The regular use of grain legume super zinc on alkaline, calcareous soils of this region is recommended for legume crops to provide sufficient zinc for other crops in the rotation.

Soil analysis is being performed on each individual sub-plot to determine the amount of Nitrogen each crop and stubble treatment produced/retained in the soil. The phase is being done in conjunction with the CSIRO laboratories in Canberra.

Following two years of grass free medic pasture soil mineral nitrogen levels averaged 158 kg N/ha and all disease inoculum levels were low.

Cutting the medic pasture for hay lowered dry matter production and medic pod set in the following season.

An early light tickle resulted in higher weed germination and lower powdery mildew damage in spring.

Full cut tillage following two years of grass free medic resulted in the highest wheat yields while a discing prior to seeding resulted in the lowest yield.

Working medic residues in the year prior reduced the following wheat yield but grain protein was higher.

Cutting a medic pasture for hay in 2013 reduced medic productivity in 2014 and lowered wheat grain protein in 2015.

• The ability to capture barley grass seeds at harvest is limited.
• If seed can be captured and placed in windrows, windrow burning can reduce grass weeds.
• Seed capture at harvest is higher with annual ryegrass than with barley grass.
• Burnt narrow windrows sustained temperatures above 400oC for longer than 10 seconds, which is sufficient to sterilise annual ryegrass seed.
• Snail numbers were reduced with windrow burning.
• Barley grass germinates later in Minnipa Agricultural Centre cropped paddocks than in non-cropped areas.

• In a drier season, early-mid maturing Mace wheat provided better feed and grain value than mid-late maturing Trojan.
• Make variety choice based on the stored soil moisture, the potential time of sowing and the seasonal outlook.
• Variety differences exist between Mace and Trojan and their response to grazing.

• Cobra responded very well to a one off graze over a period of 14 days with an application of 10L of CoRoN giving an increase of 350kg/ha. 

Overall, moderate grazing up to Z25-Z30 and clip grazing at and after Z25-Z30 had little to no significant impacts on yield. However,assessing the value of grazing to the farm system is complicated as grazing can affect time of flowering and frost impacts. It can also increase water use efficiency, allow pasture paddocks to be deferred, reduce the need for supplementation and allow increased stock numbers and/or crop area.

• Moderate grazing up to Z30 and clip grazing after Z30 did not appear to have significant impacts on yield in 2012 when compared to early sown crops.
• However, assessing the value of grazing to the farm systems is complicated as grazing can affect time of flowering and frost impacts. It can also increase water use efficiency, allow pasture paddocks to be deferred, reduce the need for supplementation and allow for increased stock numbers and/or crop area.

• Grazing treatment had no influence on pasture sward composition when averaged over seasons.
• Grazing, rather than the type of grazing management, increased soil carbon under native pastures.
• Soil under cell-grazed pastures had a significantly greater carbon stock to 0.30 m compared with ungrazed pastures (32.9 t C/ha vs 25.6 t C/ha), however, there was no difference between cell and tactically grazed (29.5 t C/ha) pastures.

• Grazing livestock can compact surface soil and reduce infiltration rates, but their biggest impact on fallow efficiency is through stubble removal.
• Stubble improves summer fallow efficiency primarily by increasing infiltration; it slows but does not stop evaporation, and this is only beneficial where rainfall events occur close together or if it aids crop establishment.
• Despite high rainfall during the 2009-10 fallow period at Condobolin, there was little response in soil water storage to the grazing and stubble treatments.
• Wheat yield in 2010 was reduced by very heavy grazing but not by moderate (more typical) grazing.

The main impacts of climate change by 2030 on grazing livestock enterprises is likely to be shorter  growing seasons, greater variability in pasture growth, reduced pasture quality, less available pasture, reduced wool quality and increased variability in farm gross margins. Possible adaptations to alleviate
some of these impacts are;

• Minimising the need for supplementary feed by reviewing lambing and calving times, age at first joining, stocking rates and sale times,
• Increase flexibility in systems by varying sale times/rules, confinement feeding, movement, more animal trading (core breeding), agistment, matching feed demand to pasture production, and
• Improved pasture utilisation by grazing management.

• The use of Group B herbicdes such as chlorsulfuron can help fight the battle against Group A resistant ryegrass. Although they have a different mode of action, Group A resistant ryegrass populations can rapidly become resistant to Group B herbicides.
• This trial showed that when different products from Group B were applied to ryegreass of the same growth stage, varying results were observed. Glean offered marginal control when applied to tillering ryegrass, while Hussar successfully controlled the same ryegrass population.

• PBA Herald XT, together with tolerant breeding lines CIPAL1101 and CIPAL1102, show much
  improved tolerance to a range of group B herbicides compared to Nipper. The tolerant varieties
  showed no yield loss to a number of herbicides, whereas Nipper showed up to 100% yield loss (eg high rate of ‘Imi mix’).

• New crop varieties have been recently released that have improved tolerance to imidazoline (imi) herbicides. 
• Group B tolerant varieties showed slight damage symptoms to herbicides registered for use. Damage to non-group B tolerant varieties was observed in many treatments.

• New crop varieties have been recently released that have improved tolerance to imidazoline (imi) herbicides.
• Group B tolerant varieties showed only slight damage symptoms to herbicides registered for use. Damage to non-group B tolerant varieties was observed in many treatments.

• New crop varieties have been recently released that have improved tolerance to imidazoline (imi) herbicides.
• Group B tolerant varieties showed no damage symptoms to herbicides registered for use. Damage to non group B tolerant varieties was observed in many treatments.

Triflur480 (trifluralin) and Stomp (pendimethalin) were compared on wheat and canola in relation to crop emergence and ryegrass control. The canola crop failed due to the dry conditions. The wheat crop was very marginal (average yield of 0.1 t/ha) and no yield differences between products could be determined. In relation to ryegrass control the higher rates of the products applied and incorporated by sowing (IBS) (Triflur480 1.2L and Stomp 1.8L) were more effective compared the lower rates of these products (0.8L and 1.8L respectively) when applied and incorporated 5 days prior to sowing.

• There are several Group G herbicide spikes on the market for use prior to broadacre crops with their specific benefits and limitations
• It important to read the herbicide label and be aware of plant back restrictions before the use of any herbicide.
• Sharpen Group G herbicide significantly increased percentage of brown out across the weed spectrum 7 DAA at Frances in 2012.
• At Frances in 2012 all Group G herbicides showed increased percentage of brown out 7 DAA on annual ryegrass but there was no significant difference between treatments 22 DAA.
• Sharpen, Hammer 400 and Valour significantly increased percentage brown out 22 DAA on clover at Frances in 2012.
• At Frances in 2012 the results indicated Glyphosate was providing majority control of lesser loosestrife.
• Sharpen Herbicide showed a significantly increase in brownout on capeweed 7 DAA at Frances in 2012.

• Chickpeas will suffer far more from being too cold and to some degree too wet than they ever will from being too hot and too dry.
• Chickpeas don’t like high levels of boron, but will handle some.
• Chickpeas have some Pratylenchus tolerance but low resistance. Do a Predicta-B test for Pratylenchus. If levels are high, you will need to find an alternative paddock.
• Chickpeas don’t like competition from weeds. Use the herbicide Balance post sowing pre-emergent. If you don’t have broad leaf weeds under control before chickpea emergence there are few herbicide options. Grass weed control is quite easy as for normal pulses, such as Targa or Select.

• Achieving quality high protein hard wheat (11.5% protein) and Durum (13% protein) can be difficult.
• Agronomic practices can have a large influence on wheat yield and quality achieved. Soil testing for available N is essential if high yielding and high protein crops are targeted. Topdressing nitrogen fertiliser after the 5 to 6 leaf stage of the crop will further add to protein. Sowing on narrow rows (between 18 and 23 cm or 7 and 9") results in higher yields and can also reduce the level of screenings. High sowing rates (between 90 and 120kg/ha) can increase yield and reduce screenings in some situations.
• No negative effects on yield or screenings were found with high sowing rates.

Many farmers who target high protein wheat find malting barley a difficult crop to grow. The quality characteristics for malting are tight (less than 11.8% protein and less than 28% screenings). Trial work has shown that to have an increased chance of growing malting barley it is important to:
• sow early (mid May to early June)
• use a sowing rate less than 90 kg/ha
• only use pre-drilled urea if the soil has less than 100 kg/ha of available N at sowing
• do not top-dress urea

2018

Soil moisture measurements were taken on the 24th of May 2013 to confirm whether there had been carryover moisture from season 2012 in the bare areas of the paddock (due to mice damage in 2012). Based on the soil moisture tests below, and with regard to the bared areas observed in the paddock, the area shaded blue was identified as the only area with a potential representation of the chemical fallow effect. So in regards to final crop yield, this is the only one that was used for continuous crop versus chemical fallow comparisons.

2019

It was observed on the 23rd of July for both the wheat and barley, continuous cropped plots, were less vigorous and weedier than the respective chemical fallowed plots. For the canola on this day the chemical fallowed plot has commenced flowering sooner than the continuous cropped canola plot. There was more purpling on the continuous cropped canola compared with the chemical fallow plots which was possibly a combination of nitrogen deficiency and herbicide damage from the chemical, Intervix. On the 23rd of July it was also observed no differences in vigour between continuous cropped chickpeas and albus lupins when compared with the respective chemical fallowed plots.

On the 31st of July it was observed that net blotch disease had infected the barley plots and needed spraying with fungicide.

On the 1st of December when the trial was harvested it was observed that the chemical fallowed albus lupins appeared to have more terminal pods when compared with the continuous cropped plot. On this day both canola plots showed symptoms of severe shedding. The continuous cropped canola plot was thinner and shorter compared the chemical fallow canola plot. For both the wheat and barley, the chemical fallowed plots were thicker than the respective continuous cropped plots.

Preparing a Nitrogen Budget is essential, but there are two key factors, estimates of yield and mineralisation, that do affect the risk of achieving DR1

• Both barley varieties out yielded wheat by approximately 1000kg/ha in all treatments
• Barley yields responded to the highest rate of early post emergent nitrogen (75kgN/ha) with wheat yields plateauing at the 50kgN/ha rate
• Ryegrass biomass was two to three times higher in wheat than barley, and this may have significantly reduced wheat yield

• There was some variability in the trial due to waterlogging in some areas, despite the use of beds, however the results give some reason to further investigate the use of growth regulators
• For further conclusions please see the attached trial report.

Growth regulators were not beneficial in barley and canola in the 2001 season in the Wimmera. A yield penalty in barley resulted from double applications of a growth regulator (applied early and late).

• Under sowing hard seeded Serradella seems to be an economical and sustainable way of establishing pastures the year after a wheat crop, particularly if pods are produced in the farm.
• Sowing depth had no significant effect on germination or plant density, however, it is recommended not to bury too deep pods of Serradella (max 2-3cm) to avoid seedling losses.
• Weed control in the plots was very poor, this could have been a result of no use of wetter with the application of Raptor.

Weed seed data (weeds above and below the harvest height) measurements were taken immediately prior to harvest and assessments of weed populations in the soil will be taken after autumn treatments (windrow burn and large scale burn) are applied to allow for an understanding of the effects of different treatments on the weed seed bank.
Harvest data was also collected through the yield monitor. This data is being analysed so that the additional cost of the iHSD can

Leaving straw in windrow to be burnt Weed seed data (weeds above and below the harvest height) measurements were taken
immediately prior to harvest and assessments of weed populations in the soil will be taken after autumn treatments (windrow burn and large scale burn) are applied to allow for an understanding of the effects of different treatments on the weed seed bank.
Harvest data was also collected through the yield monitor. This data is being analysed so that the additional cost of the iHSD can be established to run various economic simulations on the weed seedbank through the LUSO model and to compare the cost of the treatments. There was no significant difference in the yield across treatments or the efficiency (ha/hr). This was as expected as
the groundspeed rate was kept constant between all treatments so that the other factors.

The yield advantages of earlier sowing may not be achieved if volunteer plants cannot be controlled. Compass showed good adaptability at each sowing time both at Horsham and Watchupga East. Earlier sown barley plots at both sites were limited by nitrogen in 2013.

Knowing your initial soil nitrogen levels will assist in determining if there is likely to be a benefit of including nitrogen and other nutrients for humification when incorporating stubble. If initial soil nitrogen levels (0-60cms) are adequate i.e. above 70kg N/ha in the high rainfall zone, and above 50 kg N/ha in the medium rainfall zone, then the addition of nitrogen may not provide immediate responses – depending on the stubble nutrient levels.

For results please see the attached trial report.

It is important not to rely on a single strategy to keep resistance at bay but integrate them into the crop production program. Some of the key strategies include:

• Rotation of herbicide mode of action groups within and across years.
• Keep accurate records of your herbicide applications on a paddock basis.
• Read the herbicide product label and follow the instructions, always use robust label rates
• Rotate crop and variety.
• Identify and monitor your surviving weed populations and check for resistant weeds on your farm. Keep good records of weed populations.
• If a failure is suspected do not use the same product or product from the same mode of action group.
• Testing – confirm resistance exists. (For further information on resistance
• testing contact www.plantscienceconsulting.com.au)
• Additional cultural weed control techniques to reduce seed banks, e.g. burning, cultivation, delayed sowing,
• competitive crops and varieties, green manuring, grazing and collection of weed seed at harvest.
• Control weed escapes before the weeds set and shed viable seed.
• Do not introduce or spread weeds through contaminated seed, grain or hay.
• Consider crop and pasture topping.
• Seek advice from local advisers such as agronomists.

• Field Peas - There were no differences in pea yields from the applied post sowing pre-emergent herbicides. However, Tough at 2L significantly reduced pea yields in the post emergent herbicide applications.
• Lentils - Simazine alone (1.5L) or in combination with Lexone (1L + 100g respectively) significantly reduced lentil yields. The best options were post sowing pre-emergent Lexone (180g) or Diuron (Diurex at 1.1 kg) or post emergent Broadstrike (25g, no wetter) or Brodal at 150ml.
• Chickpeas - the chickpea yields in the control plots were significantly reduced because of weed competition. The best options were post sowing pre-emergent Simazine and Atradex (1L + 275g respectively) or Spinnaker and Simazine (125ml + 0.75L respectively).
• Lupins - there were no significant differences found in lupin yields between the different herbicides applied.

Rainbow vs Karoo canola - Karoo canola is tolerant to the triazines Simazine and Atrizine; however, it also appears that Karoo has a higher degree of tolerance to Lexone.

• In-crop applications of some broadleaf and grass herbicides can reduce nodulation and nitrogen fixation of peas.
• Timing of herbicide application and seasonal conditions play an important role in herbicide-legume interactions. 
• Late applications of some broadleaf and grass herbicides can reduce crop yields.

• Phosphorus (P) responses were visual and evident from 3 leaf stage until the end of September with the 50 of P treatments being well ahead of the nil P.
• The 15 P plots also were visibly behind.
• There was a strong trend to increased yield with increasing rate of P applied, however this was not significant due to the high CV as a result of crown rot.
• The zinc and copper cote treatments performed better than most treatments and were significantly better than the nil P treatment, but not significantly better than the straight 25 P treatment as DAP. 
• Grain proteins were lower than expected with a very high CV 13%, usually grain protein CV's are about 2 - 3% showing that there was a dramatic effect of possibly crown rot in the site.
• The site had been in barley the year prior which is the best cereal host for carry over of crown rot and a dry finish makes the crown rot worse. 
   

• Regional survey on the nutrient status of nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S) and the micro-nutrients Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) of soils in the HRZ of south-eastern Australia undertaken and status report prepared.
• Two omission trials sown in 2015 to test crop yield response and the interactions between nutrients where N, P, K and S and micro-nutrients Zn and Cu are omitted.
• Seasonal conditions resulted in the only responses being received from nitrogen applications; the omission trials to be repeated in 2016 under different seasonal conditions.

• Regional survey on the nutrient status of nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S) and the micro-nutrients Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) of soils in the HRZ of south-eastern Australia undertaken and status report prepared.
• Two omission trials sown in 2015 to test crop yield response and the interactions between nutrients where N, P, K and S and micro-nutrients Zn and Cu are omitted.
• Seasonal conditions resulted in the only responses being received from nitrogen applications; the omission trials to be repeated in 2016 under different seasonal conditions.

• Soil water content is being measured to 3 m depth in the CWFS core site.
• The lucerne plots in the phase farming systems contained 200 mm less soil water than the continuous cropped plots at the end of 2003.
• Lucerne had dried the soil to a similar extent after 3 years of lucerne (conventional tilled system) and 2 years of lucerne (reduced till system).
• Most of the additional moisture in the annual plots was below 1 m depth.
• Including a perennial pasture such as lucerne in a cropping system can reduce the risk of excessive deep drainage.

Previous trials and demonstrations have highlighted zinc deficiencies in both cereals and pulses, which could produce substantial profits over the cost of zinc. A trial conducted on wheat at Hopetoun in 2006, on a zinc responsive soil type with a good zinc history defined responses to zinc and demonstrated that responses to phosphorus or nitrogen cannot be achieved if zinc is deficient, in a drought year.

Chara sown 13th June gave a small but significant responses to applied nitrogen, despite a soil N reserve of 176 kg/ha N (0‐90cm) pre planting. With this later sown trial there was no significant difference in nitrogen timing, though there was a trend for seedbed/GS31 (50/50 split of N) treated crops to be slightly higher yielding than GS31/37 (50/50 split of N) treated crops.

• Deep ripping was very worth while at this site but had not effet of lowering crop requirements for N in this situation.
• Nitrogen requirements may have been lower after deep ripping if there had been more organic N to mineralise (say after a lupin crop) and/or the soil had higher mineralised N levels that were subjected to more leaching pressure.
• After deep ripping, high N inputs may be more effective delyaed until late tillering. 

• Inoculation with effective formulations significantly improved nodulation, herbage and yield. 
• Sterile peat slurry innoculant produced more nodules on faba beans than all other rhizobial products; freeze dried rhizobia applied to seed and peat applied as liquid inoculant produced greater nodules than granular inoculants. 
• inoculation with peat slurry, peat applied as a liquid, and freeze dried inoculants significantly improved herbage and yield compared with uninoculated treatments. Yield was also improved following application of bentonite granules. 

• Inoculation with freeze‐dried rhizobial formulations produced nodulation of grain legumes equivalent to that of the traditional peat slurries, with significantly less preparation required when inoculated in furrows. Becker Underwood granules produced less nodules than peat slurries treatment, but improved inoculation over nil treatments.
• Granular products varied in their ability to provide nodulation of grain legumes.

Experiments were conducted in a commercial lentil crop (2006) in a paddock considered representative of the southern Mallee region of Victoria (McCellands Jil Jil East). The study identified that seasonal variations in the spatial pattern for grain yield were explained principally by differences in the ‘effective plant available water’ (ePAW) rather than differences in nitrogen supply. ePAW was considered to be related to both the textural properties of the surface soil (eg. small rainfall events at the season break are more effective in coarser textured soils than in clay soils) and the presence of physio-chemical in the subsoil, which can limit crop access to stored water.

• Nodulation and shoot dry matter in medics is depressed by poor phosphorus (P) nutrition and in-crop application of certain herbicides.
• Applying P when establishing a medic pasture boosts shoot and root dry matter and improves root health.
• The timing of application of certain herbicides can have an important effect on maximum shoot dry matter.
• High soil nitrogen levels can reduce nodulation in medic pastures.

• Growers should be aware that the application of certain broad-leaved herbicides can result in a reduction in shoot dry matter of medic pastures.
• Application of a full label rate of Agritone 750 (late) resulted in the largest reduction of shoot dry matter.
• Applying P to a soil with low P reserves when establishing a medic pasture boosts shoot and root dry matter, improves root health and improves N fixation.
• Growers should also be aware that the use of herbicides can reduce nodulation and N2- fixation in medic pastures.

• Applying phosphorus to a soil with low P reserves when establishing a medic pasture boosts shoot and root dry matter, improves root health and improves N fixation.
• The addition of urea at seeding can reduce nodulation in medic pastures.
• Residues of the herbicide Logran can severely stunt medic growth.
• Applying a full label rate of Agritone 750 (late) decreases pasture production and N fixation in actively growing pastures.
• Any management practice that reduces medic biomass will reduce N fixation, such as the late application of certain herbicides, eg Agritone 750.
• In a dry growing season when medic plants are already moisture stressed, herbicides will have little impact on medic production and N fixation.
• Regardless of seasonal conditions, the management of newly established medic pastures with regard to herbicides and nutrition, appears to have no impact on the yield and protein levels of the wheat crop in the following year.

1. Grain legumes (chickpea, faba bean, field pea, mungbean) often leave more residual soil water at harvest than cereals, this difference is diminished due to lower subsequent fallow efficiencies and hence soil water is often similar at the sowing of the next crop.
2. Higher intensity systems have higher fallow efficiencies while lower intensity systems and those with more legumes have lower fallow efficiencies.

site.

• There was a 0.17 t/ha yield advantage in the 2014 season due to removing or cultivating the previous season’s stubble, possibly due to extra nitrogen being available to the crop during the growing season.
• There was a 0.08 t/ha yield advantage at MAC this season by inter row cropping rather than placing the seed on row.
• There were no differences in either barley or ryegrass numbers at the start of the cropping season or in crop.

• There were no differences in wheat yield at Minnipa in response to stubble architecture, seeding position and nitrogen treatments in 2015.
• In 2015 plant establishment was reduced with cultivation and the addition of nitrogen at seeding compared to standing stubble cut low at harvest. The extra nitrogen applied at seeding also reduced the early dry matter.
• Removing and cutting stubble low decreased the Yellow Leaf Spot disease incidence and snail numbers compared to high cut stubble.
• Stubble management and seeding position had little effect on grass weed numbers.
• Overall at Minnipa, stubble management and seeding position have not impacted highly on crop production, weeds, disease and pests over two years with relatively high stubble loads in low rainfall farming systems.

• Barley sown into standing stubble yielded higher (between 0.15-0.33 t/ha) than cultivated or removed stubble in 2016.
• Standing stubble cut low (15-17 cm) resulted in the highest level of stubble being maintained into the following season.
• Maintaining standing stubbles may be the best option for yield and stubble carry over, but adequate nitrogen must be maintained.
• In 2014 and 2015 stubble management and seeding position did not impact strongly on weeds, disease or pests with relatively high stubble loads in a low rainfall farming system at Minnipa.

Adequate crop nutrition following summer crop is essential for optimised winter grain yield. Soils moisture was not limiting this season, therefore wheat responses were driven by crop nutrition.

Early termination of vetch resulted in higher soil N and soil water at sowing the following year compared with later termination timings of vetch. Wheat yield in the year following vetch was highest for the earlier termination timings of the vetch. Brown manure vetch had higher soil N and soil water compared to vetch taken through to harvest.

• In general for the bulk of the paddock in the wetter 2011 season there was little obvious difference in establishment between the knife point and winged point with paired rows seeder. However there were a several water repellent patches where establishment was poor for the knife point seeder but was much improved for the winged point-paired row seeder.
• Plant counts in these areas revealed that establishment was more than doubled from <100 plants/m2 to >200 plants/m2 through use of the winged point-paired row system in both the sandy gravel and pale deep sand soil types
• The advantage of improved furrow sowing as a tool to manage water repellent soils is it can be applied over all the repellent cropping areas, potentially for relatively low cost if only points and press wheels need changing on an existing seeder.
• For further results please see the attached trial report.

• Large range of cocksfoot cultivars trialled at three sites: Vivonne Bay, Parndana and Stokes Bay.
• Trials will be rotationally grazed .
• Persistence and productivity will be monitored over several years, subject to further funding.

• Modern wheat varieties have a higher demand for nitrogen and agronomic practices need to take this into account.
• The most critical period for setting grain yield potential is between stem elongation (GS31) and flowering.
• Current varieties are well beyond the potential 20kg grain/ha per mm water benchmark. This needs to be updated to 24kg grain/ha per mm water.

• Fathom barley was more competitive than Hindmarsh barley, bread wheat and durum.
• Increasing seeding rate and seed bed utilisation improved crop weed competition (by up to 60%) without a yield penalty or quality downgrading.
• Tjilkuri and Mace sown at 300 seeds/m2 with a spreader boot achieved similar ARG suppression as Fathom barley sown at 150 seeds/m2 .
• Pre-emergent herbicide application offered the best control of ARG in this trial across all varieties and agronomic management factors. 
• Non chemical strategies can significantly enhance crop’s competitive ability with weeds and should be integrated with herbicide use.

Yield variability across the 22 focus paddocks in the project was moderate to very high. Yield variation needs to be managed to minimise the significant economic losses experienced in low performing parts of a paddock. We found very good correlations between soil EM38 maps, satellite imagery of crop vigour and crop yield at harvest. Utilising our knowledge of how the crops grew this season together with the precision farming tools available we will develop management plans in each of the focus paddocks to improve water use, yield and economic return.

• Profitability and risk are driven largely by a combination of soil type, associated enterprise mix, level of debt, machinery investment and land purchases.
• There is not best best farming system. Successful farming depends on factors within each system such as labour, soil type, rainfall and skills.

• No measured improvement in phosphorus uptake through low seed bed utilisation systems.

Please refer to attached trial report for results and discussion.

• The paddock contained a population of effective rhizobia and so the number of nodules on lateral and taproots was not affected by the addition of different rhizobial inoculants.
• Improved soil nutrition did not affect dry matter production and nodulation.
• Grazing (simulated) reduced the total dry matter produced by the medic pasture, however the use of sheep would provide a more realistic assessment of grazing on DM production, nodulation and N2-fixation.

• Nitrogen offtake in grain was higher with mid-row banding urea than urea broadcast and incorporated by sowing for both BeckomA nd LongReach SpitfireA at the 80, 120 and 160 rates of N application.
• Apparent fertiliser recovery in grain was also higher from mid-row banding urea than from urea broadcast and incorporated by sowing in five of the possible eight treatment comparisons.
• Soils cored at stem elongation from the mid-row banding treatment showed higher ammonium levels in the top 20 cm and lower nitrate concentration at 60–100 cm than urea broadcast and incorporated by sowing.
• Roots proliferated around and below the original mid-row banding. These results indicate potential for mid-row banding to improve N use efficiency.

• Varieties in this trial did not show a response to extra applied nitrogen at this site which was in pasture for the previous 3 years. Possible reasons are low rainfall and plants being water limited and/or sufficient background levels of nitrogen available for the crop in this soil type. 
• In this season results showed a benefit in seeding early, providing greater growing season and therefore yield benefit, averaging 210 kg/ha higher. 

• Most legumes favour pHCa > 5.0 to a depth of at least 20 cm; acidic layers below 5 cm adversely affect root growth, nodulation, plant vigour and N2 fixation potential of acid-sensitive pulses.
• Ineffective incorporation of lime under minimum tillage systems confines the lime effect to the shallow surface layers (0-5 cm).
• An ‘acid throttle’ located between 5 to 20 cm in the soil profile is not detected using soil samples collected at standard depths of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, finer sampling at 5 cm intervals is recommended to detect acidic layers.
• Apply and incorporate adequate rates of fine grade, high quality lime at least 12 months before sowing acid-sensitive species to allow time for the lime to react and increase pH to the depth of incorporation.

• Surface application of organic matter significantly increased early growth of wheat and canola, but not lentils at Birchip.
• At anthesis, no difference existed between treatments for wheat and at maturity, conventionally sown crops out yielded all other treatments.

Surface application of organic matter significantly increased early growth of wheat and canola, but not lentils at Birchip. At anthesis, no difference existed between treatments for wheat and at maturity, conventionally sown crops out yielded all other treatments.

• With the current climate trending to decreased seasonal rainfall, each 1% increase in productivity is important.
• Increases in productivity can come from increased yield, more efficient application of inputs, or more timely grain marketing.
• Knowledge on the soil water holding properties, the time when the crop is taking up the most water from the soil and the current yield estimation models allows growers to market grain with more confidence pre harvest.
• Tools such as Yield Prophet, iPaddock Yield, soil moisture Probes and water use efficiency models are all very useful in assisting to predict grain yields with a relatively high level of confidence when accurately set up.
• In this project “iPaddock Yield” provided the greatest level of accuracy in predicting final grain yield on July 31st 2015. The simple French & Shultz “Broken Stick” model was very close to the accuracy of the ipaddock Yield at 77% & 74% accuracy.
• When there is confidence in the early to mid-season yield prediction combined with accurate soil Nitrogen testing and modeling, there is a greater chance of maximizing profits from applied nitrogen.

• The highest recorded water use efficiency (WUE) was observed at Spalding where 26.6 kg of wheat was produced per hectare for every mm of growing season rainfall.
• Growing season rainfall was below average meaning that stored summer soil moisture was very valuable in 2011.
• The WUE at Hart has been 14 kg/mm/ha or 70% calculated since 2001.

• The highest recorded water use efficiency (WUE) was observed at Spalding where 26.6 kg of wheat was produced per hectare for every mm of growing season rainfall.
• Growing season rainfall was below average meaning that stored summer soil moisture was very valuable in 2011.
• The WUE at Hart has been 14 kg/mm/ha or 70% calculated since 2001.

• At three out of the 4 sites gladius wheat sown onto a pea crop background from 2011 produced the best grain yields.
• At Condowie wheat on barley (2.54t/ha average) was always better than wheat on wheat (2.10t/ha average), regardless of extra nitrogen.

• The addition of a straw layer acted to reduce evaporation and significantly increased grain yields and water use efficiency in 2012, at 4 field sites.
• Soil evaporation also decreased with increasing light interception from larger crop canopies.

• The addition of a straw layer acted to reduce evaporation and significantly increased grain yields and water use efficiency in 2010 and 2011 at 3 field sites.
• Soil evaporation also decreased with increasing light interception from larger crop canopies.

The highest recorded WUE was observed at Spalding where 18.3 kg of wheat was produced per hectare for every mm of growing season rainfall.

• The best WUE for 2008 occured at the Tarlee site for barley, 28.5kg/mm/ha or 141%.
• Frost in August and October reduced WUE at Spalding.

• The best WUE for 2008 occured at the Tarlee site for barley, 28.5kg/mm/ha or 141%.
• Frost in August and October reduced WUE at Spalding.

• The best WUE for 2008 occured at the Tarlee site for barley, 28.5kg/mm/ha or 141%.
• Frost in August and October reduced WUE at Spalding.

• The best WUE for 2008 occured at the Tarlee site for barley, 28.5kg/mm/ha or 141%.
• Frost in August and October reduced WUE at Spalding.

WUE was generally low at the 4 sites in 2009, ranging from 9.1 kg wheat/mm/ha at Tarlee to 12.2 kg wheat/mm/ha at Spalding.

• As a result of very poor seasonal conditions, there was no response to nitrogen applied to Yitpi wheat at either Rupanyup or Hopetoun in 2006, despite very low soil nitrogen levels.
• Delaying nitrogen application until after the end of tillering can allow a more accurate assessment of seasonal conditions to be made and money to be spent on nitrogen only if a response is likely.

• Electromagnetic (EM) zoning was strongly related to differences in pH at 10–30cm depth in two out of three paddocks.
• All three paddocks showed variability in chemical properties, with the EM zoning showing good separation of chemical properties between zones. This provides confidence that the zoning was suitable.
• Variability in plant growth needs to be examined ‘holistically’ rather than just focussing on one variable. While a paddock may show variation in plant available water (PAW), it may be that sodicity or subsoil acidity is the key limiter in plant performance, not water availability per se.
• Existing precision agriculture (PA) datasets, in conjunction with selected chemistry sampling, can be used to indicate relative change in PAW across paddocks, but not the actual volume of water storage.

There was a small discernable response in early season biomass to N applied at seeding at the sampling on 29 August August.

• Yield differences between soil types were less than seen in previous seasons on this paddock.
• Yield responded to an extra 25kg/ha N at sowing on the deep yellow sand over gravel and shallow gravel yielded around 2.5t/ha.

• Yield differences between soil types were less than seen in previous seasons on this paddock, although they did yield in expected order.
• Starting nitrogen levels were quite high (>100kg N/ha) due to previous crop history.
• Overall with the better responses to applied N being achieved on the better soils or where there was plenty of starting soil nitrogen, this experiment has given encouragement to the idea of managing soil types (or management zones) differentially for N.

For a discussion of results and take home messages from this trial please see the attached trial report.

For a full list of results of plant measurements, application of nitrogen treatments, yield, protein and quality data please see the attached trial report.

These experiments provide a framework to allow growers in the Wimmera and Southern Mallee to use soil tests for nitrate N, organic carbon, and soil water to determine firstly, their yield potential, and secondly, whether there is a need for nitrogen fertiliser to achieve that potential.

• EM38 successfully mapped differences in soil water properties across the paddock.
• Positive response to fertiliser in wheat on wheat and higher yielding season.
• Barley yield decreased with increasing rates of nitrogen and phosphorus fertiliser.

• EM38 successfully mapped differences in soil water properties across the paddock.
• There were no significant yield increases from increased fertiliser.
• Reducing fertiliser on heavy soils had no negative impact on yield.

The main agronomic issues to be assessed in 2012 are:

• Targeting of seeding and post seeding nitrogen applications in line with identified changes in soil water characteristics ie changes in the ‘bucket’
• Assessment of gypsum applications over soil zones identified as having variations in sodicity levels. A trial has already been implemented which will allow economic assessment for several years.
• Sound agronomic and economic phosphorus fertiliser management in line with changes in productive capacity of soil zones and responsiveness of soil types to phosphorus applications.

• The goal of achieving a 10% increase in water use efficiency appears to have been achieved quite comfortably as evidenced by the entry and exit survey results.
• Farmers in the Upper North district have madesubstantial gains in knowledge, skills and practice change to increase their water use efficiency.

• To justify the use of late-applied nitrogen(N), a premium for H2 wheat (almost $60/t over ASW) was required in 2011.
• UAN still increased protein despite rainfall 15 days after application.
• 2011 highlighted the need to apply N during tillering to promote biomass and encouraging greater yield potential.

• The rotation with canola as a single break crop (canola– wheat–wheat rotation) had the highest average gross margin ($529/year) across three years.
• The profit/cost ratio was the highest when canola was used as a single break crop (2:8) and the lowest for all brown manure treatments as well as continuous cereal without nitrogen input.