Claying and deep ripping can increase crop yields and profits on water repellent sands with marginal fertility in southern Western Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. M. Hall ◽  
H. R. Jones ◽  
W. L. Crabtree ◽  
T. L. Daniels
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Soil Strength ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Water Repellence

Sandplain soils on the south coast of Western Australia have multiple limitations to crop production that include water repellence, low water and nutrient retention, subsoil acidity, and high soil strength. Crops on sandplain soils achieve, on average, almost 85% of their rainfall-limited yield potential; however, where there are multiple limitations the corresponding value is often <50% in any given year. Previous research has shown the value of applying clay-rich subsoil (‘claying’) to ameliorate water repellent soils and improve nutrient retention. Other studies have shown that deep ripping is effective in reducing compaction in sandplain soils. This paper quantifies the effects of 5 subsoil clay rates (0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 t/ha), with and without deep ripping to 0.5m, on soil properties, crop growth, and profitability in a replicated field experiment. Crop yields were increased by 0.3–0.6 t/ha as result of added clay. The clay content of the surface soil required to alleviate water repellence and achieve the highest yield increases was 3–6% in soils with ~1% organic carbon. Longer term effects of claying included increased soil organic carbon by 0.2%, pH by 0.6 units, potassium by 47 mg/kg, soil strength by 250 kPa, and cation exchange capacity by 1.3 cmolc/kg to a depth of 0.1 m. However, changes in plant-available water (mm/m) were inconsistent between the clay treatments. Deep ripping to 0.5 m increased crop yields by 0.1–0.5 t/ha. These crop yield responses were still evident 3 years after the ripping treatment had been applied. Soil strength measurements indicate that re-compaction of the ripped treatments had occurred to a depth of 0.2 m in the second year following ripping. Crop responses to claying and deep ripping were additive. Claying and deep ripping, while almost doubling yields, achieved only 50–70% of the rainfall-limited yield potential on these marginally fertile soils. The highest clay rates (>3–6%) had cumulative discounted cash returns $AU100–200/ha higher than the unclayed ‘control’ treatment and $300/ha higher than the lowest clay rates. For most of the clay treatments, deep ripping increased discounted returns between 2005 and 2007 by $80–120/ha.

scholarly journals Soil Management Systems to Overcome Multiple Constraints for Dryland Crops on Deep Sands in a Water Limited Environment on the South Coast of Western Australia

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1881
Author(s):  
David J. M. Hall ◽  
Stephen L. Davies ◽  
Richard W. Bell ◽  
Tom J. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Plant Tissue ◽  
Soil Strength ◽  
Wetting Agent ◽  
South Coast ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
The South ◽  
Nutrient Levels ◽  
Soil Constraints ◽  
Water Repellence

Deep sands on the south coast sandplain of Western Australia (WA) have multiple soil constraints including water repellence, high soil strength, low nutrient levels and subsoil acidity. The aim of the study was to test contrasting methods of managing water repellence and to assess their impacts on one or more soil constraints to crop production. These methods included seeding tyne design (knife point, winged points, paired row), soil wetting agent addition, strategic inversion tillage (rotary spading, mouldboard ploughing to 0.35 m) and clay-rich subsoil addition (170 t ha−1 with incorporation by spading to 0.20 or 0.35 m). Limesand (2 t ha−1) was applied as a split plot treatment prior to tillage. Cumulative crop yields were increased by 2.1–2.6 t ha−1 over five years by the strategic deep tillage and clay application treatments compared to the control. Water repellence was reduced by the inversion ploughing and subsoil clay addition treatments only. The effect of water repellence on crop establishment was expressed only in low rainfall years (Decile < 4) and mitigated by the paired row, wetting agent, spader and clay-amended treatments. In all years, plant numbers were adequate to achieve yield potential regardless of treatment. Soil K and plant tissue K and B were increased where clay had been applied. Inversion tillage reduced soil pH, organic carbon (OC) and macro nutrients in the 0–0.1 m layer although in most years there was no significant decline in plant tissue macro nutrient levels. Soil strength was reduced as a result of the inversion tillage to a depth of 0.35 m. However, the alleviation of soil strength and the crop yield responses diminished with time due to re-compaction. No crop response to the applied lime was found over five years at this site since the soil pHCaCl2 exceeded 4.7 within the root zone. In terms of soil constraints, we conclude that compaction was the dominant constraint at this site followed by water repellence and K deficiency.

Trends in grain production and yield gaps in the high-rainfall zone of southern Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Robertson ◽  
John Kirkegaard ◽  
Allan Peake ◽  
Zoe Creelman ◽  
Lindsay Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Eastern Australia

The high-rainfall zone (HRZ) of southern Australia is the arable areas where annual rainfall is between 450 and 800 mm in Western Australia and between 500 and 900 mm in south-eastern Australia, resulting in a growing-season length of 7–10 months. In the last decade, there has been a growing recognition of the potential to increase crop production in the HRZ. We combined (1) a survey of 15 agricultural consultants, each of whom have ~40–50 farmer clients across the HRZ, (2) 28 farm records of crop yields and area for 2000–2010, (3) 86 wheat and 54 canola yield observations from well managed experiments, and (4) long-term simulated crop yields at 13 HRZ locations, to investigate recent trends in crop production, quantify the gap between potential and actual crop yields, and consider the factors thought to limit on-farm crop yields in the HRZ. We found in the past 10 years a trend towards more cropping, particularly in WA, an increased use of canola, and advances in the adaptation of germplasm to HRZ environments using winter and longer-season spring types. Consultants and the farm survey data confirmed that the rate of future expansion of cropping in the HRZ will slow, especially when compared with the rapid changes seen in the 1990s. In Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia the long-term water-limited potential yield in HRZ areas, as measured by experimental yields, consultant estimates and simulations for slow developing spring cultivars of wheat and canola was 5–6 and 2–3 t/ha for a decile 5 season. For Western Australia it was 4–5 and 2–3 t/ha, where yields were less responsive to good seasons than in the other states. The top performing farmers were achieving close to the water-limited potential yield. There are yield advantages of ~2 t/ha for ‘winter’ over ‘spring’ types of both wheat and canola, and there is scope for better adapted germplasm to further raise potential yield in the HRZ. Consultants stated that there is scope for large gains in yield and productivity by encouraging the below-average cropping farmers to adopt the practices and behaviours of the above-average farmers. The scope for improvement between the below- and above-average farmers was 1–3 t/ha for wheat and 0.5–1.5 t/ha for canola in a decile 5 season. They also stated that a lack of up-to-date infrastructure (e.g. farm grain storage) and services is constraining the industry’s ability to adopt new technology. Priorities for future research, development and extension among consultants included: overcoming yield constraints where growing-season rainfall exceeds 350 mm; adaptation of winter and long-season spring types of cereals and canola and management of inputs required to express their superior yield potential; and overcoming barriers to improved planning and timeliness for crop operations and adoption of technology.

Electromagnetic induction sensing of soil identifies constraints to the crop yields of north-eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. P. Dang ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
M. J. Pringle ◽  
A. J. W. Biggs ◽  
S. Darr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Electromagnetic Induction ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Soil Constraints ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
On Farm

Salinity, sodicity, acidity, and phytotoxic concentrations of chloride (Cl–) in soil are major constraints to crop production in many soils of north-eastern Australia. Soil constraints vary both spatially across the landscape and vertically within the soil profile. Identification of the spatial variability of these constraints will allow farmers to tune management to the potential of the land, which will, in turn, bring economic benefit. For three cropping fields in Australia’s northern grains region, we used electromagnetic induction with an EM38, which measures apparent electrical conductivity of the soil (ECa) and soil sampling to identify potential management classes. Soil Cl– and soluble Na+ concentrations, EC of the saturated extract (ECse), and soil moisture were the principal determinants of the variation of ECa, measured both at the drained upper limit of moisture (UL) and at the lower limit (LL) of moisture extracted by the crop. Grain yield showed a strong negative relation with ECa at both UL and LL, although it was stronger for the latter. We arrive at a framework to estimate the monetary value of site-specific management options, through: (i) identification of potential management classes formed from ECa at LL; (ii) measurement of soil attributes generally associated with soil constraints in the region; (iii) grain yield monitoring; and (iv) simple on-farm experiments. Simple on-farm experiments suggested that, for constrained areas, matching fertiliser application to realistic yield potential, coupled to gypsum amelioration, could potentially benefit growers by AU$14–46/ha.year (fertiliser) and $207/ha.3 years (gypsum).

Crop production in the high rainfall zones of southern Australia — potential, constraints and opportunities

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhang ◽  
N. C. Turner ◽  
M. L. Poole ◽  
N. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Genetic Constraints ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Large Yield

Annual cropping has been expanding in the high rainfall zone of southern Australia. The higher rainfall and longer growing season compared with the traditional wheatbelt contribute to a much higher yield potential for major crops. Potential yields range from 5 to 8 t/ha for wheat and 3 to 5 t/ha for canola, although current crop yields are only about 50% of those potentials. The large yield gap between current and potential yields suggests that there is an opportunity to lift current yields. Both genetic constraints and subsoil constraints such as waterlogging, soil acidity, sodicity, and high soil strength contribute to the low yields. Waterlogging is a widespread hidden constraint to crop production in the region. Controlling waterlogging using a combination of raised beds and surface or subsurface drains is the first step to raise the productivity of the land. Increasing root growth into the subsoil remains a key to accessing more water and nutrients for high yield through early planting, deep ripping, liming and use of primer crops to ameliorate the subsoil. In order to realise the high yield potential, it is essential to achieve higher optimum dry matter at anthesis and high ear number through agronomic management, including early sowing with appropriate cultivars, a high seeding rate and application of adequate nitrogen along with other nutrients. Current cultivars of spring wheat may not fully utilise the available growing season and may have genetic limitations in sink capacity that constrain potential yield. Breeding or identification of long-season milling wheat cultivars that can fully utilise the longer growing season and with the ability to tolerate waterlogging and subsoil acidity, and with disease resistance, will give additional benefits. It is concluded that improving crop production in the high rainfall zone of southern Australia will require attention to overcoming soil constraints, particularly waterlogging, and the development of longer-season cultivars.

scholarly journals Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Mamata K.C. ◽  
Anuj Lamichhane
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Agricultural Biotechnology ◽  
Embryo Rescue ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Genome Doubling ◽  
Transgenic Organisms ◽  
Biotechnological Approach

Agricultural biotechnology is becoming the major sector in crop improvement through the use of scientific techniques for the modification of genes conferring resistance to biotic, abiotic stress and improving the quality of crops. With the evolvement from Mendelian genetics to molecular biotechnology, there have been several developments in the field of crop improvement. Recent biotechnological advances have aimed towards removing the physiological constraints of the crops and increasing crop yield potential. With the use of different tools of agricultural biotechnologies like genetic engineering, tissue culture, embryo rescue, somatic hybridization, molecular marker-assisted selection, genome doubling, and omics technologies, various transgenic crops have been developed over the decades and have been approved for commercialization. This development and adoption of transgenic technology have been shown to increase crop yields, reduce CO2 emission, reduce pesticide and insecticide use and decrease the costs of crop production.  Even though the biotechnological approach and transgenic organisms have immense potential to contribute to the world’s food security, several concerns of genetically modified crops being a threat to the environment and human health have developed. This review will address applications and concerns of biotechnology in crop improvement considering health hazards and ecological risks.

WeedSOFT: Effects of Corn-Row Spacing for Predicting Herbicide Efficacy on Selected Weed Species

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawn M. Hock ◽  
Stevan Z. Knezevic ◽  
William G. Johnson ◽  
Christy Sprague ◽  
Alex R. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Yield Reduction ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
The North

The ability to accurately estimate herbicide efficacy is critical for any decision-support system used in weed management. Recent efforts by weed scientists in the North Central United States to adopt WeedSOFT across a broad region have resulted in a number of regional research projects designed to assess and improve the predictive capability of WeedSOFT. Field studies were conducted from 2000 to 2002 in Nebraska, Missouri, and Illinois to evaluate herbicide-efficacy predictions made by WeedSOFT in two corn-row spacings. Following crop and weed emergence, input variables, such as weed densities and heights, were entered into WeedSOFT to generate a list of treatments ranked by predicted crop yields. The five treatments evaluated included those predicting highest crop-yield potential (recommended control treatment 1), a 10% yield reduction, a 20% yield reduction, a 10% yield reduction plus cultivation, and cultivation alone. These treatments were applied to corn grown in 38- and 76-cm rows. Generally, treatments applied in 38-cm rows had more accurate herbicide-efficacy predictions compared with 76-cm rows. WeedSOFT provided better control predictions for broadleaf than grass species. WeedSOFT provided excellent herbicide-efficacy predictions for the highest crop-yield potential, which indicates a good potential for practical use of this software for herbicide recommendations.

scholarly journals Potential for Recycling Nutrients from Biosolids Amended with Clay and Lime in Coarse-Textured Water Repellence, Acidic Soils of Western Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjutha Shanmugam ◽  
Lynette K. Abbott
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Physical And Chemical Properties ◽  
Green Manures ◽  
Problematic Soils ◽  
Water Repellence ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
And Chemical Properties

Application of biosolids in soils is an efficient method of recycling nutrients from biosolids and it is considered even safer when it is modified after mixing and diluting with other suitable soil organic amendments. A variety of soil organic amendments, such as green manures and composts, are used for modifying and co-composting with biosolids. However, these may not be considered as appropriate biosolids disposal and remedial measures for soils with unique problems such as low soil pH, water repellence nature, and poor water and nutrient retention capacities due to soil textural issues. Historically, soil amendments such as lime, clay, and recently biochar are being applied for such problematic soils at Western Australia and these researches focused mostly on improvement in soil physical and chemical properties. However, studies with potential for applying modified biosolids with these amendments are not complete yet. This review focused on identifying such gaps in these studies from over 170 peer-reviewed key research and review articles published over decades to latest in these areas.

Application of Remote Sensing in Agriculture

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Piekarczyk
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Agricultural Crop ◽  
Remote Sensing Methods

AbstractWith increasing intensity of agricultural crop production increases the need to obtain information about environmental conditions in which this production takes place. Remote sensing methods, including satellite images, airborne photographs and ground-based spectral measurements can greatly simplify the monitoring of crop development and decision-making to optimize inputs on agricultural production and reduce its harmful effects on the environment. One of the earliest uses of remote sensing in agriculture is crop identification and their acreage estimation. Satellite data acquired for this purpose are necessary to ensure food security and the proper functioning of agricultural markets at national and global scales. Due to strong relationship between plant bio-physical parameters and the amount of electromagnetic radiation reflected (in certain ranges of the spectrum) from plants and then registered by sensors it is possible to predict crop yields. Other applications of remote sensing are intensively developed in the framework of so-called precision agriculture, in small spatial scales including individual fields. Data from ground-based measurements as well as from airborne or satellite images are used to develop yield and soil maps which can be used to determine the doses of irrigation and fertilization and to take decisions on the use of pesticides.

scholarly journals Calcium-Enriched Animal Manure Alleviates the Adverse Effects of Salt Stress on Growth, Physiology and Nutrients Homeostasis of Zea mays L.

Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bushra Niamat ◽  
Muhammad Naveed ◽  
Zulfiqar Ahmad ◽  
Muhammad Yaseen ◽  
Allah Ditta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Soil Salinity ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Alkaline Soil ◽  
Sodic Soil ◽  
Growth Physiology

Soil salinity and sodicity are among the main problems for optimum crop production in areas where rainfall is not enough for leaching of salts out of the rooting zone. Application of organic and Ca-based amendments have the potential to increase crop yield and productivity under saline–alkaline soil environments. Based on this hypothesis, the present study was conducted to evaluate the potential of compost, Ca-based fertilizer industry waste (Ca-FW), and Ca-fortified compost (Ca-FC) to increase growth and yield of maize under saline–sodic soil conditions. Saline–sodic soil conditions with electrical conductivity (EC) levels (1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) = 15, were developed by spiking soil with a solution containing NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2. Results showed that soil salinity and sodicity significantly reduced plant growth, yield, physiological, and nutrient uptake parameters. However, the application of Ca-FC caused a remarkable increase in the studied parameters of maize at EC levels of 1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1 as compared to the control. In addition, Ca-FC caused the maximum decrease in Na+/K+ ratio in shoot up to 85.1%, 71.79%, and 70.37% at EC levels of 1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1, respectively as compared to the control treatment. Moreover, nutrient uptake (NPK) was also significantly increased with the application of Ca-FC under normal as well as saline–sodic soil conditions. It is thus inferred that the application of Ca-FC could be an effective amendment to enhance growth, yield, physiology, and nutrient uptake in maize under saline–sodic soil conditions constituting the novelty of this work.

scholarly journals Compost as an Option for Sustainable Crop Production at Low Stocking Rates in Organic Farming

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1078
Author(s):  
Christopher Brock ◽  
Meike Oltmanns ◽  
Christoph Matthes ◽  
Ben Schmehe ◽  
Harald Schaaf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Potassium Sulfate ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Internal Resources ◽  
Compost Application ◽  
Stocking Rates

Mixed-crop-livestock farms offer the best conditions for sustainable nutrient management in organic farming. However, if stocking rates are too low, sustainability might be threatened. Therefore, we studied the development of soil organic matter and nutrients as well as crop yields over the first course of a new long-term field experiment with a mimicked cattle stocking rate of 0.6 LU ha−1, which is the actual average stocking rate for organic farms in Germany. In the experiment, we tested the effects of additional compost application to improve organic matter supply to soils, and further, potassium sulfate fertilization for an improved nutrition of fodder legumes. Compost was made from internal resources of the farm (woody material from hedge-cutting). Soil organic matter and nutrient stocks decreased in the control treatment, even though yield levels, and thus nutrient exports, were comparably low. With compost application, soil organic matter and nutrient exports could be compensated for. At the same time, the yields increased but stayed at a moderate level. Potassium sulfate fertilization further improved N yields. We conclude that compost from internal resources is a viable solution to facilitate sustainable organic crop production at low stocking rates. However, we are aware that this option does not solve the basic problem of open nutrient cycles on the farm gate level.

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