross margin $/ha


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Trial results Effects of treatments on grain yield and protein at Breeza

# Treatment 1
Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha)
1 100% Urea 8.7 7.15
2 100% Entec 9.1 6.58
3 100% Polymer 9.4 7.13
4 33% Urea/67% Entec 8.4 6.61
5 33% Urea/67% Polymer 9.2 6.15
6 33% Urea/33% Entec/33% Polymer 8.7 6.92
7 33% Urea + 67% Urea 9.2 6.66
8 33% Entec + 67% Urea 9.1 5.85
9 33% Polymer + 67% Urea 8.7 6.83
10 33% Urea + 67% NV 8.8 6.83
11 33% Entec + 67% NV 9.2 6.66
12 33% Polymer + 67% NV 9 6.85
13 Nil 6.4 5.25

Grain yield t/ha


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Protein %


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Trial results Effects of treatments on gross margin at Breeza

# Treatment 1
Gross margin ($/ha)
1 Nil 1050
2 100% Urea 1412
3 100% Entec 1241
4 33% Urea/67% Entec 1258
5 33% Urea + 67% Urea 1289
6 33% Entec + 67% Urea 1078
7 33% Urea + 67% NV 1324
8 33% Entec + 67% NV 1272

Gross margin $/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW Vertosol
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 Tamworth Agricultural Institute NSW
2015 788.3mm
2014 788.1mm
2013 780.3mm
2012 774.5mm
2011 772.8mm
2010 799.1mm
2009 784.3mm
2008 792.0mm
2007 788.5mm
2006 790.3mm
2005 797.4mm
2004 799.1mm
2003 800.0mm
2002 781.0mm
2001 777.0mm
2000 747.4mm
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.

Tamworth Agricultural Institute NSW

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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

2014 trial report



Trial last modified: 19-10-2023 14:17pm AEST