Carryover of Nitrogen after Crop Failure – Western Region Case Studies

2021 - 2022

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Darren Hughes
Year(s) 2021 - 2022
Contributor Laconik
Trial location(s) Mt Walker,
Arrino, WA
Bencubbin, WA
Binnu, WA
Bodallin, WA
Bonnie Rock, WA
Carnamah, WA
Dulyalbin, WA
Kalannie, WA
Latham, WA
Mingenew, WA
Mukinbudin, WA
Mullewa, WA
Nungarin, WA
Wialki, WA
Yelbeni, WA
Yuna, WA
Carryover of Nitrogen after Crop Failure – Western Region Case Studies locations
Aims

To determine if N applied in 2021, carries over into 2022, and has a positive grain yield and economic benefit.

Key messages

This project was established to determine the grain yield and economic benefits of carryover N after frosted crops. The results show that, on average, there was a 500 kg/ha yield penalty for cereals and a $84/ha economic loss.

To maximise grain yield and economic returns in 2022, crops needed N, relying on N to carryover from 2021 was not sufficient to meet crop demands. Growers and agronomists should not rely on N after frosted crops to carryover and deliver a grain yield or economic benefit to the following crop.

The theory that N applied to crops that get frosted is stored in the soil was not supported by the soil test results from this project. Soil N was well below desired levels across all depths sampled. Growers and agronomists should be aware of this when making fertiliser decisions for 2023.

The conclusions from this project need to be considered in the context that they have been determined based on one year of field trials conducted in 2022.

Lead research organisation Laconik
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC LAK2202-001SAX
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments N/A
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated

Arrino 2021

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Other trial notes

Twenty growers (10 each from Geraldton and Kwinana East port zones) established 40 farm scale trials (2 trials/farm, one paddock=1 trial) to measure the impact of carryover N. There were 32 trials in wheat, four in barley and four in canola. The Laconik Combine™ trial design randomly locates a ‘swarm’ of replicates across the paddock (Image 1). Individual plots were 50m long x 36m wide. The number of replicates per trial was governed by the paddock size and ranged from 10 to 35. Each grower was provided with a prescription containing the trial design uploaded to the variable rate controller in the machine (boomspray, cultivar bar or fertiliser spreader); as the machine went across the paddock, different rates of N fertiliser were applied.

Each replicate contained four treatments arranged in a square, Treatment 1 – Nil N (green plots in Image 1), Treatment 2 - half grower rate N fertiliser (red plots in Image 1), Treatment 3 – grower rate of N fertiliser (yellow plots in Image 1) and Treatment 4 – twice the grower rate of N fertiliser (pink plots in Image 1). Treatment 1 – Nil N is the treatment against which other treatments have been compared to measure the impact of carryover N from 2021. It was not possible to have an accurate Nil N treatment because N can be found mixed with other fertilisers. Therefore, all efforts were made to minimise the amount of N applied in Treatment 1.

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
Mt Walker, Not specified
Arrino, WA Not specified
Bencubbin, WA Not specified
Binnu, WA Not specified
Bodallin, WA Not specified
Bonnie Rock, WA Not specified
Carnamah, WA Not specified
Dulyalbin, WA Not specified
Kalannie, WA Not specified
Latham, WA Not specified
Mingenew, WA Not specified
Mukinbudin, WA Not specified
Mullewa, WA Not specified
Nungarin, WA Not specified
Wialki, WA Not specified
Yelbeni, WA Not specified
Yuna, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Mt Walker, Kandosol
Arrino, WA Sodosol
Bencubbin, WA Sodosol
Binnu, WA Rudosol
Bodallin, WA Kandosol
Bonnie Rock, WA Tenosol
Carnamah, WA Sodosol
Dulyalbin, WA Sodosol
Kalannie, WA Sodosol
Latham, WA Tenosol
Mingenew, WA Sodosol
Mukinbudin, WA Sodosol
Mullewa, WA Tenosol
Nungarin, WA Sodosol
Wialki, WA Sodosol
Yelbeni, WA Sodosol
Yuna, WA Tenosol
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.

Mt Walker WA

Arrino WA

Bencubbin WA

Binnu WA

Bodallin WA

Bonnie Rock WA

Carnamah WA

Dulyalbin WA

Kalannie WA

Latham WA

Mingenew WA

Mukinbudin WA

Mullewa WA

Nungarin WA

Wialki WA

Yelbeni WA

Yuna WA

Mt Walker WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Arrino WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Bencubbin WA

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Binnu WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Bodallin WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Bonnie Rock WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Carnamah WA

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Dulyalbin WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Kalannie WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Latham WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Mingenew WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Mukinbudin WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Mullewa WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Nungarin WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Wialki WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Yelbeni WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Yuna 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

2021 trial report



Trial last modified: 28-06-2024 11:46am AEST