Locally relevant spring and/or summer sown cropping opportunities for grain growers following excessive winter waterlogging – South-Western Australia.

2021 - 2022
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Dan Fay
Philip Honey
Sheridan Kowald
Lizzie von Perger
Contact email ceo@scfarmers.org.au
Year(s) 2021 - 2022
Contributor Stirlings to Coast Farmers
Trial location(s) Green Range, WA
Scotts Brook, WA
Further information View external link
Locally relevant spring and/or summer sown cropping opportunities for grain growers following excessive winter waterlogging – South-Western Australia. locations
Aims

This investment aimed to locally validate previous R&D investment relating to spring sown crops (albeit include newer crop types and varieties where suitable), building local grower and adviser knowledge to inform decisions when managing excess soil moisture. It aimed to provide production and economic information from both farm-scale demonstrations and a small plot trial to inform good business decisions in regard to spring/summer sown crops.

The trials evaluated the crop performance on a range of metrics to provide a thorough assessment of summer crops, and the role they can play in agronomic systems, and the potential they have to reduce the waterlogging risk.

GRDC Outcome:

By February 2023, 20% of Western Region Growers who farm in areas with a medium to high-risk of regular waterlogging will have built the knowledge and confidence to profitably sow a crop in spring or summer on paddocks were winter crops/pastures have failed due to excessive waterlogging or where soil moisture levels permit in future years.

To achieve this outcome, Stirlings to Coast Farmers (SCF) worked with a number of other Grower Groups to ensure the key learnings of the trial were broadly and successfully extended to growers in the Great Southern Region of WA.

Key messages

In 2021/22, six successful field trials were spread across the medium to high rainfall zones of the Central Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Southern Coastal regions of WA. Excessive winter waterlogging occurred in the 2021 season across all trial locations.

 

The results showed that:

  • Extremely late (October) sown cereals can be profitable on the South Coast of WA when sown into a full soil moisture profile.
  • Growing a summer crop may conserve more soil moisture than a chemical (bare) fallow.
  • There was no negative impact in any of the trials/demonstrations of the summer crop on the productivity of the following winter crop.
  • Summer forage crops can be profitable, or at least pay for themselves, if more than one grazing can be achieved.
Lead research organisation Stirlings to Coast Farmers
Host research organisation Stirlings to Coast Farmers
Trial funding source GRDC SCF2109-001SAX
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

The GRDC has invested in a Summer Cropping project led by Stirlings to Coast Farmers, in collaboration with Southern Dirt, Fitzgerald Biosphere and Facey grower groups. Nutrien Ag Solutions were responsible for implementing the small-plot research trial at Green Range.


Other trial partners Southern Dirt, Fitzgerald Biosphere Group, Facey Group
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Type
Trial type
Trial design

Green Range 2021 Wheat

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

Green Range 2021 Barley

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

Green Range 2022 Barley

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

Green Range 2022 Wheat

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

Scotts Brook 2021 Barley

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

Scotts Brook 2021 Wheat

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

Scotts Brook 2022 Barley

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

Scotts Brook 2022 Wheat

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

Download results

Trial results 2022 - Grain Harvest Yields

@T1: TOS (01-05-2022)
# Variety
Treatment 1
Growing season Trial site Crop type Grain yield (t/ha) Emergence plants (plants/m2) Volumetric Water Content 0 - 10cm (%) (%) Volumetric Water Content 10 - 30cm (%) (%)
1 Barley Millet 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.69 140.5 10.089 5.774
1 Barley Millet / Lab Lab 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.636 144.5 10.476 12.852
2 Barley Fallow 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.514 150.5 12.07 10.049
2 Barley Sorghum 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.5125 141 4.527 5.757
3 Barley Control 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.49 1.33 3.33
3 Barley Sun Flower 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.4 1.33 2
4 Barley Millet 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.31 1.33 0.667
4 Barley Sorghum 2022 Green Range (WA) Barley 4.53 3.33 0.667
5 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
5 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
6 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
6 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
7 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
7 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
8 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat
8 Winter Wheat 2022 Scotts Brook (WA) Wheat

Grain yield t/ha


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Emergence plants plants/m2


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Volumetric Water Content 0 - 10cm (%) %


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Volumetric Water Content 10 - 30cm (%) %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Green Range, WA Not specified
Scotts Brook, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Green Range, WA Kurosol
Scotts Brook, 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.

Green Range WA

Scotts Brook WA

Green Range WA

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Scotts Brook WA

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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

Final Technical Report



Trial last modified: 26-09-2023 16:07pm AEST