Soil water content by EM38

2017

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

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
Soil water content by EM38 locations
Aims

To tests the ability of the EM38 to predict soil water in rainfed agricultural systems in southern NSW.
 

Key messages

• 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.
 

Wagga Wagga ACT 2017 Faba beans

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
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Grain Legume: Faba beans Hay: Lucerne Grain Legume: Chickpeas Grain Legume: Lentils
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Properties
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown

Wagga Wagga 2017 Faba beans

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
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/southern-nsw-research-results

Wagga Wagga 2017 Lucerne

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
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/southern-nsw-research-results

Wagga Wagga 2017 Chickpeas

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
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/southern-nsw-research-results

Wagga Wagga 2017 Lentils

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
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/southern-nsw-research-results

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
Wagga Wagga, ACT Acid red loam (Kandosol)
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Wagga Wagga, ACT 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 Wagga Wagga ACT
2017 487.1mm
2016 529.5mm
2015 521.4mm
2014 514.0mm
2013 495.6mm
2012 532.6mm
2011 518.9mm
2010 554.8mm
2009 505.6mm
2008 495.7mm
2007 453.3mm
2006 460.7mm
2005 525.9mm
2004 458.7mm
2003 439.3mm
2002 496.0mm
2001 510.7mm
2000 422.1mm
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.

Wagga Wagga ACT

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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 last modified: 08-06-2023 15:02pm AEST