Soil nitrogen—crop response calibration relationships and criteria for winter cereal crops grown in Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bell ◽  
Wayne Strong ◽  
Denis Elliott ◽  
Charlie Walker
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
National Database ◽  
Soil Test ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Available N ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Yield Responses

More than 1200 wheat and 120 barley experiments conducted in Australia to examine yield responses to applied nitrogen (N) fertiliser are contained in a national database of field crops nutrient research (BFDC National Database). The yield responses are accompanied by various pre-plant soil test data to quantify plant-available N and other indicators of soil fertility status or mineralisable N. A web application (BFDC Interrogator), developed to access the database, enables construction of calibrations between relative crop yield ((Y0/Ymax) × 100) and N soil test value. In this paper we report the critical soil test values for 90% RY (CV90) and the associated critical ranges (CR90, defined as the 70% confidence interval around that CV90) derived from analysis of various subsets of these winter cereal experiments. Experimental programs were conducted throughout Australia’s main grain-production regions in different eras, starting from the 1960s in Queensland through to Victoria during 2000s. Improved management practices adopted during the period were reflected in increasing potential yields with research era, increasing from an average Ymax of 2.2 t/ha in Queensland in the 1960s and 1970s, to 3.4 t/ha in South Australia (SA) in the 1980s, to 4.3 t/ha in New South Wales (NSW) in the 1990s, and 4.2 t/ha in Victoria in the 2000s. Various sampling depths (0.1–1.2 m) and methods of quantifying available N (nitrate-N or mineral-N) from pre-planting soil samples were used and provided useful guides to the need for supplementary N. The most regionally consistent relationships were established using nitrate-N (kg/ha) in the top 0.6 m of the soil profile, with regional and seasonal variation in CV90 largely accounted for through impacts on experimental Ymax. The CV90 for nitrate-N within the top 0.6 m of the soil profile for wheat crops increased from 36 to 110 kg nitrate-N/ha as Ymax increased over the range 1 to >5 t/ha. Apparent variation in CV90 with seasonal moisture availability was entirely consistent with impacts on experimental Ymax. Further analyses of wheat trials with available grain protein (~45% of all experiments) established that grain yield and not grain N content was the major driver of crop N demand and CV90. Subsets of data explored the impact of crop management practices such as crop rotation or fallow length on both pre-planting profile mineral-N and CV90. Analyses showed that while management practices influenced profile mineral-N at planting and the likelihood and size of yield response to applied N fertiliser, they had no significant impact on CV90. A level of risk is involved with the use of pre-plant testing to determine the need for supplementary N application in all Australian dryland systems. In southern and western regions, where crop performance is based almost entirely on in-crop rainfall, this risk is offset by the management opportunity to split N applications during crop growth in response to changing crop yield potential. In northern cropping systems, where stored soil moisture at sowing is indicative of minimum yield potential, erratic winter rainfall increases uncertainty about actual yield potential as well as reducing the opportunity for effective in-season applications.

scholarly journals The development and application of functions describing pasture yield responses to phosphorus, potassium and sulfur in Australia using meta-data analysis and derived soil-test calibration relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron J. P. Gourley ◽  
David M. Weaver ◽  
Richard J. Simpson ◽  
Sharon R. Aarons ◽  
Murray M. Hannah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Application Rate ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
National Database ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Soil Test ◽  
Test Interpretation ◽  
Meta Data ◽  
Nutrient Use ◽  
Yield Responses ◽  
Pasture Yield

An improved ability to predict pasture dry matter (DM) yield response to applied phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulfur (S) is a crucial step in determining the production and economic benefits of fertiliser inputs and the environmental benefits associated with efficient nutrient use. The adoption and application of soil testing can make substantial improvements to nutrient use efficiency, but soil test interpretation needs to be based on the best available and most relevant experimental data. This paper reports on the development of improved national and regionally specific soil test–pasture yield response functions and critical soil test P, K and S values for near-maximum growth of improved pastures across Australia. A comprehensive dataset of pasture yield responses to fertiliser applications was collated from field experiments conducted in all improved pasture regions of Australia. The Better Fertiliser Decisions for Pastures (BFDP) database contains data from 3032 experiment sites, 21918 yield response measures and 5548 experiment site years. These data were converted to standard measurement units and compiled within a specifically designed relational database, where the data could be explored and interpreted. Key data included soil and site descriptions, pasture type, fertiliser type and rate, nutrient application rate, DM yield measures and soil test results (i.e. Olsen P, Colwell P, P buffering, Colwell K, Skene K, exchangeable K, CPC S, KCl S). These data were analysed, and quantitative non-linear mixed effects models based upon the Mitscherlich function were developed. Where appropriate, disparate datasets were integrated to derive the most appropriate response relationships for different soil texture and P buffering index classes, as well as interpretation at the regional, state, and national scale. Overall, the fitted models provided a good fit to the large body of data, using readily interpretable coefficients, but were at times limited by patchiness of meta-data and uneven representation of different soil types and regions. The models provided improved predictions of relative pasture yield response to soil nutrient status and can be scaled to absolute yield using a specified maximal yield by the user. Importantly, the response function exhibits diminishing returns, enabling marginal economic analysis and determination of optimum fertiliser application rate to a specific situation. These derived relationships form the basis of national standards for soil test interpretation and fertiliser recommendations for Australian pastures and grazing industries, and are incorporated within the major Australian fertiliser company decision support systems. However, the utility of the national database is limited without a contemporary web-based interface, like that developed for the Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping (BFDC) national database. An integrated approach between the BFDP and the BFDC would facilitate the interrogation of the database by advisors and farmers to generate yield response curves relevant to the region and/or pasture system of interest and provides the capacity to accommodate new data in the future.

Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia (BFDC): knowledge gaps and lessons learnt

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. Conyers ◽  
M. J. Bell ◽  
N. S. Wilhelm ◽  
R. Bell ◽  
R. M. Norton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Critical Concentration ◽  
Relative Yield ◽  
Critical Values ◽  
National Database ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Soil Test ◽  
Critical Range ◽  
Wide Range

Soil testing remains a most valuable tool for assessing the fertiliser requirement of crops. The relationship between soil tests (generally taken from surface soil) and relative yield (RY) response to fertiliser is subject to the influence of environment (e.g. water, temperature) and management (e.g. cultivation, sowing date). As such, the degree of precision is often low when the soil test calibration is based on a wide range of independent experiments on many soil types over many years by many different operators. Hence, the 90% RY target used in soil test interpretation is best described by a critical range (critical concentration and confidence interval) for a given soil test rather than a single critical value. The present Better Fertiliser Decisions for Crops (BFDC) National Database, and the BFDC Interrogator that interacts with the database, provide a great advance over traditional formats and experiment-specific critical values because it allows the use of filters to refine the critical range for specific agronomic conditions. However, as searches become more specific (region, soil type) the quantity of data available to estimate a critical range becomes more vulnerable to data paucity, to outliers, and to clusters of localised experiments. Hence, appropriate training of the users of this database will ensure that the strengths and limitations of the BFDC National Database and BFDC Interrogator are properly understood. Additionally, the lack of standardised metadata for sites within the database makes it generally impossible to isolate the effects on critical values of the specific management or environmental factors listed earlier, which are therefore best determined by specific studies. Finally, the database is dominated (60%) by responses of wheat to nitrogen and phosphorus, meaning that relatively few studies are available for responses by pulses (other than narrow leaf lupins) or oilseeds (other than canola), especially for potassium and sulfur. Moreover, limited data are available for current cropping systems and varieties. However, the identification of these gaps can now be used to focus future research on the crops, nutrients, soils, regions, and management practices where data are lacking. The value of metadata and the need for standardised protocols for nutrition experiments were key lessons.

Genetic improvement of triticale for irrigated systems in south-eastern Australia: a study of genotype and genotype×environment interactions

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Milgate ◽  
Ben Ovenden ◽  
Dante Adorada ◽  
Chris Lisle ◽  
John Lacy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Gain ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Lodging Resistance ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Cereal Breeding ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Efficient Selection

Research into winter cereal breeding in Australia has focused primarily on studying the effects of rainfed environments. These studies typically show large genotype × environment (GE) interactions, and the complexity of these interactions acts as an impediment to the efficient selection of improved varieties. Wheat has been studied extensively; however, there are no published studies on the GE interactions of triticale in Australia under irrigated production systems. We conducted trials on 101 triticale genotypes at two locations over 4 years under intensive irrigated management practices and measured the yield potential, GE interactions, heritability and estimated genetic gain of yield, lodging resistance and several other traits important for breeding triticale. We found that high yield potential exceeding 10 t ha–1 exists in the Australian germplasm tested and that, in these irrigated trials, genotype accounted for a high proportion of the variability in all measured traits. All genetic parameters such as heritability and estimated genetic gain were high compared with rainfed studies. Breeding of triticale with improved yield and lodging resistance for irrigated environments is achievable and can be pursued with confidence in breeding programs.

Determining the fertiliser phosphorus requirements of intensively grazed dairy pastures in south-western Australia with or without adequate nitrogen fertiliser

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 801 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. A. Bolland ◽  
I. F. Guthridge
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Soil Test ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
P Leaching ◽  
The Many ◽  
Yield Responses

Fertiliser phosphorus (P) and, more recently, fertiliser nitrogen (N) are regularly applied to intensively grazed dairy pastures in south-western Australia. However, it is not known if applications of fertiliser N change pasture dry matter (DM) yield responses to applied fertiliser P. In three Western Australian field experiments (2000–04), six levels of P were applied to large plots with or without fertiliser N. The pastures were rotationally grazed. Grazing started when ryegrass plants had 2–3 leaves per tiller. Plots were grazed in common with the lactating dairy herd in the 6-h period between the morning and afternoon milking. A pasture DM yield response to applied N occurred for all harvests in all three experiments. For the two experiments on P deficient soil, pasture DM yield responses also occurred to applications of P. For some harvests when no fertiliser N was applied, probably because mineral N in soil was so small, there was a small, non-significant pasture DM response to applied P and the P × N interaction was highly significant (P < 0.001). However, for most harvests there was a significant pasture DM response to both applied N and P, and the P × N interaction was significant (P < 0.05–0.01), with the response to applied P, and maximum yield plateaus to applied P, being smaller when no N was applied. Despite this, for the significant pasture DM responses to applied P, the level of applied P required to produce 90% of the maximum pasture DM yield was mostly similar with or without applied N. Evidently for P deficient soils in the region, pasture DM responses to applied fertiliser P are smaller or may fail to occur unless fertiliser N is also applied. In a third experiment, where the soil had a high P status (i.e. more typical of most dairy farms in the region), there was only a pasture DM yield response to applied fertiliser N. We recommend that fertiliser P should not be applied to dairy pastures in the region until soil testing indicates likely deficiency, to avoid developing unproductive, unprofitable large surpluses of P in soil, and reduce the likelihood of P leaching and polluting water in the many drains and waterways in the region. For all three experiments, critical Colwell soil test P (a soil test value that was related to 90% of the maximum pasture DM yield), was similar for the two fertiliser N treatments.

Winter cereal production on the Darling Downs dash an 11 year study of fallowing practices

1989 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 807 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Marley ◽  
JW Littler
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Early Growth ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Storage Efficiency ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Available N ◽  
Cereal Production

A long term field experiment to compare 4 methods of fallowing for annual winter cereal production on a Darling Downs Vertisol was started in 1968 on the Hermitage Research Station near Warwick, Queensland. Fallowing systems being investigated are (i) tined tillage with stubble burnt (TcSb); (ii) tined tillage with stubble retained (TcSr); (iii) zero tillage with stubble burnt (TzSb); and (iv) zero tillage with stubble retained (TzSr); each at 3 rates of nitrogen (N) fertiliser application. This paper reports the effect of these treatments on fallow water accumulation, fallow N mineralisation, crop growth and yield, for the period 1968-79. Average values for available soil water in the 0-150 cm zone at sowing were 195 mm for TcSb, 212 mm for TcSr, 225 mm for TzSb and 252 mm for TzSr, and for storage efficiency (percentage of fallow rainfall stored) were 18, 20, 25 and 27% respectively. The relatively greater water storage efficiency of Tz treatments occurred mainly in fallow seasons when initial storage was low. Nitrogen mineralisation during fallows averaged 61 kg/ha and was depressed in some years by Sr. Carryover of available N in excess of crop requirements was shown at the higher rate of N fertilisation. Grain yields averaged over 12 crops were similar for the 4 fallowing systems. The lack of grain yield response to the improved water storage under TzSr was probably caused by yellow spot disease (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) and root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus thornei), which were most prevalent under this treatment in wheat crops. Poor early growth of barley under TzSr limited its water use and grain yield potential, however, the cause of the poor early growth of barley is not known. A reduction in grain yield of 232 kg/ha associated with Sr was overcome with the addition of 23 kg N/ha as urea.

scholarly journals 652 PB 028 COMPUTER ANALYSIS OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TO DETECT N STRESSES IN LETTUCE

HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 526b-526
Author(s):  
C.A. Sanchez ◽  
T.M. Blackmer ◽  
G.E. Meyers ◽  
J.S. Schepers
Keyword(s):  
Computer Analysis ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Plant Sample ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Scale Ratio ◽  
Yield Responses ◽  
N Status

Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa L.) produced in the low desert typically shows large yield responses to N fertilization. Concern about the potential threat of nitrate-N to ground water prompted the state of Arizona to pass legislation aimed at implementing improved N management practices. Nitrogen management guidelines recommended by the University of Arizona for lettuce suggest a preplant application based on a soil nitrate-N test and subsequent sidedress applications based on plant tissue monitoring. However, growers have some anxiety that close adherence to recommendations resulting from an average plant sample may compromise crop uniformity. Aerial photographs have the potential to detect differences in N status in any portion of the field. This study evaluated digital computer analysis of aerial photographs as a tool for evaluating the N status of lettuce. The digitized photographs appeared to detect deficiencies not apparent to the human eye. There were good correlations (R2 0.83 to 0.99) between Gray-scale ratio and N status, suggesting digital analysis of aerial photographs has potential for diagnosing N deficiencies in lettuce.

Coordinated Rice Improvement Project in India: Its Significant Achievements and Future prospects

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (Special) ◽  
pp. 82-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
LV Subba Rao ◽  
RA Fiyaz ◽  
AK Jukanti ◽  
G Padmavathi ◽  
J Badri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Nutritional Security ◽  
Food Grain ◽  
Rice Improvement ◽  
Food And Nutritional Security ◽  
Sincere Effort

India is the second largest producer of rice in the world and it is the most important staple food grain. All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project (AICRIP) was initiated with objective of conducting multi-location trials to identify suitable genotypes of high yield potential along with appropriate crop management practices. Since its inception AICRIP contributed significantly in meeting the growing demand both within and outside India. Significant progress has been achieved through AICRIP in terms of varietal release thereby increasing the crop productivity and also meeting the food and nutritional security. This paper makes a sincere effort in bringing out the significant achievements/milestones achieved under the AICRIP program and also gives a few directions for widening the areas under AICRIP.

Nitrate Leaching to a Shallow Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer as Influenced by Conventional No-Till and Low-Input Sustainable Grain Production Systems

1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (3-5) ◽  
pp. 691-700 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Craig ◽  
R. R. Weil
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Grain Production ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Low Input ◽  
No Till

In December, 1987, the states in the Chesapeake Bay region, along with the federal government, signed an agreement which called for a 40% reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the Bay by the year 2000. To accomplish this goal, major reductions in nutrient loadings associated with agricultural management practices were deemed necessary. The objective of this study was to determine if reducing fertilizer inputs to the NT system would result in a reduction in nitrogen contamination of groundwater. In this study, groundwater, soil, and percolate samples were collected from two cropping systems. The first system was a conventional no-till (NT) grain production system with a two-year rotation of corn/winter wheat/double crop soybean. The second system, denoted low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA), produced the same crops using a winter legume and relay-cropped soybeans into standing wheat to reduce nitrogen and herbicide inputs. Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in groundwater were significantly lower under the LISA system. Over 80% of the NT groundwater samples had NO3-N concentrations greater than 10 mgl-1, compared to only 4% for the LISA cropping system. Significantly lower soil mineral N to a depth of 180 cm was also observed. The NT soil had nearly twice as much mineral N present in the 90-180 cm portion than the LISA cropping system.

scholarly journals Legumes increase grassland productivity with no effect on nitrous oxide emissions

2019 ◽  
Vol 446 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 163-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arlete S. Barneze ◽  
Jeanette Whitaker ◽  
Niall P. McNamara ◽  
Nicholas J. Ostle
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Relative Proportion ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Grassland Productivity

Abstract Aims Grasslands are important agricultural production systems, where ecosystem functioning is affected by land management practices. Grass-legume mixtures are commonly cultivated to increase grassland productivity while reducing the need for nitrogen (N) fertiliser. However, little is known about the effect of this increase in productivity on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in grass-legume mixtures. The aim of this study was to investigate interactions between the proportion of legumes in grass-legume mixtures and N-fertiliser addition on productivity and GHG emissions. We tested the hypotheses that an increase in the relative proportion of legumes would increase plant productivity and decrease GHG emissions, and the magnitude of these effects would be reduced by N-fertiliser addition. Methods This was tested in a controlled environment mesocosm experiment with one grass and one legume species grown in mixtures in different proportions, with or without N-fertiliser. The effects on N cycling processes were assessed by measurement of above- and below-ground biomass, shoot N uptake, soil physico-chemical properties and GHG emissions. Results Above-ground productivity and shoot N uptake were greater in legume-grass mixtures compared to grass or legume monocultures, in fertilised and unfertilised soils. However, we found no effect of legume proportion on N2O emissions, total soil N or mineral-N in fertilised or unfertilised soils. Conclusions This study shows that the inclusion of legumes in grass-legume mixtures positively affected productivity, however N cycle were in the short-term unaffected and mainly affected by nitrogen fertilisation. Legumes can be used in grassland management strategies to mitigate climate change by reducing crop demand for N-fertilisers.

SUMMARY: PAPERS PRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON INCREASING WHEAT YIELD POTENTIAL, CIMMYT, OBREGON, MEXICO, 20–24 MARCH 2006 Challenges to international wheat improvement

2007 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. P. REYNOLDS ◽  
P. R. HOBBS ◽  
H. J. BRAUN
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
International Workshop ◽  
Green Revolution ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Agronomic Practices ◽  
Agronomic Management ◽  
Genetically Improved ◽  
New Generation

Wheat is grown on 210 million ha throughout the world producing approximately 600 million tonnes of grain (10 year average; FAO 2005) and providing on average one fifth of the total calorific input of the world's population (FAO 2003). For some regions such as North Africa, Turkey and Central Asia, wheat provides half of total dietary energy intake. Of the cultivated wheat area, half is located in less developed countries where there have been steady increases in productivity since the green revolution, associated with genetic improvements in yield potential, resistance to diseases and adaptation to abiotic stresses (Reynolds & Borlaug 2006a, b) as well as better agronomic practices (Derpsch 2005). Nonetheless, challenges to wheat production are still considerable, especially in the developing world, not only because of increased demand but also because of the increased scarcity of water resources (Rosegrant 1997; WMO 1997), ever more unpredictable climates (Fischer et al. 2002), increased urbanization and loss of good quality land away from agriculture (Hobbs 2007), and decreased public sector investment in agriculture and rural affairs (Falcon & Naylor 2005). To meet demand in a sustainable way, more resources are required to breed a new generation of genetically improved cultivars as well as implement resource-conserving agronomic management practices.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document