Understanding the effects of spading uniformity and lime application to manage subsoil acidity

2019 - 2022

Research organisaton
Funding source
Trengove Consulting

Trial details

Researcher(s) jordan bruce
Jack Desbiolles
Brian Hughes
Sarah Noack
Stuart Sherriff
Sam Trengove
Mustafa Ucgul
Contact email samtrenny34@hotmail.com
Contact phone 0428 262 057
Year(s) 2019 - 2022
Contributor Trengove Consulting
Trial location(s) Bute, SA
Understanding the effects of spading uniformity and lime application to  manage subsoil acidity locations
Aims

There are a range of machinery options that can provide different levels of lime incorporation such as spading. However, research to date on rotary spaders has shown soil/amendment mixing is not uniform due to the cyclical process, and the mixing quality reduces significantly at faster speed (Ucgul et al. 2019). This trial aimed to understand how the uniformity of soil-lime mixing by spading affected crop response and soil pH. 

Key messages
  • In the fourth trial season lentil grain yield benefits were observed from spading and lime treatments. Addition of lime (2200 kg/ha or 6600 kg/ha) and mixing with low, medium or high uniformity were the highest yielding treatments ranging from 3.36 to 3.69 t/ha.
  • Lime rate and spading have had variable response on NDVI across four years. 
  • In the first three years of the trial plant establishment has generally not been affected by lime rate, spading uniformity or deep ripping.
  • Lentil tissue tests in year four revealed increased Mo levels (>0.3 mg/kg) in treatments where lime was applied.
  • Soil samples taken in 2022 showed both the high and low uniformity treatments plus lime have increased soil pH compared to the control. The high uniformity has had the greatest impact on soil pH across the 5 to 30 cm sampling depths. 
Lead research organisation Trengove Consulting
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAS1905-011RTX,USA103-002RTX
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge GRDC for their investment into USA103-002RTX ‘Unravelling the relationships between soil mixing uniformity by spading and crop response’ and DAS1905-011RTX ‘New knowledge and practices to address topsoil and subsurface acidity under minimum tillage cropping systems of South Australia’. Thank you to James Venning for making the site available on his property. 


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

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Barley Grain Legume: Lentils Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Soil Improvement: Application Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Bute 2019 Barley

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

Bute 2020 Lentils

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

Bute 2021 Wheat

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

Bute 2022 Lentils

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
Bute, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Bute, SA Calcarosol
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.

Bute SA

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

2019 trial report



Trial last modified: 12-03-2024 14:58pm AEST