trials

To provide growers and advisers with a better understanding of the benefits of deep ripping and in particular depth of deep ripping required to optimise crop yield and profit.

To provide growers and advisers with a better understanding of the benefits of deep ripping and in particular depth of deep ripping required to optimise crop yield and profit.

Trials and demonstrations involving soil mixing either with a spader or ripping with inclusion plates have been shown to increase yields on sandy soils on Eyre Peninsula (EP). Many of these trials have included the addition of organic material incorporated at rates of 5-10 t/ha. Whilst generally these treatments have provided yield increases for a number of years post application, the rates applied have proven to be uneconomic (EPFS 2019, p 71). This project was originally developed by the Lower Eyre Ag
Development Association (LEADA) with two major objectives being:
1. To test ripping with inclusion plates on a wider range of soils.
2. To trial rates and sources of organic matter that are practical for broadacre use.

Why do the trial? 
There are around 5 million hectares of sandy soils under agricultural production in the low to medium rainfall areas of south-eastern Australia. These soils have multiple constraints limiting production including water repellence, soil acidity, compaction and low organic carbon levels leading to poor biological cycling and nitrogen mineralisation. Estimates of the yield gap (the difference between water limiting potential and average actual crop yield) are between 1.8 and 2.1 t/ha on Upper Eyre Peninsula and as much as 2.3 t/ha on Lower Eyre Peninsula (http://yieldgapaustralia.com .au/ maps/). 
In 2016, GRDC invested in a research program to help grain growers identify and overcome the primary constraints to poor crop water-use on sandy soils in the low-medium rainfall environment (CSP00203). The 'Sands Impacts' component of this project enables grower groups to test outcomes from the research component by applying targeted mitigation and amelioration interventions to overcome production constraints. 

To investigate the potential of using a modified delving operation, which rips the clay and allows topsoil/gravel to fall back into the clay slot, to create a subsurface drainage line through the clay and reduce waterlogging.

To answer the question: can you affod to lime?

To look at grinding our local limesands to see if it made them more effective.

To determine how quickly our lime-sands work.

To test the impact of adding gypsum, lime or fertilisers to the subsoil.

To test the impact of adding gypsum, lime or fertilisers to the subsoil of a profile typical for the Vivonne Bay environment but in a situation which usually gets very wet, and is designed to run for at least two years.

• To look at the effectiveness of placing lime at depth.

• To test a new product on the market - liquid lime - which is being advertised as being faster and more effective than bulk lime.

To investigate a new product on the market - liquid lime- that is being advertised as being faster and more effective than bulk lime.

The mapping of soil pH and nutrients across a paddock enables landholders to accurately determine application rates of lime and fertiliser. This can reduce the need for blanket applications, which are both time-consuming and expensive.

• To monitor changes in soil pH under farmland on Kangaroo Island.

• To investigate soil acidity in Kangaroo Island soils.

To assess the effectiveness of a range of soil ameliorants.

• To test the ability of a range of drainage treatments to improve crop yields in soil prone to waterlogging.

• To test the ability of a range of drainage treatments to improve crop yields in soil prone to waterlogging.

To assess the impact of deep ripping on crop yield over a two year period in the To assess the impact of deep ripping on crop yield over a two year period in the eastern wheatbelt

To compare and showcase a range of strategic tillage options for amelioration of shallow sandy duplex soils (Sand over clay/gravel) and to assess their effectiveness at overcoming a range of soil constraints including topsoil water repellence and Compaction and increasing crop productivity over a period of 4-5 years.

Soil compaction affects soil aeration and gas diffusivity, and thus has a major impact on the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from fertilised soils. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) systems reduce the area of compacted soil by confining all field traffic to permanent traffic lanes, and a pilot trial at one long-term CTF site provided evidence of reduced soil emissions. We investigated the effect of CTF on soil emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) using replicate manual chamber measurements in 3 traffic treatments;namely:non-trafficked CTF beds, permanent CTF lanes,and a single traffic pass on CTF beds to simulate the random traffic tracks of non-controlled traffic farming. Emissions of N2O and CH 4 were monitored from these treatments in 15 crops over 3 years on 6 grain farms in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

Thus, the major objective was to determine the emissions of N2O and CH4 from random trafficked and permanent traffic lane soil, relative to those from non-trafficked CTF beds. These emission ratios are referred to here as traffic impact factors.
 

To investigate the effect of deep ripping and gypsum on root and plant growth of wheat, canola and lentils.

To investigate the bio-fumigation effects of canola dn mustard varieties on root disease and a number of crop varieties.

To compare soil moisture, soil nitrogen and profitability of five different vetch end-use treatments from 2012, sown to wheat in 2013.

To develop productive and sustainable cropping systems for the alkaline sodic soils in the Wimmera and southern Mallee.

To investigate how to improve the productivity of sodic soils in the Wimmera and southern Mallee.

To test the effects of subsoil remediation on crop water use and yield.

To find more reliable methods to control rhizoctonia.

To report results of a long-term sodicity trial for 1995.

To improve the soil structure of sodic soils using gypsum and tillage techniques.

The aim of this long-term trial is to investigate different soil management options to reduce the negative effect of sub-soil limitations on crop yield.

To establish a farmer scale demonstration site at Nungarin on a Wodjil soil type investigating cheap, cost-effective methodology to effectively incorporate lime to depth which removes the subsurface constraint and provides more immediate returns to growers on their investment.

To report on the Forbes soil amelioration trials.

To report on a long-term soil amelioration trial established at the Gunning Gap CWFS regional site.

To investigate the effects of different soil ameliorants at different rates on sodic soils.

To demonstrate the production and associated economic benefits from ameliorating soil sodicity over the long term.

To demonstrate the production and associated economic benefits from ameliorating soil acidity over the long term.

The trial was designed to investigate a range of techniques that may improve crop establishment and performance on non wetting sandy soils. The techniques tested included mouldboard ploughing, winged knife points, and H2O Lure. The trial also compared the second year affect of mouldboard ploughing to first year response..

• To use farmer scale machinery to evaluate the benefits of adopting zone
management farming on a range of soil types over a three year period;
• To increase the output to input ratio for our farming system; and
• To collaborate with, and add value to research in precision agriculture being
undertaken by CSIRO, the Department.of Agriculture and University of Western
Australia (UWA).

To provide an overview and improve understanding of the range of tillage implements available to growers to incorporate lime, their respective costs and benefits and to assess novel options.

Claying has been undertaken in many areas throughout the zone, and there is quite a bit of expertise on the risks and benefits associated with it within the zone. Cash flow of most farmers in general doesn’t allow the expense of the high rates of clay to occur. However, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that low rates of clay (lower than rates used currently to improve soil structure) will improve the wettability of the soil. By including clay in the trial it is anticipated that the benefits of low rates of clay will show improved wettability. Other opportunities for the zone appear to be mitigation of non-wetting – including on-row seeding. This would include associated practical risks around seeding such as stubble handling issues and accurate seeding systems.

To measure the effect of deep ripping on depth to free water (waterlogging) and the associated yield response of canola (2018) and wheat (2019) after deep ripping on this soil type.

To determine how long the ripping effect lasts for in a controlled traffic farming (CTF) system and when to repeat the deep ripping on deep sands

• Assess the influence of soil renovation treatments on soil borne diseases.

1. Gain a better understanding of the impact of crop competition on rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) and brome grass (Bromus spp.) quantities and seed set after deep ripping to raise awareness and improve management.
2. Monitor for differences in Pratylenchus neglectus levels between ripped and un-ripped plots throughout the season.

To monitor the long term effects of incorporated lime versus no incorporation.

This trial aims to establish the long-term value of deep ripping on compacted deep south coast sands. It investigates the longevity of the ripping benefit in a fully controlled traffic system (CTF).

This research aims to evaluate the yield and economic benefits of using the Reefinator on ironstone sheet soils in the Lake Grace area.