Joel Andrew (Map IQ) Scott Thompson (Nardlah Grazing Co.)
Year(s)
2015 - 2018
Contributor
agVivo
Trial location(s)
Broomehill, WA
Aims
To assess the yield response in barley, canola and lupins to deep ripping over a three year period (2015 – 2017) near Broomehill, WA.
Key messages
Subsurface soil compaction has been shown to be a major constraint to crop production and the removal of
this compaction via deep ripping can lead to large yield increases.
Lead research organisation
agVivo
Host research organisation
N/A
Trial funding source
GRDC AVP00003-A
Related program
N/A
Acknowledgments
The research undertaken as part of this project is made possible by the significant contributions of Scott Thompson of Nardlah Grazing Co who initially set up the trial with support from Paul Blackwell of Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia and the GRDC. This assessment of the trial and report is funded by the GRDC through the Albany Region Cropping Solution Network.
GRDC Project Number: AVP00003-A
Trial results Table 1: Average crop yield for the rip and control plots
#
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Grain yield (t/ha)
1
█
2014
█
Ripping
2.3
2
█
2014
█
Control
2.35
3
█
2015
█
Ripping
3.1
4
█
2015
█
Control
3.27
5
█
2016
█
Ripping
1.93
6
█
2016
█
Control
2.27
7
█
2017
█
Ripping
2.45
8
█
2017
█
Control
2.52
Grain yield t/ha
Trial results Table 3: Bulk density of each plot
#
Treatment 1
20cm Bulk Density ((g/cm3))
10cm Bulk Density ((g/cm3))
30cm Bulk density (g/cm3)
50cm Bulk Density (g/cm3)
1
█
Control
1.53
1.01
1.43
1.63
2
█
Rip
1.38
0.92
1.42
1.55
3
█
Control
1.37
0.96
1.32
1.55
4
█
Rip
1.28
0.95
1.29
1.26
5
█
Control
1.51
0.98
1.37
1.58
10cm Bulk Density (g/cm3)
20cm Bulk Density (g/cm3)
30cm Bulk density g/cm3
50cm Bulk Density g/cm3
Trial results Table 4: Economic benefit of ripping
#
Treatment 1
Return on investment compared to control ($/ha)
Net 2-year benefit ($/ha)
Net 3-year benefit ($/ha)
Treatment Cost ($/ha)
Net 1-year benefit ($/ha)
1
█
Control
0
0
0
0
0
2
█
Ripping
177
155
23
40
39
Net 1-year benefit $/ha
Net 2-year benefit $/ha
Net 3-year benefit $/ha
Return on investment compared to control $/ha
Treatment Cost $/ha
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.
Broomehill WA
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.
