Loxton SA trials

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Trial Contributor
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Year Trial site
Adopting profitable crop sequences in the South Australian Mallee
  • Trials were implemented to compare break crop productivity and profitability on major soil types in the northern South Australian Mallee. This information will help farmers in the region to select the most appropriate break crop for their farming system.
Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
SAGIT
2016 Loxton SA
Research organisaton
Comparing break crop performance in the SA Mallee

Trials were implemented to compare break crop productivity and profitability on major soil types in the northern South Australian Mallee. This information will help farmers in this region to select the most appropriate break crop for their farming system.

Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
SAGIT
2015 Loxton SA
Research organisaton
Managing nutrition in sandy soils to close the yield gap

Sandy soil types of the Northern Mallee often underperform despite good weed management and increased inputs of nitrogen and sulphur. There is still a yield gap that can be addressed, with anecdotal evidence of unused water commonly remaining in the soil at depths of approximately 60cm at harvest. In 2014 we set in place a diagnostic procedure to attempt to identify the production limitations on a poor-performing dune at the MSF site near Loxton. Characterisation of the plant available water capacity allowed us to calculate water use efficiency which suggested that the 2014 plots were operating well below industry benchmarks. Penetration resistance was measured to be greater than the threshold predicted to impede root exploration at 20-45 cm depth, suggesting that compaction might be limiting yield. Replicated harvest test strips on and off of wheel tracks measured at three locations in 2014 showed a significant effect of the wheel track compaction at one location only. The site is alkaline sand and pre-sowing soil tests in 2014 indicated relatively low soil test values for sulphur (S) and zinc (Zn). In-season tissue tests indicated marginal status for nitrogen (N), Zn and copper (Cu) and test strips with additional N showed a positive response. The likely primary limitations to production identified were compaction and nutrition.

Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
CSIRO GRDC
2015 Loxton SA
Research organisaton
Managing nutrition on sandy soils – yield gains from Zn and N

Sandy soil types of the Northern Mallee often underperform despite good weed management and increased inputs of nitrogen and sulfur. There is still a yield gap that can be addressed, with anecdotal evidence of unused water commonly remaining in the soil at depths of approximately 60cm at harvest.
After several years of demonstrating the value to wheat production of increased nitrogen inputs on sands at Karoonda, it was time to explore nutrition packages at a broader set of Mallee sites.

Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
GRDC
2016 Loxton SA
Research organisaton
Managing nutrition on sandy soils - nitrogen timing x rate

Sandy soil types of the Northern Mallee often underperform despite good weed management and increased inputs of nitrogen and sulfur. There is still a yield gap that can be addressed, with anecdotal evidence of unused water commonly remaining in the soil at depths of approximately 60cm at harvest.
After several years of demonstrating the value to wheat production of increased nitrogen inputs on sands at Karoonda, it was time to explore nutrition packages at a broader set of Mallee sites.

Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
2016 Loxton SA
Research organisaton
Sowing strategies to improve productivity on sandy mallee soils

Trials in the Mallee have highlighted the benefits of strong early crop establishment and nutrition, particularly on sands. Non-wetting (or water repellent) sands have presented additional challenges. Global Positional System (GPS) guided seeding is increasingly common and presents the opportunity for strategic placement of seed in relation to last season’s crop rows. Trials have been established at Karoonda and Loxton to examine when and where on-row (or near-on-row) seeding may have benefits over inter-row seeding in stubble-retained systems.

Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
CSIRO GRDC
2015 Loxton SA
Research organisaton