• A literature search was conducted of research into trace elements in crop production systems of south eastern Australia.
• References found in the "grey" literature (primarily printed material not available on-line) was summarised into key points and entered into the On Farm Trials database.
• All of these entries, plus those found from searching the international peer reviewed journal literature were entered into an Endnote database.
• The Endnote database is made available here, along with a text version for use by researchers.
• This activity was funded by the GRDC More Profit from Crop Nutrition program.
• Keywords: zinc, manganese, molybdenum, iron, copper, boron, trace elements, micronutrients.

• Application of trace element (Mn,Cu, Zn) mix or manganese did not improve yield at the two sites.
• Application at sowing of fungicide with the separate (split) addition of 40kg/ha urea reduced Rhizoctonia seminal root infection at both sites.
• Phosphoric acid resulted in higher yields than granular P in two of the three years of the trial at the highly calcareous site (Streaky Bay) but not in the wet year; whereas at the other site (Waramboo) on the red sandy loam there was a small yield response in the wet year.

From this trial:

• Soil applications from 2015 were poorly effective at improving grain yield. Foliar applications of sulphate increased yield by about 1t/ha. Best yield increases of more than 2t/ha were achieved with a combination of soil and foliar applications. 

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Zinc. Soil and plant tests were in the deficient range. Zinc applied at seeding either as a granular fertiliser or as a fluid fertiliser increased leaf zinc Z14.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Manganese. Plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Manganese. Plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Zinc. Soil and plant tests were not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Zinc. Soil and plant tests were in the deficient range. As a foliar spray, sulphate was as effective as two chelate sources for increasing leaf zinc at Z30.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

• Current guideline of YEB values at tillering greater than 15mg Mn/kg indicative of adequate status still appear appropriate.
• No yield response recorded to application of Mn in different form or timing.

• Nutrient omission experiment at 7 sites.
• Take homes messages were that phosphorus was a limiting factor to grain yield in 2015. Zinc was limiting yield at three locations.
• Iron was a limiting factor on a grey-brown vertosol with a 50 year cropping history.
• 12 treatments were; Zero nutrients, All nutrients, - N, - P, - K, - Ca, - B, - Cu, - Zn, - Mn, - Mg, - Fe.
• Application method varied between nutrients. Both P and N were applied at sowing, at 10 kg P/ha as Trifos and 10 kg N/ha as urea, respectively. Ca, Mg, Zn, Mn, Cu and Fe were applied as chelates in a foliar spray. K was applied as Potassium citrate and B as Boron ethanolamine as foliar sprays. N and P applied at sowing, all other nutrients sprayed at mid vegetative stage. PBA HatTrick was sown at all sites at 30 plants/m2.
• Sites differed in responses.
• Rowena showed no significant responses to applied nutrients.
• The Trangie, Edgeroi and Coonamble sites showed yield responses to applied Zn of, 28, 18 and 7%, respectively. Coonamble, Nowley, Moree and North Star had responses to applied P of, 4, 15, 15 and 11%, respectively.
• Also at the Coonamble site, a grey-brown vertosol which has been cropped since the early 1960s, also showed an 8% yield response to applied Fe.
• Older cropping country is showing responses to applied P as well as Zn and in one instance Fe.

From this trial:

• The site was severely deficient in Cu for wheat. 
• Under these severely deficient conditions, soil applications of Cu were poorly effective compared to foliar sprays but fluid applications performed better than Cu enriched granular fertilisers.  However, soil applications of Cu can persist for decades.
• There was no evidence that a chelated source of Cu as a foliar spray was more effective than a sulphate source and less Cu seemed to end up in the grain with the chelated source.
• A single foliar spray of Cu prior to flowering is often sufficient to protect a cereal crop from Cu deficiency but under the severe deficiency encountered in 2015, two foliar sprays were necessary to overcome the problem completely (one at first node, the second prior to flowering).
• Cu deficiency can make a crop more sensitive to adverse conditions.  In this trial, the hot drying conditions of the early October weekend, severely scorched all plots with no or poorly effective Cu management strategies.
• The soil and leaf tests taken during this trial support that the current guidelines for Cu deficiency are still relevant to modern farming systems and varieties.  A DTPA Cu level in soil of less than 0.3 ppm in the top 10 cm is considered deficient, and 1.3 ppm Cu in YEBS is considered very deficient for wheat.

From the whole project:

Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.

Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.

No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.

Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.

Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• Grain yield increased by 7% with the addition of zinc. Effectiveness of fertiliser strategies could not be assesed with such a small increase in yield. Soil and plant tests were in the deficient range. At Z14 zinc enriched fertilisers at sowing increased leaf zinc. At Z30 a sulphate as a foliar was as effective as an EDTA chelate. 

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Manganese. Plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No change in crop performace with the addition of Manganese. As a foliar spray, sulphate was as effective as an EDTA chelate at increasing leaf manganese at Z30. Halving the recommended rate of sulphate decreased leaf manganese levels.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of zinc. Soil and plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Zinc. Soil and plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

• Zinc diffusion was assessed for three fertilizers in three soils of varying pH.
• The fertilizer (zincSO4-coated monoammonium phosphate, MAP; zincSO4-coated diammonium phosphate, DAP; or zincSO4 alone) was applied in the centre of a Petri dish filled with soil.
• The zinc diffusion zone was visualized at various incubation times (1, 7 and 18 days) by exposing a CaCO3-impregnated filter paper on the soil surface and colouring the zinc captured on the filter paper using dithizone.
• The extent of diffusion was also assessed through concentric sampling and chemical analysis of soil sections.
• The visualization results agreed with the chemical analyses and demonstrated the effects of soil properties and fertilizer formulation on zinc diffusion.
• Combining zinc with P fertilizer restricted its diffusion, particularly with DAP fertilizer or in high pH soils.
• Solubility considerations indicated that this was due to the formation of zinc phosphate minerals.

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of Manganese. Plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

From this trial: 

• No crop response to the addition of copper. Soil and plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project: 

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.
•  

From this trial:

• No crop response to the addition of zinc. Soil and plant tests not in the deficient range.

From the whole project:

• Current guidelines are still relevant and effective for TE management.
• Some current interpretations of soil tests are causing issues - the suggested levels to avoid deficiencies are much higher in some lab reports than is our experience from field trials. These are creating false impressions of the extent and severity of Zn and Cu deficiencies.
• No evidence of a major increase in the incidence or severity of TE deficiencies in the cropping zones.
• Fluid delivery of TEs at seeding is a valid management strategy but rates of the target TE need to be the same as used with compounded fertilisers.
• Generally, all sources of foliar TE were equally effective.

• The critical zinc concentration in shoots ranged from 22 to 29 mg /kilogram across the 5 durum varieties.
• There was no difference in shoot zinc concentration of the 5 varieties within any of the zinc treatments, ranging from 0.025 to 5 mg / kilogram of soil.
• There was some evidence that zinc sensitive genotypes were more likely to suffer from crown rot.

• Zn deficiency was evident at mid-tillering at one site only (Streaky Bay) in treatments where zinc had not been applied.
• Manganese deficiency was not identified via tissue testing at Streaky Bay despite treatments with added manganese having better earlier growth.

• Across three years addition of trace elements and fluid fungicide in-furrow did not provide increases in emergence, tillering or final yield - although this contradicts what other farmers have reported.
• Liquid N at sowing can improve crop emergence and early vigour, especially under dry conditions .
• Full liquid systems did not provide a profit benefit (due to higher input costs) even where they did provide increased yield which was not in all years.
• Recommendation most likely to provide higher returns for this area will be an in-furrow fertiliser system that incorporates some elements of liquid nitrogen and phosphorus fertiliser ,trace elements, fungicides and granular phosphorus and nitrogen fertiliser.

• Boron phosphate compounds were synthesized by mixing boric acid and phosphoric acid (1:1 molar ratio) and heating at temperatures of 25 to 1000 °C for 1 or 24 h.
• X-ray diffraction patterns and chemical analysis results showed formation of boron phosphate compounds at low temperature • These compounds gradually crystallized with increasing temperature and heating time.
• The compounds synthesized at 300°C or less were hygroscopic, while those synthesized at 500 to 1000°C were non-hygroscopic and free-flowing.
• The solubility of all compounds decreased with increasing synthesis temperature • The solubility of compounds synthesized at 500 and 800°C increased with increasing pH.
• The compound synthesized at 1000°C was nearly insoluble and the solubility was not pH dependent.
• The release of B from the boron phosphate synthesized at 800°C for 1 hour was approximately 70% after 150 days, which confirmed its slow release.
• The characteristics of the compounds synthesized at temperatures 500 and 800°C showed that it can be used as raw materials for co-granulation with macronutrient fertilisers such as mono-ammonium phosphate.
• Such co-granulated products are currently being tested.

• Commercial granular and liquid monoammonium phosphate fertilizers enriched with zinc were incubated under dry and wet conditions to test the effects of dry sowing on fertilizer diffusion, lability, and subsequent availability to wheat (Tritium aestivum L. ‘Axe’) plants in the growth chamber using isotopic techniques.
• Fertilizer incubated in dry soil tended to have a much greater lability than in wet soil, but diffusion was limited.
• The restricted diffusion during the incubation did not negatively impact nutrient availability to plants subsequently grown in the growth chamber, however, and simulated dry sowing was not shown to have a detrimental effect on fertilizer efficiency.

• Simulated dry sowing was not shown to have any detrimental effect on Zn fertiliser use efficiency.

• Zinc oxide fertilisers had lower solubility and dissolution than zinc sulphates.
• Zinc oxide was as effective as zinc sulphate if it was mixed with the soil but not when banded near the seed.
• Zinc sulphate would be preferable to zinc oxide in no-till systems where fertiliser is banded.

• Glasshouse experiments measured plant DM response and recovery of Zn fertilisers in oxide and sulfate form using three placement treatments - banded, mixed throughout the soil volume, and applied to the soil surface.
•  Also plant recovery of Zn from pure Zn phosphates and carbonates, which are likely reaction products of banded Zn fertilisers in soil, was measured. Recovery of Zn from Zn phosphates, carbonates and oxides was lower than that of Zn sulfates when banded.
• Placement was the major factor controlling plant responsiveness to Zn.
• Zinc oxide fertilisers had very low water solubility and slow dissolution rates in water, which is related to the high pH when the oxide is dissolved in water.
• There was significantly less recovery of fertiliser Zn by plants from Zn oxides than from Zn sulfates when the fertiliser was banded near the seed, likely due to higher pH in the band as the oxide dissolved.
• However, the Zn supply to plants was the same for both sources of Zn when fertilisers were mixed through the soil, as the soil likely buffered any dissolution-induced pH increases.
• This means that Zn oxides, despite their low water solubility, can be effective fertilisers if uniformly mixed throughout the crop rooting depth but Zn sulfate is preferable for banding or surface application.

• A full liquid system including N, P, Trace elements and fungicides provided the greatest yield response and was significantly better than district practice granular treatments.
• Liquid N gave the most significant response of all liquid treatments in terms of mid-season biomass and yield.
• Full liquid and liquid N treatments provided similar returns to that of traditional treatments and greater returns than liquid P only.

• Applying N at GS31 increased yield but no response to manganese was measured.

• No further yield benefit was measured from applying other nutrients (S, K, Mg) and trace elements (Zn, Mn, Cu) over and above that from applying nitrogen and phosphorus alone.

• There was a dry matter response measured at anthesis to all treatments with application of manganese but due to dry season this was not translated into yield increases.

• Please see attached trial report for full details on each variety.

• A diagnostic service is available to farmers and industry for diseased plant specimens.
• Samples of all leaf and aerial plant parts should be kept free of moisture and wrapped in paper not a plastic bag. Roots should be dug up carefully, preserving as much of the root system as possible and preferably kept damp. Samples should be sent to the following address:

SARDI Diagnostic Centre
Plant Research Centre
Hartley Grove
Urrbrae SA 5064

• Zinc efficient and inefficient wheat cultivars were grown in soil cores in the glasshouse.
•  The calcareous soil had low micronutrient levels and high pH and boron.
• Although cultivar Gatcher produced 47% more dry weight of tops and double the root length density of cultivar Excalibur at maturity, cultivar Excalibur was much more efficient in terms of zinc uptake by roots and sevenfold more efficient than cultivar Gatcher in partitioning zinc to grain.

• Zinc-efficient (Excalibur) and inefficient (Gatcher) wheat cultivars grown in calcareous subsoil with low micronutrient levels, high pH and B.
• Treatments were +/- basal nutrients (exc Zn) and +/-Zn.
• Gatcher produced 47% more DM tops and double the root length density of Excalibur by maturity Excalibur was far more efficient in Zn uptake and seven times more efficient than Gatcher in partitioning zinc to grain.

• Variation for boron and salt tolerance in field pea germplasm was not associated with grain yield differences at Minnipa as a likely consequence of very low rainfall in 2008 and very high rainfall and Blackspot disease in 2009.
• Under favourable growing conditions the late flowering advanced PBA field pea line, 94-425*2b produced very high dry matter yields at the flat pod stage compared to other lines evaluated.
• Advanced field pea lines with a combination of higher dry matter and grain yield production were identified and potentially offer a dual purpose (grain and hay/silage/green manuring) option for growers in low rainfall environments and a way of managing some of the risk of production.
• Findings require further validation across years and environments.

See trial report attached for discussion.

• A high rainfall growing season favoured blackspot disease build up and generally later flowering pea varieties at Minnipa in 2009.
• Kaspa was 17% higher yielding than Parafield, its highest margin over this variety at Minnipa in 11 years of testing.
• Kaspa’s grain yield was reduced by 19% when sowing date was delayed from 30 April to 20 May, however no grain yield reduction occurred in the advanced PBA field pea lines OZP0602 and OZP0601 with this delayed sowing date.
• OZP0601 and OPP0602, despite lower performance than Kaspa in the MAC variety trial in 2009, will provide better adapted “Kaspa type” options for low rainfall environments when they become available due to their earlier and longer flowering periods.

• The first year of trials show that there is material with real potential to do well in low rainfall environments and develop lines which will be economic as break crops in future.
• In 2009, about 120 lines were trialled at Minnipa and Condobolin.
• At Minnipa with an exceptional season yields ranged from 1.7 to 2.9 t/ha, with an average over 2.4 t/ha.
• At Condobolin, under tough conditions, individual plots yielded up to 1 t/ha.

• With high grain prices, small increases in productivity can significantly improve farm profitability.
• At Goolagong, NSW, wheat yields were significantly increased by the use of a balanced fertiliser regime including N, P, K, S, Mg and Zn.
• An analysis of gross margins showed that the application of secondary and trace elements would have significantly improved farm profitability.
• Zinc-efficient (Excalibur) and inefficient (Gatcher) wheat cultivars grown in calcareous subsoil with low micronutrient levels, high pH and B. Treatments were +/- basal nutrients (exc Zn) and +/-Zn.
• Gatcher produced 47% more DM tops and double the root length density of Excalibur by maturity.
• Excalibur was far more efficient in Zn uptake and 7 times more efficient than Gatcher in partitioning zinc to grain.
• Simulated dry sowing was not shown to have any detrimental effect on Zn fertiliser use efficiency.

Result: Fertiliser incubated in dry soil tended to have greater lability but diffusion was limited, although this did not have any effect on availability to subsequent wheat.

• Fluid trace elements banded under the seed row is an effective system for delivering these nutrients to cereal crops.
• Rates of trace element application as banded fluids may be lower than for other seeding strategies and cheap sulphates can be used
• Mixes of trace elements as banded fluids are effective.
• Trial was not trace element deficient.

• A potted history and review of research into trace element deficiencies in South Australia (PDF available).

• Soil and solution culture studies were conducted to examine the relative contribution of different mechanisms of zinc efficiency at the whole plant level in bread and durum wheat during early vegetative stage.
• While there are a number of mechanisms of zinc efficiency, zinc uptake appears to be the most important mechanism • Seed zinc remobilisation and root to shoot translocation do not appear to be important to zinc efficiency.
• Visual scores of zinc deficiency were significantly correlated with zinc efficiency, and they provide a useful criterion for an initial screen of zinc efficiency.
• This study was based on vegetative growth and the conclusions need to be verified under field conditions.
• The percentage deviation technique provided a straight forward means of comparing the relative effects of different components of zinc efficiency and the method could be extended to studies that use grain yield as the measure of zinc efficiency.

• Wheat yields were improved by using a combination of N,P,K,Mg,S,Zn fertilisers.
• Canola yields were improved by using a combination of N,P,S and Zn fertilisers.
• Gross margins suggested balanced crop nutrition could improve farm profitability despite dry conditions and high fertiliser prices.

• Incorporating clay that has high calcium carbonate (lime) content has potential to cause extreme manganese deficiency although this can be addressed with addition of micronutrient fertiliser either shallow or deep.

• Over a five year period incorporating either foliar or seed coated zinc increased wheat grain zinc concentration above soil applied zinc fertiliser.
• Neither timing or application type (on seed, in soil or foliar) or rate had any effect on grain yield, protein or screenings at this site.
• Copper was applied every two years in some treatments but it had no apparent effect on grain yields or grain or tissue copper concentrations.

• Investigated infertile soils over clay in SA and Victoria.
• Earlier work showed that a "shotgun" mix of N, P, zinc, copper and manganese placed at 40cm regularly doubled cereal yields.
• Have shown that such applications have onging residual benefits.
• Need at least 25cm of sand or haying off can occur in dry years.
• Deep ripping tyne type and spacing appear to be less important than depth of application at 40cm.
• Apply nutrients at a rate which would double current yields.
• Management of erosion after ripping is the primary challenge.
• Addition of deep nutrient during ripping would appear to be a good option with reliable benefits.

• X-rays of small dishes of soil to which fertiliser had been added in the centre showed that fluid forms of copper, zinc and manganese are more mobile (diffuse further) in soil compared to granular forms.

• Trace elements can be added to a farming system via a fluid delivery system.
• Economic responses to trace elements did not occur in non-responsive situations regardless of form of application.
• Addition of N and P to trace element fluid fertiliser did not appear to enhance trace element uptake.
• Lower cost foliar applied trace elements offer a cheaper approach to trace element application whilst still providing economic returns.

• Wheat grown on highly calcareous soils responded to zinc and manganese applications.
• Micronutrients were most effective when they were applied in fluid form which provided economical responses.
• There was no grain yield response when granular micronutrients were applied as a dry blend with granular NP fertiliser or as a coating on granules.

• Movement of water towards P fertiliser granules occurs and in calcareous soils this causes P to form a solid precipitate with calcium ions and prevents P moving away from where it is applied and reduces likely availability.
• Manganese from fluid fertilisers moves further away from point of application compared to a granular source of Mn and was potentially more available.
• Movement of zinc away from point of application was restricted regardless of the source and in both soils but fixation of zinc was less when the sources was fluid rather than granular.

• Five year trial examining strategies for application of zinc to field pea.
• Zinc applied to soil, to seed or as foliar spray.
• Zinc application did not increase grain yield of field pea.
• Seed zinc concentration was 20% higher when foliar zinc applied to field pea.

• Glasshouse experiments and field experiments in South Australia and Victoria were conducted to examine wheat tolerance to heast stress as related to zinc nutrition.
• The results showed that good zinc nutrition could preserve membrane integrity and photosynthesis during heat stress.
• Supplementary zinc nutrition was shown to increase canopy cooling through evaporation.
• The field and glasshouse experiments showed that the combinaiton of heat stress and poor zinc nutrition were more damaging when they occurred together.
• Zinc sufficient plants had higher quality grain (glutenin:gladin) and better bread making qualities.

• Applying trace elements at sowing or as a foliar mid-season were equally effective in this particular year.
• Response of wheat plants to DAP with trace elements in the fertiliser compared to other methods for trace element application was variable and needs further investigation.

• The laboratory analysis indicated the site would be zinc responsive.
• Zinc sulphate was no applied and no zinc deficiency symptoms were observed.
• Extensive trials in the Forbes district have never shown a response to zinc fertiliser in wheat.

• Trace elements applied to the soil (either shallow at seeding or deep prior to seeding) two years previously benefitted wheat at a clay spread site.
• Accross all sites and six years of measurements there were no measurable residual responses to deep placed nutrients.

• Single foliar trace element applications may not be sufficient to correct deficiencies caused by spreading calcareous clays.
• Placement of copper, zinc and manganese below the incorporated clay layer appeared to partially address the problem.
• This was an unreplicated farmer demo so needs to be repeated with replication to improve interpretation of results.

• Fluid fertilisers performed better (increased early growth and grain yield) with the addition of low rates of micronutrients.
• Foliar micronutrients were more economic than granular.

• Treated seed treatment had a marginally higher yield (3.24t/ha versus 3.15), lower screenings, lower protein and higher income by $9/ha.
• Seed from control plots (untreated seed sown) had higher nutrient (Mn, Cu, Zn, P and S) concentrations.
• Coating seed does no harm but farmers need to judge what is ' best bang for their buck'.

• Zinc treatments (1-5 kg/ha) did not increase grain yield or protein .
• Neither timing nor application type (on seed, in soil or foliar) nor rate had any effect on grain yield or protein at this site.

• Clay spreading with calcareous clays can induce manganese deficiency .
• Single foliar application of trace elements may not be sufficient to overcome this deficiency.

• A very dry year and indicative problems with wheat accessing trace elements in dry soils.
• There were signifcant yield reponses to zinc and magnesium.

• This manual provides useful guidance on the design of experiments to explore and treat nutrient deficiencies in agricultural crops.

• Subsoil nutrition placed at 20cm has provided a residual yield benefit in the second year after application at Edillilie.
• Yield increases were greater where trace elements were also applied.

• Deep placed trace elements can be more effective than the same amount placed just below the seed.
• Foliar application of trace elements was just as effective as deep placement at increasing crop yields.
• Deep placement increased grain uptake of all nutrients compared to other methods of trace element application.

• Zinc in shoots at tillering was much higher in plants supplied with fluid phosphorus than with granular phosphorus.
• Given that in both sets of treatments zinc was supplied as zinc chelate at quite a low rate (0.75 kg zinc/ha) in a fluid below the seed row (except in fluid treatments it was mixed with TGMAP) these results suggest that mixes of trace elements with NP fluid fertilisers may be a more effective technique for supplying trace elements to broad acre crops.
• Conditions in both trials were not zinc deficient for wheat production so the absence of zinc in fertilisers at seeding had no impact on the productivity of either wheat at either site, or on their response to phosphorus fertilisers.

• The +Zn treatment received 7 kg Zn/ha at sowing plus 2 foliar sprays of 0.33 kg Zn/ha.
• Generally, yield responses to Zn are greater in durum and bread wheat than in barley.
• The most inefficient lines of wheat and barley showed distinctive symptoms of Zn deficiency, such as reduced growth, pale leaves with chlorotic and necrotic lesions along the mid-vein.
• In 1999 a dry spring limited the yield response to Zn to about 0.5 t/ha, whereas, in 1998 yield increases up to 1 t/ha were measured.
• The disparity between the vegetative and the yield responses has tended to be greater in barley than in wheat.
• The wheat cultivars Goldmark and Kukri have low Zn efficiency, whereas the widely adapted, high yielding cultivars Trident, Krichauff and Worrakatta are Zn-efficient.
• Within barley, a number of Japanese breeding lines (eg SBWI-1) are very inefficient, but many current cultivars from SA as well as Arapiles (Vic.) and Stirling (WA) show a high level of efficiency.
• Pot assays for Zn efficiency have been developed and generally show similar rankings to the field tests.
• Wheat double haploid populations derived from the cross between Trident (efficient) and Songlen (inefficient) have been produced to develop molecular markers for Zn efficiency.

• Treatments were a single application of 10 kg/ha of Zn as zinc sulfate monohydrate (ZSM) (35% Zn) in 1996 or 4 applications of 1.25kg/ha or 2.5 kg/ha Zn as Incitec.
• Granulock ST-Z (10 %N, 19.5 % P, 2.5% Zn) between 1996 and 1999. Soil samples were collected at the commencement of the experiment, after the first application and post-harvest from the fourth crop.
• Samples were analysed for DTPA extractable Zn.
• The percentage of soil extractable Zn available from applied Zn after 4 cereal crops was about 12 % for the single application of 10 kg/ha Zn as ZSM, 22% for multiple applications of 1.25 kg/ha Zn and 20 % for 2.5 kg/ha Zn as STZ.
• It would appear that provided there is no compromise in crop productivity, a multiple low rate strategy of Zn fertiliser addition may be more effective in building available soil Zn concentration than a single higher rate.

• All treatments with zinc sulphate or commercial fungicide Tilt reduced yellow leaf spot infection but only Tilt treatments had increased grain yield.
• Despite yield increase the Tilt treatment was not economic.
• Triadimefon and copper sulphate did not reduce yellow leaf spot infection.

• We examined the interaction between zinc nutrition and heat stress on the photosynthetic activity and grain yield of wheat plants under both field and growth room conditions.
• The zinc inefficient cultivar Goldmark was found to have an improved chlorophyll fluorescence ratio (Fv/Fm), a measure of injury to photosynthesis, under heat stress when supplied with elevated levels of zinc compared to plants where less zinc was applied.
• However supplementary zinc did not prevent a decline in kernel weight or grain yield under high temperature conditions.
• The results indicate that supplementary zinc nutrition, in a zinc inefficient genotype at least, can provide thermotolerance to the photosynthetic apparatus of wheat.

• Studies examined the interaction between Zn nutrition and heat stress on the photosynthetic activity and grain yield of wheat plants under both field and growth room conditions.
• The Zn inefficient cultivar Goldmark was found to have an improved chlorophyll fluorescence ratio (Fv/Fm), a measure of injury to photosynthesis, under heat stress when supplied with elevated levels of Zn compared to plants where less Zn was applied.
• However supplementary Zn did not prevent a decline in kernel weight or grain yield under high temperature conditions.
• The results indicate that supplementary Zn nutrition, in a Zn inefficient genotype at least, can provide thermotolerance to the photosynthetic apparatus of wheat.

• Chlorsulfuron (eg Glean) was found to reduce wheat yields at some sites.
• No zinc (Zn) responses were recorded at any of the sites.
• Phosphorus (P) response was closely correlated with soil P levels.
• Increasing Zn and P nutrition did not reduce the Chlorsulfuron effect.

• There were no advantages gained by using seed treatments when sowing wheat with granular NP fertilisers.
• On grey calcareous soils all fluid fertilisers increased early plant vigour and grain yield, and on red soils fluids containing zinc and manganese increased grain yields.
• In this season there were no differences in dry matter or yield between crops grown from certified or local seed.

• The relative sensitivity to manganese deficiency is broadly : bread wheat (least), barley, durum wheat (most).
• The relative sensitivity to zinc deficiency is broadly: barley (least) bread wheat, durum wheat (most).
• With a very inefficient variety adding a micronutrient fertiliser may not be sufficient to overcome the deficiency.
• Special attention needs to be given to the micronutrient requirements of durum wheat especially where high rates of N and P fertilisers are used.

• Compared some of the physiological differences in two bread wheat genotypes (Stylet (Zn-efficient) and VM506 (Zn-inefficient).
• Results indicate that higher zinc efficiency may be achieved through greater distribution to younger parts and lower internal requirement.
• Selection for such attributes can be considered in breeding programs aiming to develop zinc efficient genotypes for cropping zinc deficient soils.

• Boron (B) efficiency of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and mustard (B. juncea) genotypes was determined on a low B soil at Mt. Compass, South Australia.
• B efficiency was observed in oilseed rape genotypes, Zhongyou 821, Dunkeld and Zheyou 2, and in mustard genotypes Pusa Bold and CSIRO 6.
• Genotypes grown in the field were also grown under glass-house conditions, in pots filled with pre-washed sand extracted from the Mt. Compass field site.
• Two B treatments, one B adequate (0.25 mg B /kg soil) and one B deficient (imposed by omission) were used to indicate whether vegetative response to B could predict final yield response and provide a more convenient selection criterion for identifying B-efficient germplasm .
• Vegetative response of 35 d old (D35) genotypes grown in pot culture closely reflected field response, indicating the expression of B efficiency traits in early growth, and its potential use in selection.

• The level of genotypic variation in tolerance to low boron (B) supply was investigated in solution culture grown, 10 day old (D10) oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) plants, by using a rapid screening technique whereby root length, root elongation rate and total root dry weight were used to indicate plant response to B.
• Root length proved more reliable in determining genotype responses, and was used to characterise a total of 61 genotypes, of which Huashuang 2, Nangchang rape, Huashuang 1 and Zhongyou 821, and to a lesser extent, Zheyou 2, Dunkeld, Xinza 2, Nangjin 2051, 92-58, 92-13, and Awassa 115 exhibited some form of tolerance to low B supply.
• The genotypic rankings based on this early vegetative response corroborated with field based B-efficiency.
• The results demonstrate the expression of the B-efficiency mechanism in the early vegetative stages of plant growth, and establish the value of root length as a selection criterion for B-efficiency in oilseed rape.

• Copper concentrations in tissue on sandy soils declined with the age of the plant, with indications of copper deficiency for older plants.
• Patches of crop with partially empty heads were observed while the rest of the head was still green.
• Suggested that EDTA extractable copper might give indication of likely copper deficiency in sandy soils.
• Deficiency can be overcome by applying copper fertilisers to soil (long term solution) or a foliar copper spray (short term solution).

• Zinc (Zn) has been shown to be a clear limiting factor in achieving maximum fertiliser response from N and P on all soils sown in the SA Operation FerTill experiment program.
• Increased wheat grain yield of 4-6% has been achieved with Zn as a coat to DAP applied in each year over 3 years.
• This clearly questions the current practice of Zn application once every 3-4 years.
• These results suggest that Zn when used in combination with higher P and application should be considered every year.
• P and Zn placement are very effective management tools to reduce the severity of Rhizoctonia spp, in crops.
• Some P and Zn placement in the seed row of cereal crops is beneficial in reducing the severity of Rhizoctonia patch by up to 50%, increasing grain yield.

• Wheat grain Zn concentration decreased with P fertiliser addition.
• Wheat grain Zn concentration was lower after canola than after either linola or clover pasture.
• Wheat receiving P fertiliser had lower mycorrhizal colonisation than that with no P added.
• Wheat after canola had lower mycorrhizal colonisation than that wheat after linola or clover pasture.
• It was hypothesised that Zn uptake was reduced where mycorrhizal infection was lower.

• Early application of foliar zinc at the 2-3 leaf stage and at a rate of 4kg/ha significantly reduced yellow leaf spot infection.
• The 4 kg/ha zinc sulphate treatment also had higher tissue zinc (20.7ppm) but this was still marginal as were all other treatments.
• No significant changes were observed in copper or manganese tissue concentrations across treatments.
• Due to relatively low levels of infection the zinc or stubble treatments did not ultimately influence yield.

• Fifty alkaline cropping soils form southern Australia were sampled and analysed for micronutrients.
• Mid infrared spectra for eahc soil was also obtained and partial least squared regression used to estimate micronutrient content.
• Very good correlations wbetween MIR and measured micronutrient concentrations and offfers an attactive alternative to traditional techniques.

• Early zinc uptake can be increased when zinc is applied as soil spray, seed coat or granular fertiliser but this does not necessarily increase yield.
• Products differ markedly in price per kg of elemental zinc so carefully consider your choice to get best value for money.
• Make sure choice of application method fits your farming system: for example if you are no-till then soil spray inefficient as not worked into root zone, foliar spray too late if you have zinc deficient soil as yield losses will already have occurred.
• Some products have short term benefits (seed coats and foliar sprays) and some longer term benefits.

• Application of fluid phosphorus fertiliser on highly calcareous grey soil (P responsive) at Miltaburra significantly increased shoot dry weight and uptake of phosphorus, nitrogen, zinc and manganese and increased yield by 14% compared to granular phosphorus fertiliser application.
• Application of fluid phosphorus fertiliser on red-brown calcareous soil at Emerald Rise (non P responsive) increased shoot dry weight and uptake of phosphorus, nitrogen and manganese relative to granular phosphorus fertiliser application.
• On the red brown calcareous soils the addition of nitrogen and zinc to the fluid phosphorus fertiliser increased grain yield by 11% with no effect when added to the granular phosphorus fertiliser.
• At Cowell (red brown calcareous soil) the use of zinc with fluid phosphorus fertiliser showed a small increase in zinc concentration in tissues but no other benefits.

• Genotypes of chickpea were grown at 5 levels of zinc in the glasshouse.
• After 8 weeks of growth chlorosis occurred in the zero zinc treatments.
• The critical concentration in the shoot tissue associated with 90% of maximum growth was 20 mg per kilogram at the flowering stage.
• In a 2nd experiment to genotypes were grown at 3 zinc levels and to moisture regime.s.
• The critical zinc concentration institutes was 21 mg per kilogram and thus neither genotype nor soil moisture influence the critical zinc concentration.

• Response of 13 chickpea genotypes to zinc nutrition was studied in a pot experiment under glasshouse conditions.
• When grown with no added zinc, zinc deficiency symptoms appeared 3–4 weeks after planting.
• Zinc efficiency based on shoot dry weight showed marked differences among genotypes.
• Root:shoot ratio was increased and proportionally more zinc was transported to the shoot when the soil was deficient.
• Cultivars that were very sensitive to zinc deficiency tended to have their root:shoot ratio increased by zinc deficiency more than less sensitive cultivars.
• The insensitive lines transported more than 70% of the total absorbed zinc to the shoot .
• Chickpea genotypes vary in their sensitivity to zinc deficiency.

• Zn status in wheat may need to be monitored where lime is used, as the addition of high lime rates depressed Zn concentrations.
• However, lime application increased K and had no effect on Mg concentrations.

• Trial sown at Lameroo on a zinc deficient soil, very dry season.
• Untreated crop was severely zinc deficient.
• Zinc seed dressings (Teprosyn and Broadacre products) were effective at alleviating zinc deficiency but not as effective as the dressings plus mid season foliar spray.
• The soil sprays were not very effective, even at double the recommended rate, perhaps because the soil was so dry.
• Although laboratory experiments had shown that MAP was more effective than DAP fertiliser in terms of zinc availability, no differences were observed in the field experiment.

• Early application of foliar zinc at the 2 leaf stage may assist with suppressing initial yellow leaf spot infection but unlikely to be enough to overcome any zinc deficiency in crop as leaf area limits capacity for uptake.
• Stubble management techniques that aid stubble breakdown or removal are effective measures to control incidence of yellow leaf spot in crops sown into stubble.

• Despite the drought conditions which prevailed at this site in 1997 (yields from 0.3-0.8 t/ha), zinc deficiency was very severe. Grain yields of the very zinc sensitive variety, Yallaroi, were more than doubled by the most effective treatment.
• Seed dressings were effective at treating zinc deficiency. This is a particularly encouraging result for croppers because these products are generally quite cheap and easy to apply. For growers who are not certain if zinc deficiency is a problem in their paddocks they represent a good insurance policy.
• By far the best treatment in last year’s trial was the combination of a seed dressing and a mid season foliar spray.
• Soil applications were less effective than normal, perhaps because the soil was often so dry that the crop may have been denied access to zinc in the soil for long periods. The zinc-enriched fertilisers may have done better because they were drilled into the seed row where most roots occur.

• Three field trials assessed the relative effectiveness of a range of products for correcting zinc deficiency in wheat.
• These trials were conducted during the 1996 growing season and were located in representative areas of the Lower Eyre Peninsula and Lower North regions of SA and the Wimmera of Vic.
• They were predicted to be Zn deficient but moderate responses to Zn fertilisers were recorded at only the two SA sites.
• Responses to Zn in grain yield at these two sites were too small to assess any relative differences between fertiliser sources but assessments of dry matter production and Zn uptake during the season allowed some relative comparisons to be made.
• The technique of spraying a zinc sulphate solution onto the soil surface and incorporating prior to seeding was the most effective technique at supplying Zn to the wheat crop under the conditions of these trials.
• Under the conditions of the trials reported here there was no clear evidence that DAP sources of Zn enriched fertilisers were less effective than MAP sources.
• However, the behaviour of these two different product types was not tested under severe Zn deficiency conditions.

• Residual subsoil zinc improved root growth and grain yield of wheat in a pot experiment.
• Canola genotypes did not differ in their effects on the following wheat.
• A greater proportion of wheat zinc was located in grain where subsoils had received zinc (but it should be noted that these pots had received 3 times the total zinc of the surface zinc pots).

• 10 chickpea genotypes were grown in the field with and without added zinc.
• Zinc sulphate was applied to the soil at sowing and later as a foliar spray at the start of flowering.
• Zinc fertilisation increase shoot dry matter by 13% at maturity.
• There were differences between cultivars in zinc efficiency.
• Gains in yield by improved to sink efficiency are possible in chickpeas.
•  The ranking of cultivars was consistent between sites and in pot studies in the glasshouse.
•  Significant responses to zinc fertiliser confirmed that zinc deficiency was a limitation to chickpea yield.

• Zinc was applied at four rates as either zinc sulphate (35% Zn), zinc oxide (83% Zn), zinc oxysulphate (18% Zn) or as granulock STZ (20.4% P, 2.5% Zn).
• Dry matter yield, tissue Zn concentration and plant Zn uptake were measured. Co-granulated zinc oxide and MAP (ST-Z) produced the dry matter response similar to zinc sulphate, with zinc oxysulphate and zinc oxide producing similar but lower yields.
• It is proposed that the difference in effectiveness between STZ (zinc oxide based) and zinc oxide is as a result of a synergistic effect between the close proximity of the P and Zn in each particle rather than any change in chemical composition during manufacture.
• The mechanism for enhanced Zn uptake with STZ may be a result of root proliferation around P concentrations aiding Zn uptake.

• The effects of zinc supply in subsoil were examined in three genotypes of Brassica napus in a glasshouse experiment.
• The topsoil was supplied with zinc in all treatments whereas zinc was either supplied or omitted from the subsoil.
• Supplying zinc to subsoil significantly increased the root growth in the lower zone, markedly decreased the number of aborted and unfilled pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, individual seed weight and overall seed yield.
• Subsoil zinc also significantly increased the zinc concentration and zinc content of seed and improved the ratio of zinc uptake by seed to total zinc uptake by seed and shoots.

• A survey of the incidents of black spot and downey mildew on field pea was conducted in South Australia.
• Analysis of manganese and zinc implants was conducted, along with a field trial with manganese and zinc addition.
• Effect of micronutrients on the diseases was not clear but manganese concentrations in plants was negatively correlated with blackspot.
• Deficiencies in zinc were measured but these were not correlated with blackspot or downy mildew.