Clay and hay increases yields on SE sands

2018
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Claire Dennerley (PIRSA Rural Solutions SA)
Brett Masters (SARDI)
Peter Telfer (SARDI)
Year(s) 2018
Contributor MacKillop Farm Management Group
Trial location(s) Cadgee, SA
Clay and hay increases yields on SE sands locations
Aims

To assess changes in crop productivity as a result of overcoming the chemical, physical and biological constraints of a sandy soil at Cadgee.
 

Key messages
  • Positive crop production responses still remain at Cadgee five years after amelioration treatments were applied.
  • Application of clay improved establishment and flowering biomass, regardless of incorporation depth (shallow, 10 cm and spaded, 30 cm), compared to the control and the spaded lucerne treatments (see Fig. 1 in attached trial report).
  • Grain yield response to clay application increased with the depth of incorporation, and were doubled in the spaded clay + Luc treatment compared to the control, adding 1.58 t/ha in 2018.
  • Over the long term, this treatment has produced an additional 95 % grain (4.5 t/ha) since 2014 (four years grain data; Fig. 2). 
  • Changes in soil chemical, hydrological and physical characteristics as a result of spading and lucerne and clay addition were the focus of 2019 soil measurements at the site.
  • A full report detailing temporal trends and long term soil fertility changes will be released soon.
     
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation MacKillop Farm Management Group
Trial funding source GRDC CSP00203
Related program Sandy soils in low and medium rainfall areas
Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the assistance and contribution of Karatta Pastoral, the co-operators at the site. CSP00203 Sandy Soils is a collaboration between CSIRO, University of South Australia, SA state government through Primary Industries and Regions SA, Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc, AgGrow Agronomy and Trengove Consulting. 


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

Method

Crop type None: No crop specified
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown

Cadgee 2018

Sow date Not applicable
Harvest date Not applicable
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
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
Cadgee, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Cadgee, 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 Cadgee SA
2018 246.7mm
2017 319.0mm
2016 275.5mm
2015 226.4mm
2014 276.5mm
2013 281.0mm
2012 298.5mm
2011 368.2mm
2010 301.4mm
2009 262.0mm
2008 193.4mm
2007 209.5mm
2006 227.6mm
2005 295.5mm
2004 291.8mm
2003 242.3mm
2002 180.8mm
2001 260.2mm
2000 296.2mm
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

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Cadgee SA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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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: 22-12-2022 15:47pm AEST