| Researcher(s) |
Dan Fay Philip Honey |
|---|---|
| Contact email | philip.honey@scfarmers.org.au |
| Year(s) | 2025 |
| Contributor | Stirlings to Coast Farmers |
| Trial location(s) |
Takalarup- Chester Pass Road, WA
|
By 2025, growers in the high rainfall zone will have increased knowledge on the benefits of growing summer active legumes for additional nitrogen in their rotations.
This investment aims to give growers in the high rainfall zone increased knowledge on the benefits of growing summer active legumes for additional nitrogen in their rotations.
Since January 2021, the price of urea has increased. This is currently a considerable concern for growers in Western Australia. Growers in the highly productive (and high-risk) Albany Port Zone are looking towards management measures that will de-risk their nitrogen strategies.
An opportunity lies in utilising often plentiful residual soil moisture at harvest to seed a legume cover crop such as cowpea, lab-lab, soybean or vetch that can be brown-manured and incorporated prior to seeding. This is in place of the traditional summer chemical fallow.
This trial is a Time of Sowing vs Time of Legume Termination trial.
Block 1:
- Legume Sowing (TOS1) = 21st March 2025
- Legumes Chemically Terminated = 4th July 2025
- Barley Sown (TOS1) = 30th July 2025.
Block 2:
- Legume Sowing (TOS1) = 8th April 2025
- Legumes Chemically Terminated = 18th July 2025
- Barley Sown (TOS1) = 30th July 2025.
Block 3:
- Legume Sowing (TOS1) = 8th April 2025
- Legumes Chemically Terminated = 29th July 2025
- Barley Sown (TOS1) = 11th August 2025.
| Lead research organisation |
Stirlings to Coast Farmers |
|---|---|
| Host research organisation |
Stirlings to Coast Farmers |
| Trial funding source | GRDC SCF2301-002SAX |
| Related program | N/A |
| Acknowledgments |
Stirlings to Coast Farmers would like to extend their appreciation to the GRDC for supporting this project and to the Adams family for hosting the trial site over 2023, 2024 & 2025. |
| Other trial partners | Not specified |
| Crop type | Cereal (Grain): Barley |
|---|---|
| Treatment type(s) |
|
| Trial type | Experimental |
| Trial design | Randomised,Replicated |
| Sowing machinery |
Stirlings to Coast Farmers - Custom Trial Plot Seeder (PJ Green 9-row @ 250mm spacing) |
|---|---|
| Sow date | 21 March 2025 |
| Harvest date | Not specified |
| Trial design method | STD Strip Plot Design |
| Trial design arrangement | 6 rows x 3 cols |
| Total plots | 18 |
| Plot size | 10m x 2.25m |
| Plot replication | 3 |
| Plot blocking | Yes |
| Plot randomisation | N |
