Reefinator yield benefits and economic analysis on ironstone sheet soils – year 3

2017 - 2020

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Emma Clarke
Carla Milazzo
Year(s) 2017 - 2020
Contributor Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA
Trial location(s) Lake Grace, WA
Reefinator yield benefits and economic analysis on ironstone sheet soils – year 3 locations
Aims

This research aims to evaluate the yield and economic benefits of using the Reefinator on ironstone sheet soils in the Lake Grace area.

Key messages
  • Benefit cost analysis using the small yield benefit (up to 100kg/ha) found on shallow ironstone areas in this paddock (0-3cm topsoil over ironstone sheet) showed a nil to negative return on investment.
  • In 2019, the season was too dry to measure a yield response.
  • In 2020, in-season data was collected but the season was dry with a hard finish (0.7t/ha paddock average) and no yield difference was measured. While the Reefinator may increase plant available water capacity, recent seasons have provided very little moisture.
  • Yield maps are critical for ongoing monitoring of paddock machinery-scale treatments where soil variability can confound treatment effects.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAW00256
Trial funding source DPIRD WA FFPJP13
Related program Regional Research Agronomy
Acknowledgments

Thank you to the host grower Kevin Naisbitt, and to GRDC and DPIRD for co-investment in the ‘Building capacity in crop protection and crop production agronomy research and development in Western Australia’ project (DAW00256/DAW1512-001RTX)


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

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised

Lake Grace 2017

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

Lake Grace 2018

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

Lake Grace 2019

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

Lake Grace 2020

Sow date 2 May 2020
Harvest date Unknown
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
Lake Grace, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Lake Grace, WA Sodosol
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.

Lake Grace 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 report and links

Reefinator yield benefits and economic analysis on ironstone sheet soils – year 3 2020



Trial last modified: 19-12-2022 16:08pm AEST