Soil Properties trials Compaction,Soil Properties,Type

To quantify the main factors limiting grain yield in a water-repellent sandy gravel soil.

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 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 investigate the effect controlled traffic and shallow raised beds has on soil structure and grain yields/quality on a Balliang sandy loam overlying a clay loam. 
 

To test the accuracy of alkaline and acid tests on soil labs.

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.

• To demonstrate effectiveness of controlled traffic in the more traditional high rainfall cropping ares of Western Victoria.
• To compare controlled traffic, raised beds and conventional flat cropping methods.

To examine boosting pulse crop performance on acidic soils.

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

To demonstrate whether current seeder set ups within the region are capable of successfully sowing canola into heavy stubble.

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.

To economically, increase cereal crop yields on poor performing sand rises incorporating chicken manure at sowing in the in cropping paddocks.

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.

The aim of this project is for the Corrigin Farm Improvement Group (CFIG) to identify the best method to increase soil and crop performance in non-wetting soils in the Corrigin area.

This project was funded through the Wheatbelt NRM Sustainable Agriculture Trials and Demonstrations Project during the 2016 season.

This demonstration compared how differing tillage practices, soil wetter applications and seeding depths affected the yield on non-wetting soils.

To engage with growers around topical soil health issues in their regions, and arm them with knowledge of ways that they may be able to improve their soil health and productivity.

To report on crop expansion and improved yields with reduced risk through the development of cheap and effective drainage techniques suitable for south west Victoria.

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

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 compare growth responses of three cereals at low and high levels of zinc and copper.

To monitor crop production and economic outcomes from applying P at nil, replacement, average and twice average rates on both a deep sandy loam and a shallow constrained soil.

This project is being carried out in the Upper South-East region to assess various Decision Support Tools and the role that they can play in improving the uptake of conservation tillage, and more efficient nitrogen management. It aims to look at 2 different “Decision Support Tools”; Yield Prophet – a computer model, and Soil Moisture probes to assess their role in conservation agriculture, and to
better understand what is happening under the soil in minimum till systems.

To determine the benefits of deep ripping and the implications for N fertiliser.

• OBJECTIVE 1: For growers, researchers and advisers to have a better understanding of the costs and benefits of ‘deeper’ deep ripping versus standard deep ripping and in particular depth of deep ripping required to optimise crop yield and profit.
• OBJECTIVE 2: To gain a better understanding of whether the higher cost associated with deeper ripping is matched with a corresponding yield increase taking into account the rainfall zones and the soil type.
• OBJECTIVE 3: Assess how long the benefits of ‘deeper’ deep ripping benefit last in a CTF system.
• OBJECTIVE 4: Enable growers and advisors on behalf of their clients, assess the cost-benefit of undertaking ‘deeper’ deep ripping.

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.

This site was designed to demonstrate the practical implications of implementing Controlled Traffic and
Precision Agriculture practices

To compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Victorian Mallee.

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 develop a method to visualize diffusion of zinc from fertilizers.

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.

This project is primarily about understanding more about the size of the water bucket (Plant Available Water as a crop input),
and how that may impact our management decisions and the final result of our crops for the season.

To evaluate the interaction between seeding systems and pre-emergence herbicides on the establishment of wheat, on two contrasting soil types.

To understand the benefits of soil pH mapping and its interaction with other soil and crop mapsTo compare various layers of information (pH, elevation, EM-38, yield andsatellite imagery) for understanding paddock variability.

To use PA maps to indentify and sample soil zones within a paddock. To investigate soil phosphorus levels in different soil types with a paddock. To see if altering fertiliser rates at sowing has an impact on grain yield.

To compare soil P tests for predicting crop responses on a paddock scale.

Assess the yield of wide (18 inch) versus narrow (9 inch) lupin rows.

To improve the performance of legumes in the Southern Region high rainfall zone.

The Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia project (BFDC) aims to provide the fertiliser industry, agency staff, agribusiness advisors and growers with the knowledge and resources to improve nutrient recommendations for optimising crop production.

• The Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC) has been funded by Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to run a research and extension program (Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems 3 – Responsive Farming Systems) to improve water use efficiency on farms by 10% on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP). This is seen as one of the main ways to improve profit and manage risk for farm businesses.

• To compare new lentil varieties with current commercial varieties as well as current commercial field pea varieties and Kaspa type pea blends on two different soil types.

To explain why some micronutrient fertilisers perform better than others in specific soil types.

To increase our understanding of how relative grain yields in different parts of a paddock in the Mallee region vary year to year (and between crop types) and how these changes are related to soil type and seasonal rainfall.

To show a range of strategies that minimise frost risk.

To test the effect of compacted inter-rows on water harvesting, production and profitability in a low rainfall wheatbelt environment.

This study compared OC and nitrogen (N) stocks at the conclusion of a five-year grazing trial on a fertilised native pasture in south-eastern Australia.

To investigate the effect of fallow management treatments (stubble management and crop nutrition) on canola establishment, crop vigour grain yield in retained stubble systems in the high rainfall zone in the South-East of South Australia.

To improve soil health and sustainable soil management practices in the region.

To improve farmer’s capacity to manage soil health issues by providing information and access to soil management strategies and techniques