trials

To evaluate fertiliser input strategies for pulse crops growing on unripped and ripped soils

The aim of the focus paddock was to see if deep ripping could increase plant avaliable water by removing any compaction and allowing roots to access stored moisture deeper into the soil profile.

This was the second year in a three-year project that is focusing on building resilient farm businesses and strengthening farm decision making.

to explore how biological approaches to restoring soil health and holistic grazing practices lead to improved soil health, increased soil carbon, increased soil water holding capacity, improved plant health, improved production, increased on farm diversity and a reduced need for synthetic inputs.

To evaluate the legacy effects of deep ripping on the growth and yield of lentils grown on Mallee sands.

To assess lentil production under constrained soils and conditions

To evaluate the relative response of pulse crops to deep ripping sand Mallee soils

Farmers usually collect top-soil (0-10cm) samples when determining if they need to lime, but soil pH can be quite variable down the soil profile. Will a single sampling depth show up this inherent variability?

To evaluate the impact of crop type and stubble amount on fallow water efficiency.

To support grower groups to identify and demonstrate the establishment and management of suitable multi species cover crops across a range of environments and assess the impacts of cover cropping on soil health, nutrient cycling, organic carbon, invertebrate populations and soil moisture.

Ten paired monitoring sites were selected to measure soil carbon to 50 cm at strategic locations across the Island with consideration of rainfall, soil type and land use (perennial pasture and continuous no-till stubble retention cropping) compared to annual pasture. Common soil carbon tests were analysed to establish guides for the soils in the region.

Ten paired monitoring sites were selected across the Island with consideration of rainfall, soil type and land use (perennial pasture (Kikuyu) and continuous no-till stubble retention cropping) compared to annual pasture (clover and annual grasses). Soil pH was monitored down to 50 cm.

This research aims to determine in which situations extra fertilisation can bring benefits to growers in 14 different Eyre Peninsula (EP) environments.

Every season, growers need to make choices over limited resources in order to optimise their profitability. Soil type and water represent two of the key limiting resources which define the grain yield potential of a paddock. The unpredictability of growing season rainfall patterns restricts in-season fertiliser applications for EP growers, due to the associated high economic risks. As a risk management strategy, growers often apply lower rates of nutrients than required to achieve the water limiting yield potential (Sadras and Roget 2004, Monjardino et al. 2013). Therefore, less than optimum nutrient rates are applied in many instances, and maximum grain yield gains are not reached on occasions where opportunities have existed. Understanding soil water and nutrient dynamics can be useful to determine when in-season extra fertiliser applications are worth the investment in EP dryland farming systems.

This study used a subset of the Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation (EPARF) soil moisture probe network locations to benchmark the water limited yield potential and determine the achievable grain yield of cereals crops across major soil types of EP.

On the upper Eyre Peninsula (UEP), highly calcareous soils constitute a high proportion (more than 1 million hectares) of soils used for agricultural production (Bertrand et al. 2000, Bertrand et al. 2003). The website ‘Yield Gap Australia’ (http://yieldgapaustralia.com.au/maps/) identifies that the average grain yield on Western Eyre Peninsula (WEP) and UEP is between 41 and 45% of the water limited yield potential (1.5 t/ha for WEP and 1.8 t/ha for UEP). Closing the grain yield gap for wheat on UEP presents a challenge to growers, particularly on highly calcareous soils where nutrient deficiencies are common (Holloway et al. 2001). The production of insoluble minerals through the interaction of soil calcium carbonate with soluble nutrients such as phosphorous and trace elements (Holloway et al. 2001), combined with low soil moisture conditions prevents these nutrients from being readily available to the plant (Lombi et al. 2004). Holloway et al. (1999-2003) demonstrated the possibility of providing phosphorus (P) to the plant in an available form by applying fluid P fertilisers instead of granular fertilisers at seeding.

The majority of landholders in Australia, including the western and upper Eyre Peninsula currently use granular fertilisers which require good soil moisture conditions to enable uptake of nutrients by crops. Growers and advisors have noted that highly calcareous top soils dry out quickly after rainfall events, which may contribute to poor water use and nutrient extraction efficiency, and may also be a reason why diseases such as Rhizoctonia solani have greater impact in these soils. In addition, as a risk management strategy, growers often apply lower rates of nutrients than required to achieve the water limiting yield potential (Sadras and Roget 2004, Monjardino et al. 2013). A better understanding of soil moisture, root disease and factors which influence nutrient availability and the efficacy of fertilisers are needed to increase the water limited yield potential of the highly calcareous soils (McLaughlin et al. 2013).

Field trials were conducted in 2019 to investigate these factors on the nutrition of wheat on highly calcareous soils.

Part 1: Medic cultivars were grown in soil with high boron levels in a glasshouse, leaf damage symptoms recorded and cultivars allocated to different tolerance groups (Howie 2012). 

Part 2: The above identified that all spineless burr medic cultivars are susceptible to high boron levels. Screening wild accessions (supplied by the Australian Pasture Genebank) identified a burr medic accession with boron tolerance and vigorous growth. The boron tolerant accession was crossed with current spineless burr medic cultivars Scimitar and Cavalier. F2 plants with high early vigour were selected and a molecular marker used to identify homozygous boron tolerant plants. A single seed descent breeding method using speed breeding was used to obtain uniform lines. Lines were seed increased at Waite in 2018 and lines with the highest agronomic performance selected for 2019 field evaluation trials. A cohort of 16 boron tolerant lines along with their  parents and barrel medic cultivars that differ in boron tolerance, were sown at Roseworthy and Minnipa. The trials were managed as best practice first year annual medics to maximise dry matter and seed production. Best practice consists of a high sowing rate (10 kg/ha), controlling broadleaf and grass weeds, monitoring and controlling insects and no grazing. Dry matter production was  assessed and pods collected. Seed yield will be determined by April 2020.

Legume pastures have been pivotal to sustainable agricultural development in southern Australia. They provide highly nutritious feed for livestock, act as a disease break for many cereal root pathogens, improve fertility through nitrogen (N) fixation and mixed farming reduces economic risk. Despite these benefits, pasture renovation rates remain low and there is opportunity to improve the quality of the pasture base on many low to medium rainfall mixed farms across southern Australia. A diverse range of pasture legume cultivars are currently available to growers and new material is being developed. Some of these legumes, such as the annual medics, are well adapted to alkaline soils and have high levels of hard seed, which allow them to self-regenerate from
soil seed reserves after cropping (ley farming system). Other legume cultivars and species are available and being developed that
offer improved seed harvestability, are claimed to be better suited to establishment when dry sown and/or provide better nutrition for
livestock. Regional evaluation is being undertaken to determine if they are productive and able to persist in drier areas (<400 mm
annual rainfall) and on Mallee soil types common to the mixed farming zone of southern Australia.

To promote early vigour to improve biomass and yield partitioning in faba bean.

To evaluate the effects of timing of potassium application on growth and vigor of faba bean.

To evaluate the impact of crop type and planting density on subsequent fallow efficiency.

From 2019 to 2021 Agriculture Kangaroo Island (AgKI) received funding and support from the Australian Government National Landcare Program, ‘Smart Farms Small Grants’ (through the KI Landscape Board) and PIRSA, to assist landholders to undertake soil testing on their properties and provide interpretation of soil test results.

To evaluate effects of soil amendments on yields of pulses grown in nutrient deficient soils

To evaluate agronomic strategies to overcome constrained soils where lentil is grown in high intensity production zones of the Yorke Peninsula.

To investigate the response of lentil to application of microbial inoculants and micro and macro nutrients across a sandhill and swale soil at Ouyen and a sandy loam at Curyo.

A three-year research trial aims to investigate the impact of precision lime application rate, placement and product on cropping land and will evaluate cost effective ways to ameliorate subsoil acidity.

To determine if a soil wetter, such as SE14, improves plant establishment in years with a dry start.

To compare the performance of a range of pulse varieties and sowing dates in two contrasting soil types in North Central Victoria.

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 determine the effects of machinery trafficking on soil properties and crop performance on a deep sand in the LRZ of south-eastern Australia.

1. To survey growers in the Geraldton port zone to understand why and how they are cross working.
2. To assess the effect of cross seeding and cross ripping on crop production compared to normal working at two demonstration sites.

To evaluate the impact of soil disturbance on soil water capture and subsequent crop production.

To provide grain growers across the south east (SE) region with access to real-time soil moisture data through a website that pulls together information from the existing MacKillop Farm Management Group (MFMG) network and the South East Natural Resource Management (SENRM) weather station network.
 

To evaluate the impact of soil levelling on pre-emergent control of wild oats in chickpea.

To evaluate the impact of soil levelling on pre-emergent control of wild oats in chickpea.

This project aims to establish 4 demonstration sites in the Esperance Port Zone that are used by growers to increase their knowledge and adoption of deep ripping and controlled traffic farming to alleviate non-wetting soils, compaction and waterlogging on different soil types in the port zone to improve crop production.

To do so the project will measure the grain yield and gross margin outcome of each soil ameliorant treatment at each site.

This project will demonstrate to growers the most profitable tyned seeding system for improved cereal crop establishment on medium to heavy textured soils in the eastern wheatbelt. This will be achieved by establishing a trial site to assess a range of furrow closing options (4) and down force pressures (2) over two years to account for varying seasonal conditions. The results will be compared to standard practice of growers within the region.

To answer the questions:

• Are our soils acidifying at depth, and if so, will this impact on crop and pasture growth?
• What happens when we just apply lime to the top soil?
• Do we need to be re-thinking our liming program?

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.

The objective of the project was to work with landholders in the region to increase their capacity and knowledge to productively and sustainably manage their soil by developing a snapshot of the extent of acidity on their properties.

To assess the impact of deep ripping and spading on crop yield across three different soil types near Quairading, WA.

To assess the impact of deep ripping on crop yield in a gravelly loam soil type near Muradup, WA.

To assess the impact of deep ripping on crop yield across varying sites on a farm near Nyabing, WA.

To assess the impact of deep ripping on crop yield in different soil types and production zones near Beverley, WA.

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.

To assess the impact of deep ripping on barley and canola yield on sand over gravel and deep sand soil types in the South Stirling area of WA.

To assess the impact of deep ripping on wheat yield in a sand over gravel soil type near Northam, WA.

To investigate deep ripping over several sites and seasons .

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 report on Simon Veitch's liming program.