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Yield benefits of N fertilisers for wheat on Red Loam soils
20.06.2007
Nitrogen, fertiliser, profit, fertiliser rates, Western Farming Systems, red loam
Yield and protein increases due to N fertilisers are less certain in the western region due to low and variable rainfall and consequent variability in soil moisture supply and crop demand for N.
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Comparison of Winter Crop Rotations
20.06.2007
winter crop, rotation, fertiliser, chickpea, faba bean, canola, wheat, barley, profit, gross margin, Western Farming Systems, Nindigully
As part of the Western Farming Systems Project, a farming systems trial has been carried out on David and Liz Hill's property "Dunkerry South" at Nindigully near St George since 1996.
The aims of the trial are to assess the effect of contrasting crop/crop and pasture/crop strategies on sustainable and profitable farming systems in the less than 600 millimetre, sub-tropical rainfall zone, and to involve growers and agribusiness in target setting, decision making and management of the trial.
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Comparisons of Conventional and Zero Tillage, 1996-1999
20.06.2007
Zero tillage, conventional tillage, red earth, grey clay, grain yield
When the Western Farming Systems Project commenced in 1995, growers in the St George area were keen to see if zero tillage resulted in the benefits of improved soil water storage and grain yield that had been reported from other areas. There was also interest in looking at various strategies for fallow weed control under zero tillage, such as use of residual or knockdown herbicides or sheep grazing.
A number of large-scale, on-farm research trials were carried out from 1995/96 to 1997/98 seasons. These trials compared conventional (mechanical cultivation) and zero tillage systems, using commercial machinery to cultivate, spray, plant and harvest crops. Ten such trials were held during the three seasons.
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Spray mixing for better weed control
29.01.2007
Barley, annual ryegrass, herbicide resistance, Mullewa, Mingenew, Dual Gold
Ryegrass control with Dual Gold was disappointing, probably due to dry conditions;
Barley demonstrated good tolerance to a range of herbicide mixtures; and,
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Timing of lentil harvest
29.01.2007
Lentil, harvest management, desiccate, East Mingenew
Delaying harvest from October 10, when the lentils did still have a tinge of green until October 23, when all plants had completely dried down resulted in a 44% yield loss. Lentils should be harvested early, when about 10% of the crop still has a tinge of green to avoid large yield losses. Desiccation will allow you to harvest earlier, particularly in paddocks that are ripening unevenly.
Lentils mature early compared to cereals and weeds giving the opportunity of desiccation to reduce seed set of late germinating weeds and early harvest so as not to interfere with the cereal program.
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Agronomy for wide row lupins
29.01.2007
Lupins, grain yield, row spacing, Mingenew Irwin Group, WANTFA, Mingenew, Meckering, Dongara
Seeding rate did not significantly affect grain yield
Going to 1m row spacing reduced yield significantly
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New field peas put to the test (Mullewa, WA)
29.01.2007
Field pea, variety, Helena, Parafield, Dunwa, Mullewa
The three new varieties of field pea, Parafield, Helena and Dunwa have consistently out-yielded Dundale by over 15 per cent and growers should be moving towards these varieties.
In the low rainfall zone, Helena has yielded the highest of all varieties.
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Do wide rows drought-proof lupins on a heavy red loam?
29.01.2007
Lupin, row spacing, irrigation
The small response to row spacing and large response to irrigation treatment indicates that terminal drought stress was the limiting factor for all row spacing treatments and under both moisture regimes. Wide row treatments did not alleviate terminal drought through water rationing enough to increase yield irrespective of sub-soil moisture levels at seeding.
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Do wide rows drought-proof lupins on light sandy loam?
29.01.2007
Lupins, wide row-spacings, sandy loam, Mullewa, Quilinock, Belara
Irrigation of 100 mm in March resulted in a yield increase from 771 kg/ha to 1372 kg/ha.
In this very dry year with a dry finish 50 cm row-spacing was a good compromise between early vigour, setting up high yield potential, and retaining stored soil moisture for grain fill.
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Deep ripping and deep P placement from tramlines
29.01.2007
Deep ripping, tramlines, phosphorus placement, compaction, Mullewa
Gross margins may increase by more than $100/ha by deep ripping and deep banding P fertiliser on sand with low subsoil P in a dry season, with wheat prices such as 2002, when tramlines are used to minimize recompaction.
600 mm tine spacing for ripping and P placement to 300 mm showed little improved P uptake or yield, compared to deep ripping at 300 mm tine spacing and banding. Perhaps the 600 mm wide ripping was too wide to nourish the crop on 300 mm row spacing.
