Strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser applied to dryland sorghum. Part 3. Residual impact of N applied in 2013−14 on sorghum grown in 2014−15

2013 - 2015

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bruce Haigh (NSW DPI)
Graeme Schwenke (NSW DPI)
Year(s) 2013 - 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 3. Residual impact of N applied in 2013−14 on sorghum grown in 2014−15 locations
Aims

To report the biomass, grain production, and gross margin results from sorghum grown in 2014−15 on plots where nitrogen (N) fertiliser was applied in 2013−14 and no additional N was applied to the current crop. 

Key messages
  • Very dry conditions during the 2013−14 summer meant that much of the nitrogen (N) fertiliser applied was not taken up by the sorghum crop, especially if it had been applied in-crop at booting. Between 46–65% of the applied N remained in the soil at harvest in 2013−14.
  • A following crop of unfertilised sorghum accessed the remaining N for crop growth and, at rates of 100 kg N/ha and above in the 2013−14 crop, increased grain yield and protein above the control. Late N application by topdressing in the 2013−14 crop gave similar crop production results to treatments where N was sidebanded at sowing.
  • Two-year gross margins showed a significant benefit from N application as urea either at sowing or incrop.
     
Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAN00129
Trial funding source DPI NSW
Related program NANORP Filling the Research Gap
Acknowledgments

This project was funded by NSW DPI and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture as part of 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®.


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Sorghum
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Fertiliser: Type
Trial type
Trial design

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2013

Sow date 28 October 2014
Harvest date 6 March 2015
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

This research paper is an extract from the publication Northern grains Research Results 2016, available at
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/ngrt-results
 

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2014

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

This research paper is an extract from the publication Northern grains Research Results 2016, available at
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/ngrt-results
 

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2015

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

This research paper is an extract from the publication Northern grains Research Results 2016, available at
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/ngrt-results
 

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Effects of treatments on multiple parameters

# Treatment 1
Protein (%) Dry matter (kg/ha) Plant nitrogen (%) Gross margin ($/ha) Grain yield (t/ha)
1 nil_0 5.48 9558.52 1.33 1454 7.14
2 Urea_80 5.88 14636.7 1.21 1316 6.98
3 Entec_80 6.17 12963 1.3 1435 7.29
4 Urea_100 6.77 11376.3 1.55 1840 8.69
5 Entec_100 6.46 9102.52 1.39 1579 7.85
6 Urea_120 6.52 10352.6 1.45 1701 8.41
7 Entec_120 7.22 10920 1.65 1356 8.73
8 Urea_0+100 7.8 11072.6 1.79 1954 8.56
9 Entec_0+100 7.18 10971.8 1.65 1928 9.22

Grain yield t/ha


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Dry matter kg/ha


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Gross margin $/ha


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Plant nitrogen %


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Protein %


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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

2013 trial report



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