Ameliorating a deep repellent sand at Murlong increased wheat performance substantially in 2018

2018

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) David Davenport (Rural Solutions SA)
Melissa Fraser (Rural Solutions SA)
Brett Masters (Rural Solutions SA)
Nigel Wilhelm (SARDI)
Year(s) 2018
Contributor SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial location(s) Murlong, SA
Related trials
Ameliorating a deep repellent sand at Murlong increased wheat performance substantially in 2018 locations
Aims

To:

  • determine if physical intervention and soil mixing improved grain yield on a sandy soil on eastern EP,
  • compare deep ripping with inclusion plates to spading,
  • determine if deeper ripping improved results, and
  • identify if the addition of fertilisers or organic material (OM) provide additional benefits.
Key messages
  • Water repellence resulted in low plant numbers on the control plots. Ripping with inclusion plates substantially increased crop establishment which were further increased by spading, with the greatest plant density on spaded plots with lucerne pellets added.
  • Physical intervention increased wheat yields on a deep water repellent sand. The controls using best practice agronomy on unmodified sands, yielded 0.5 t/ha. Ripping with inclusion plates to 30 cm doubled yield, ripping deeper to 41 cm delivered an additional 0.4 t/ha and spading to 30 cm delivered a further yield increase of 0.5 t/ha, or 1.4 t/ha better than the control.
  • The addition of 5 t/ha of lucerne pellets or high rates of fertiliser increased wheat yields when incorporated by ripping to 41 cm or spading, and delivered the highest yields of 3.1 t/ha.
Lead research organisation Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Host research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial funding source GRDC CSP00203
Related program Sandy soils in low and medium rainfall areas
Acknowledgments

Farmer Co-operator: Mark Siviour and family. Spader: University of South Australia, Roger Groocock. This work is funded under the GRDC  project “Increasing production on Sandy Soils in low and medium rainfall areas of the Southern region” (CSP00203); a collaboration between the CSIRO, the University of South Australia, the SA state government through Primary Industries and Regions SA, Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc. and AgGrow Agronomy.


Other trial partners University of South Australia, the SA state government through Primary Industries and Regions SA, Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc. and AgGrow Agronomy.
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Application Method
  • Soil Improvement: Rate
  • Soil Improvement: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Murlong 2018

Sow rate or Target density 60 kg/ha Razor CL at 25.4 cm row spacing
Sowing machinery

The site is located on a broad sand dune running WNW-ESE at Murlong on eastern Eyre Peninsula. The trial comprises 11 treatments x 4 replicates and compares an unmodified control to spading or ripping with inclusion plates (IP) to two depths (30 cm and 41 cm) with and without the addition of high rates of mineral fertiliser or lucerne pellets.

60 kg/ha Razor CL at 25.4 cm row spacing + DAP @ 60 kg/ha (all treatments) + banded Urea @ 81 kg/ha (on non OM and nutrient package treatments only).

RainDrover wetter with the seed @ 2 L/ha.

Sow date 20 June 2018
Harvest date 3 December 2018
Plot size 25m x 2.3m
Plot replication 4
Fertiliser
  • Nutrient Package: nutrients applied to match lucerne -

N 167, P 14, K 105, S 12, Cu 0.03, Zn 17, Mn 0.18 kg/ha. NPKS applied as granular and trace elements as fluids

Treatments applied evenly across the surface on spaded plots or in bands to correspond with ripper tyne spacings, immediately prior to spading and ripping.

DAP @ 60 kg/ha (all treatments) + banded Urea @ 81 kg/ha (on non OM and nutrient package treatments only).

Herbicide

20 June: Triflurex @ 1.5 L/ha, Roundup Weedmaster (540 g ai) @ 2.5 L/ha, Nail @ 80 ml/ha, LI700 @ 300 ml/ha

12 August: Agrityne 750 @ 1.5 L/ha, Zn 2 L, Cu @ 1 L and Mn @ 3 L/ha

Soil amelioration
  • Spading to 30 cm @ 5 km/hr
  • Ripped: 4 tynes @ 64 cm spacings with inclusion plates, positioned 10 cm below the soil surface @ 5 km/hr
  • Shallow ripped (corresponding to the depth of spading) to 30 cm with 20 cm inclusion plates
  • Deep ripped to 41 cm with 30 cm inclusion plate
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Murlong, SA Deep sand over clay sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Murlong, SA Sodosol
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 Murlong SA
2018 249.3mm
2017 238.8mm
2016 250.8mm
2015 241.9mm
2014 296.9mm
2013 247.7mm
2012 253.4mm
2011 282.7mm
2010 277.5mm
2009 219.4mm
2008 190.5mm
2007 222.3mm
2006 254.3mm
2005 227.7mm
2004 205.1mm
2003 224.9mm
2002 226.4mm
2001 266.8mm
2000 313.2mm
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

Murlong SA 2018


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 332mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 249mm
Rainfall trial total (mm) 220mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 167mm

Derived climate information

Murlong 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

2018 trial report



Trial last modified: 13-12-2019 14:36pm AEST