trials

To improve lentil establishment, biomass production and yield by soil amelioration and or lime application on Mallee sands

This project aims to establish field sites which demonstrate amelioration techniques that growers can use to address the specific sandy soil constraints for their local landscape type and where in the landscape different tactics are best deployed.  

To investigate non aggressive strategies to mitigate and manage non wetting sandy soils. These strategies include seed row placement, press-wheel design and the use of soil wetters / surfactants.

To investigate if subsoil amelioration can increase faba bean root and shoot growth, nodulation and grain yield in soils with subsurface aciditiy and/or dense sodic subsoil

To determine how productive and profitable high value pulse crops are on soils that have been ameliorated. Paddock scale demonstration. Possibly with small plot demonstrations of weed control options on ameliorated soils. 

To improve lentil establishment, biomass production and yield by soil amelioration on non-wetting Mallee sands

This project aims to establish field sites which demonstrate amelioration techniques that growers can use to address the specific sandy soil constraints for their local landscape type and where in the landscape different tactics are best deployed.  

This investment is designed help build growers’ confidence and address gaps in knowledge relating to the agronomic management of recently ameliorated soils in the upper South East of South Australia. The project will include a three-year series of trials, soil characterisations, pit demonstrations and associated extension activities to:

• improve the agronomic management of ameliorated soils to the newlyestablished yield potential;
• reduce risks related to crop establishment and wind erosion in theamelioration transition phase; and
• improve understanding of soil physical and chemical properties andcharacterisation of PAW, and identification nutrition and soil constraintlimitations in ameliorated soil and how soil settles over the transitionphase.

Six distinct phases of amelioration have been identified through the planning and implementation of soil amelioration as follows:

1. Identification and ranking of constraints phase (byseverity and depth). Also includes selection of constraint specificamelioration strategies;
2. Pre-amelioration site preparation phase;
3. Amelioration implementation phase (large logistical andtime input);
4. Transition phase 1 to 2-year post amelioration , oftencharacterised by soft soil, a large flush of nutrition, acute short-term wind erosion risk, crop seeding difficulties and high cropresponsiveness;
5. New stabilised yield potential where the site has settledand immediate tillage effects on nutrient release havedissipated.
6. Mature phase where yields subside and constraints redevelop.Consideration given to re-amelioration of residual orredeveloped constraints.

This investment is designed to address gaps in grower confidence and knowledge around phases four and five (transition and new stabilised yield potential).

To investigate a range of soil amelioration strategies on the impact of pulse production. 

To explore soil ameriolation strategies for lentil, chickpea and faba bean across the landscape

To demonstrate the potential of pulse crops on soil that was previously only capable of producing lupins.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of liquid surfactants and related application methods at seeding on crop performance on non-wetting soils with differing stubble loads and types in the Albany, Esperance and Kwinana West port zones.

The aim of this trial is to quantify the value of lime applications using different incorporation methods and compare the economic and agronomic returns of each. This trial also includes an application of a rapidly acidifying Elemental Sulphur to demonstrate how soils and crops will perform 10-years into the future if no action is taken to maintain pH levels. The trial also aims to analyse the interactions between each incorporation technique and its effects on ameliorating other crop constraints.

The objective is to give growers a greater understanding of different methods of lime incorporation and the most cost-effective practice locally and to extend on these findings with other research being conducted on varying soil types throughout the state, so that growers can make informed decisions for implementing their own liming strategy.

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.

To investigate the impact of deep ripping and soil amelioration on sodic subsoils

To improve soil health and nitrogen availability through soil amendments and deep ripping

This current experiment investigated the potential of using farm grown crop residues as ameliorants for alkaline dispersive subsoils in the medium rainfall region of southern NSW.

The trial aims to explore management options for non-wetting soils in the Albany port zone.

Conventional methods of managing non-wetting soils involve mechanical disturbance to mix non-wetting particles with wettable particles. This trial explores the best options for placement of wetters, and wetter types for managing non-wetting soils.

Eleven treatments of differing placements and rates, as well as three seed placements were explored and analysed in this trial.

Two market available wetting agents were tested in this trial, SECOA’s SE14 and BASF Devine.

By 2023, growers will have increased the value of the cropping phase in the HRZ farming system by 10% by addressing both crop yield potential and the gap between potential and realised yields.

This trial aims to explore ways to optimise crop production in the HRZ. 
This trial looks at verity types, deep ripping and sowing times as ways to maximise yields in the HRZ. 

This trial aims to assess different treatments and there effectiveness in maximising water limited yield potentials.  

By 2023, growers will have increased the value of the cropping phase in the HRZ farming system by 10% by addressing both crop yield potential and the gap between potential and realised yields.

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

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. 

The aim of this project is to investigate the use of biosolids to overcome subsoil constraints in the high and low rainfall zones in Victorian grain growing regions: in brief,

• investigate whether subsoil physicochemical constraints that limit root growth and reduce water and nutrient-use efficiency can be overcome by using subsoil amelioration with pelletised T1C2 grade biosolids 
• determine whether subsoil amelioration with biosolids will have any adverse effects on plant availability of heavy metals
• investigate whether microbial populations will be impacted from the application of biosolids into the subsoils
• determine whether biosolids as a subsoil ameliorant can have  any impacts on grain quality

To evaluate the impacts of the soil amelioration practices of deep ripping and organic matter inputs on the growth and production of lupin, lentil and chickpea grown on deep sandy soils in the Mallee.

To investigate the response of faba bean to application of lime, macro and micro-nutrients

This paper reports 2019 results from a subsoil amelioration experiment aimed at minimising the yield gap on sodic subsoils by treating them with various organic and inorganic amendments in pelletised form

The aim of this trial is to evaluate and analyse the effect of deep ripping with inclusion plates on moving surface-applied lime into acidic sub-soil of deep sandy duplex. Additionally, this trial tested farm-sourced lime against commercial grade lime. 

To investigate the cost-effectiveness of on-farm lime for ameliorating soil acidity in Kwinana East Port Zone and to validate the iLime application (developed by DPIRD and Desiree Futures with funding from GRDC) by comparing simulations with field trial results.

There are a range of machinery options that can provide different levels of lime incorporation such as spading. However, research to date on rotary spaders has shown soil/amendment mixing is not uniform due to the cyclical process, and the mixing quality reduces significantly at faster speed (Ucgul et al. 2019). This trial aimed to understand how the uniformity of soil-lime mixing by spading affected crop response and soil pH. 

To:

• determine if physical intervention and soil mixing improved grain yield on a sandy soil on eastern EP,
• compare deep ripping with inclusion plates to spading,
• determine if deeper ripping improved results, and
• identify if the addition of fertilisers or organic material (OM) provide additional benefits.

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 assess changes in crop productivity as a result of overcoming the chemical, physical and biological constraints of a sandy soil at Cadgee.
 

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

To evaluate and demonstrate the benefit of soil amelioration across a wider range of soil types that are common to the WA grain growing region.

• 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 investigate the impact of long term controlled traffic.

To investigate water repellence mitigation options at seeding. The trial aims to identify the driving chemistries (surfactants vs humectants) and application techniques (furrow surface, vs seed zone) that are better able to lift crop responses under local sowing conditions. This article reports on the Year 1 data, with more work being planned for the 2019-20 seasons.

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).

• To determine the impact of N and K supply on yield and quality, on ameliorated non-wetting soils in the Geraldton Port Zone.
• To determine the most effective way to apply nutrients (granular, banded, top dressed or liquid) on non-wetting soils after amelioration, in the Geraldton Port Zone.
   

• To quantify the impact of nitrogen and potassium fertiliser on wheat yield and quality, after mouldboard ploughing non-wetting soils in the Geraldton Port Zone.
• To determine the most effective way to apply nutrients (granular, banded, top dressed or liquid) on non-wetting soils after amelioration, in the Geraldton Port Zone.

A range of organic amendments have been tested to assess their effectiveness on ameliorating soil acidity in the field. The crop yield was monitored over three years from 2018 to 2020.

To evaluate the grain yield and economic benefit of soil amelioration and controlled traffic practices on a broader range of soil types across the grain growing region of WA.

This trial aims to increase the knowldege and adpotion of deep ripping techniques and controlled traffic to allieviate non-wetting soils, compaction and waterlogging. 

The trial aimed to look at the long term effects of ripping on crop yields by monitoring crop performance of the treated plots for three seasons post-ripping. 

The trial aims to raise awareness amoung growers around the decline in the effectivness of ripping over time, and the risk of re-compaction if controlled traffic is not properly implmented. 

This article summarises the first four years of crop performance after trafficking was imposed on a red calcareous sandy loam at Minnipa Agricultural Centre (a detailed summary of 2015, 2016 and 2017 results can be found in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summaries, respectively). Three other trials similar in design and monitoring have also been implemented across the LRZ – on a deep sand at Loxton (SA), a brown loam near Swan Hill (Vic) and on a deep red earth at Lake Cargelligo (NSW). All these trials except Swan Hill (land ownership has changed) have been maintained for at least the five years of the project. A new trial was set up in 2018 to investigate the role of CTF on a deep sand which has been ameliorated with deep ripping.

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.

To produce an Endnote-generated txt file database of research on trace elements in cropping systems of south eastern Australia.

A three year deep ripping experiment was conducted on a highly acidic soil to test how effective a range of inorganic soil amendments were to ameliorate subsoil acidity and improve crop growth and yield. A novel product, MgSi (a blend of 70% Doonba dunite and 30% F70 superfine lime), was tested in the field for the first time.

To focus on the impact of trafficking by heavy vehicles on crop production and soil condition, as well as monitoring how quickly LRZ soils will "self-repair" if heavy trafficking is stopped. Issues of implementing CTF and managing permanent wheel tracks are being addressed in other components of the project.