Summer Cropping Demonstrations in the Western Region

2019
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Nathan Dovey
Contact email phillip.mackie@scfarmers.org.au
Contact phone 0437120891
Year(s) 2019
Contributor Stirlings to Coast Farmers
Trial location(s) Mount Barker, WA
Summer Cropping Demonstrations in the Western Region locations
Aims

100% of Albany and Esperance port zone growers who frequently experience waterlogging will know if ripping and/or summer/cover crops are viable tools to improve crop establishment, crop rooting depth, and yield in a waterlogging year on their property.

Key messages

The growing season rainfall in 2019 was below average at Perillup, and the summer cropping demonstration did not suffer from water-logging.

Grain growers in this region believe that the soil drying effects from growing summer crops has the greatest potential benefit to winter cropping yields.

In 2019, there was a 770kg/ha barley yield increase above the control from the plots where cowpea was grown in the summer.

There was a 470kg/ha decline in winter barley yield in the plot that was planted to canola between January 30 and May 9, 2019.

Nutritional requirements of summer crops need to be considered when selecting species. Cowpeas fixed useful nitrogen in the 90 growing days.

Lead research organisation Southern DIRT
Host research organisation Stirlings to Coast Farmers
Trial funding source GRDC 9176156
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments N/A
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Oilseed: Canola Cereal (Grain): Millet Cereal (Grain): Sorghum Grain Legume: Cowpeas
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unreplicated

Mount Barker 2019 Canola

Sow rate or Target density 5 kg/ha
Sowing machinery

Air-seeder

Sow date 30 January 2019
Harvest date Unknown
Plot size 10.97m x 250m
Plot replication 1
Fertiliser

Summer crops received 60kg/ha of a MAPSZC:MOP Mixture (Ratio 5:1)

Mount Barker 2019 Millet

Sow rate or Target density 6 kg/ha
Sowing machinery

Air-seeder

Sow date 30 January 2019
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 10.97m x 250m
Plot replication 1
Fertiliser Not specified

Mount Barker 2019 Sorghum

Sow rate or Target density 6 kg/ha
Sowing machinery

Air-seeder

Sow date 30 January 2019
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 10.97m x 250m
Plot replication 1
Fertiliser Not specified

Mount Barker 2019 Cowpeas

Sow rate or Target density 20 kg/ha
Sowing machinery

Air-seeder

Sow date 30 January 2019
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 10.97m x 250m
Plot replication 1
Fertiliser Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results The 2019 winter barley yields in (t/ha) from the single plots at the Lynch’s 2019 summer cropping demonstration site.

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Cowpea Ebony 8.15
2 Millett Shirohie 7.3
3 Sorghum Sprint 7.38
4 Canola Hyola 970 6.91
5 Control wheat stubble 7.38

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results The average NDVI readings from April 17, (summer crops), July 3, August 12 & 22, and October 21, at the Lynch summer cropping demonstration site in 2019. The last four NDVI readings were taken from the winter barley sown over the summer crops.

@T1: (17-04-2019) @T2: (03-07-2019) @T3: (12-08-2019) @T4: (22-08-2019) @T5: (21-10-2019)
# Treatment 1
NDVI (.) NDVI (.) NDVI (.) NDVI (.) NDVI (.)
1 Cowpea Ebony 0.64 0.66 0.7 0.7 0.62
1 Millett Shirohie 0.58 0.65 0.69 0.7 0.61
1 Sorghum Sprint 0.63 0.64 0.69 0.7 0.62
1 Canola Hyola 970 0.57 0.62 0.68 0.7 0.62
1 Control wheat stubble 0.6 0.61 0.69 0.7 0.65
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NDVI .


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Trial results The soil test results (0-10cm) summarised from the start and end of the summer cropping phase in 2019. Site averages from January 30, were taken from a representative transect across the whole trial site. Average soil figures calculated on May 9, were der

# Treatment 1
pH CaCl2 (pH) NH4 (mg/kg) Colwell Potassium (mg/kg) Organic carbon (%) Colwell phosphorus (PBI) Electrical conductivity (dS/m) NO3 (mg/kg) Colwell phosphorus (mg/kg) Sulphur (mg/kg)
1 Site Avg (30/1/2019) 5.3 42 NA 0.201 40 6.3 3.8 1 36
2 Canola (9/5/2019 5.8 35 32 0.138 35 6.4 3 8 24
3 Cowpea (9/5/2019 5.7 63 52 0.23 45 6.3 3.4 2.5 56
4 Sorghum (9/5/2019 5.8 46 68 0.278 56 6.4 3.2 2 50
5 Millet (9/5/2019 5.6 39 32 0.153 39 6.2 3 2 33
6 Average (9/5/2019 5.7 46 46 0.2 43 6.3 3.1 4 40

Colwell phosphorus mg/kg


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Colwell phosphorus PBI


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Electrical conductivity dS/m


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NH4 mg/kg


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NO3 mg/kg


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Organic carbon %


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pH CaCl2 pH


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Sulphur mg/kg


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Mount Barker, WA 0 - 10cm 5.30 0.14 35.00 24.00 35.00 8.00 3.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Mount Barker, WA Sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Mount Barker, WA 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 Mount Barker WA
2019 471.6mm
2018 466.6mm
2017 488.9mm
2016 524.4mm
2015 499.3mm
2014 483.0mm
2013 488.8mm
2012 489.9mm
2011 504.4mm
2010 463.4mm
2009 498.6mm
2008 511.9mm
2007 464.5mm
2006 460.5mm
2005 504.9mm
2004 479.0mm
2003 501.1mm
2002 497.8mm
2001 475.3mm
2000 478.5mm
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.

Mount Barker WA

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 last modified: 04-01-2023 16:01pm AEST