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| Researcher(s) |
Brad Baxter Helen Burns Patrick Hawkins Iain Hume Andrew Milgate Mark Richards |
|---|---|
| Year(s) | 2017 |
| Contributor | Department of Primary Industries NSW |
| Trial location(s) |
Wagga Wagga, ACT
|
| Further information | View external link |
To tests the ability of the EM38 to predict soil water in rainfed agricultural systems in southern NSW.
• Soil water can be predicted from EM38 measurements made on the soil surface in southern dryland cropping soils.
• It is possible to estimate the amount of water and its distribution in the top 50 cm of soil.
• Rapid surveys of large areas and/or high numbers of experiment plots will be possible.
Measurements were made to coincide with the field activities of two existing experiments: 1. Neutron moisture meter (NMM) access tubes installation on a plant pathology experiment. 2. Soil sampling of a pulse field trial to evaluate soil pH stratification. An additional experiment was conducted to measure changes in soil water and soil conductivity measured by the EM38 following lucerne irrigation.
The EM38 successfully predicted water stored in the top 50 cm of soils typically used for dryland cropping in southern NSW. These predictions were possible with a single measurement made using a dual coil EM38 instrument in the horizontal orientation. The time and cost of surveying will be much reduced as a single measurement is all that is needed to estimate stored soil water at a location.
| Lead research organisation |
Department of Primary Industries NSW |
|---|---|
| Host research organisation | N/A |
| Trial funding source | GRDC DAN00175 |
| Related program | N/A |
| Acknowledgments |
This work is a NSW DPI investment but relies on the field experiments of investments by GRDC under projects DAN00175 – National crown rot epidemiology and management program and DAV00113 – Expanding the use of pulses in the southern region to test the EM methods. |
| Other trial partners | Not specified |
| Crop types | Grain Legume: Faba beans Hay: Lucerne Grain Legume: Chickpeas Grain Legume: Lentils |
|---|---|
| Treatment type(s) |
|
| Trial type | Experimental |
| Trial design | Unknown |
| Sow date | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Harvest date | Not applicable |
| Plot size | Not specified |
| Plot replication | Not specified |
| Other trial notes |
This research paper is an extract from the publication Southern NSW Research Results 2018, available at |
| 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 Southern NSW Research Results 2018, available at |
| 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 Southern NSW Research Results 2018, available at |
| 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 Southern NSW Research Results 2018, available at |
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.
