Assessing the impact of dry sowing on the nodulation and nitrogen fixation in chickpea and residual effects on subsequent wheat crop

2019 - 2020

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) George Mwenda
Grace Williams
Year(s) 2019 - 2020
Contributor Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA
Trial location(s) Merredin, WA
Assessing the impact of dry sowing on the nodulation and nitrogen fixation in chickpea and residual effects on subsequent wheat crop locations
Aims

1. To investigate the effects of dry sowing on the nodulation and nitrogen fixation of chickpea in a low rainfall environment.

2. To investigate the residual effects on the growth of a subsequent wheat crop.

 

Key messages

2019:

  • Dry sowing did not significantly compromise nodulation and nitrogen fixation in chickpea in 2019.
  • Peat slurry and granular inoculants led to satisfactory nodulation and nitrogen fixation in dry and wet sowing conditions in 2019.

2020:

  • Chickpeas inoculated with peat based or bentonite clay granule inoculant and sown either dry or into moisture provided similar growth and production in a subsequent wheat crop in 2020.
  • No significant differences in final grain yield of wheat was observed between inoculant types of sowing times.
  • Some differences were observed in plant growth where the previous chickpea crop had been inoculated compared to uninoculated however inoculant type had no effect on wheat growth.
  • Wheat grain quality was better when grown after an inoculated chickpea crop compared to an uninoculated crop and would contribute to a higher quality grade.
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

Thanks to Vanessa Stewart (DPIRD) and Caroline Peek (DPIRD) for their input into the design of the trial, Ronald Yates (DPIRD) and Ron Harris (Murdoch University) for their help with the N15 natural abundance assay, and Merredin Research Unit for technical support.

The research was funded through the “Building crop protection and crop production agronomy research and development capacity in regional Western Australia” project (DAW00256/DAW1512-001RTX), a co-investment of GRDC and DPIRD.

 


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

Method

Crop types Grain Legume: Chickpeas Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Sowing: Timing
  • Seed treatment: Inoculant
Trial type
Trial design

Merredin 2019 Chickpeas

Sow rate or Target density 93 kg/ha to achieve a target population of 40 plants/m2
Sow date The dry sown treatments were inoculated and sown on the 3rd of May 2019 while the wet sown treatment
Harvest date Unknown
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size 1.54m x 10m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Plot randomisation Y
Fertiliser

60 kg/ha of double phosphate fertiliser (CSBP) was drilled with the seed.

Herbicide

Pre-sowing spray containing 2L/ha sprayseed, 1.2 kg/ha Terbyne and 1.5 L/ha Triflux 480

Insecticide

200 mL/ha Lorsban

Seed treatment Prior to inoculation and sowing, chickpea seed was surface sterilised for 60 seconds with 70% ethanol, rinsed five times with sterile water and air dried
Inoculant Peat slurry inoculation was carried out at the recommended rate and according to the manufacturer’s instructions (BASF, Australia) within 24 hours of sowing, while the granular inoculant was applied in-furrow during seeding at the recommended rate o

Merredin 2020 Wheat

Sow rate or Target density Not specified
Sow date 2 June 2020
Harvest date 5 November 2020
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size 1.54m x 10m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Plot randomisation Y
Fertiliser

No fertiliser (compound or nitrogen) was used at sowing or applied during the growing season to allow for residual treatment effects from the previous year to be as visible as possible.

Herbicide Not specified
Insecticide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified
Inoculant 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
Merredin, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Merredin, 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.

Merredin 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

Year 2 - Effect of Assessing the impact of dry sowing on nodulation and nitrogen fixation in chickpea

Year 1 - Effect of Assessing the impact of dry sowing on nodulation and nitrogen fixation in chickpea



Trial last modified: 28-11-2024 11:12am AEST