Dryland Soil Moisture Probe Pilot Project

2016
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Tim Powell (Integrated Irrigation)
Year(s) 2016
Contributor MacKillop Farm Management Group
Trial location(s) Bool Lagoon, SA
Conmurra, SA
Millicent, SA
Frances, VIC
Dryland Soil Moisture Probe Pilot Project locations
Aims

This project is primarily about understanding more about the size of the water bucket (Plant Available Water as a crop input),
and how that may impact our management decisions and the final result of our crops for the season.

Key messages

Because a crops ability to produce and finish is so tightly linked to how much water is available to it a simple yield forecast combined with how much water a crop still has left to access in the soil is surprisingly informative when it comes to reducing risks associated with forward selling decisions. At any point in the growing season it is surprisingly easy to use the data to see if the crop has access to enough water to finish, or if more rainfall is needed to reach a target yield. The graph below shows and compares the yield forecasts from each of the sites this year from when the soil probes were installed up until 20 Jan 2017.

Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source PIRSA
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments N/A
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Type
  • Soil Properties: Type
Trial type Unknown
Trial design Unknown

Bool Lagoon 2016 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Bool Lagoon 2016 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Conmurra 2016 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Conmurra 2016 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Millicent 2016 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Millicent 2016 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Frances 2016 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Frances 2016 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
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
Bool Lagoon, SA Not specified
Conmurra, SA Not specified
Millicent, SA Not specified
Frances, VIC Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Bool Lagoon, SA Vertosol
Conmurra, SA Sodosol
Millicent, SA Vertosol
Frances, VIC 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 Bool Lagoon SA Conmurra SA Millicent SA Frances VIC
2016 458.4mm195.3mm579.7mm270.6mm
2015 453.8mm191.8mm537.0mm282.1mm
2014 508.8mm224.9mm585.2mm366.1mm
2013 532.1mm195.9mm569.9mm425.8mm
2012 568.1mm228.7mm588.7mm488.6mm
2011 599.8mm274.1mm605.6mm502.3mm
2010 544.1mm257.3mm611.2mm483.4mm
2009 458.5mm224.1mm585.5mm400.2mm
2008 417.8mm209.9mm554.9mm347.0mm
2007 449.8mm248.1mm550.2mm332.5mm
2006 428.6mm254.8mm574.8mm375.5mm
2005 451.4mm268.9mm559.7mm434.1mm
2004 471.2mm313.3mm581.3mm538.6mm
2003 475.4mm361.2mm594.0mm531.2mm
2002 427.6mm392.1mm587.8mm455.7mm
2001 553.8mm505.7mm588.9mm488.0mm
2000 579.8mm591.0mm571.6mm445.6mm
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.

Bool Lagoon VIC

Conmurra VIC

Millicent VIC

Frances VIC

Bool Lagoon VIC

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Conmurra VIC

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Millicent VIC

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Frances VIC

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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: 23-11-2021 13:14pm AEST