Completed research projects

Improving Winter Cropping Systems in the Riverine Plains

Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains

Using Mosaic Farming Systems to better match land use to land capability

Cooperative research

 

Improving Winter Cropping Systems in the Riverine Plains

Objectives

The project investigated ways to improve management of some aspects of winter cropping systems in the Riverine Plains. 

Project term

1 June 2005 to 30 June 2009, project funded by GRDC.

Background

The management of crops following wheat tend to be the least profitable in the cropping rotation.  Work has been undertaken to investigate options for improving the profitability of these crops (including wheat on wheat).

More generally, previous work has highlighted considerable variation in paddock conditions.  Work has been undertaken to confirm that it is better to treat paddocks according to this variation as opposed to applying general paddock rates of inputs and to produce advice on the best technologies and strategies to use when undertaking a more site-specific approach to input allocation.

Research

Replicated trials have been conducted as small plots and commercial scale equipment investigating the case for variable rate, and investigating management options for crops grown on wheat stubbles.

Much ground truthing including soil testing, crop monitoring and soil moisture monitoring has been undertaken to confirm real differences between delineated zones.

Outcomes

The case for variable rate applications has been well proven.  Conditions in paddocks driving underlying fertility and yield potential vary considerable and inputs should be applied according to the needs of individual zones as opposed to general paddock applications.

EM surveys, elevation maps and yield maps are all important when zoning paddocks.  Once boundaries are drawn zones should be ground truthed.  Input rates can then be determined through soil test results and/or previous nutrient removal based on yield maps.

More work needs to be undertaken to confidently predict yields across paddocks in a variable manner and investigate new technologies pertaining to variable rate N through proximal crop sensing.

The key findings from the investigations into growing crops on wheat stubble include:
-Wheat following wheat can be a viable alternative particularly to growing crops such as lupins and canola.
-To maximize yields, wheat after wheat requires protection from root diseases and possibly more nitrogen than would be required by wheat after canola.
-Using barley or triticale in the crop rotation is a more economic option than a higher proportion of canola or lupins.
-Barley and triticale require high inputs (similar to wheat) to yield near their potential.
-Barley grain quality is not significantly affected by N or fungicide applications until the yield is maximized.
-Wheat responds to 5-10 kg/ha of P at high soil test levels (80 mg/kg Colwell) in dry years.
-Crops with low initial tiller numbers can be manipulated to yield well.

Implications

Conditions in paddocks driving underlying fertility and yield potential vary considerably and inputs should be applied according to the needs of individual zones as opposed to general paddock applications.

Following the first wheat crop in a rotation, profits will be maximized by:
-Keeping the % of alternate crops such as canola and pulses to the minimum required for a sustainable rotation in terms of disease breaks
-Using barley on some wheat stubbles
-Treating barley and triticale the same as wheat in terms of inputs of fungicide and N
-Controlling root diseases if wheat is growing on wheat stubbles, which would then see wheat on wheat as an additional profitable option.

Publications

Making Money out of Precision Agriculture, results from the Riverine Plains Inc project  Improving Winter Cropping Systems in the Riverine Plains, 2009.

Making $ out of PA final report (1856 KB)

Results from the 3rd Crop Program, a report from the Riverine Plains Inc project Improving Winter Cropping Systems in the Riverine Plains, 2009. 

3rd Crop final report (2699 KB)

• Crop comparison experiment
• Wheat maximum yield experiment
• Barley maximum yield experiment
• Triticale maximum yield experiment
• Wheat fungicide experiment
• Barley fungicide experiment
• Wheat phosphorus and nitrogen experiment
• Wheat inputs experiment
• Wheat trace element experiment
• Sulphur and zinc experiment 

Draft protocol for high yield and high profit triticale, 2007 

Triticale protocol (178 KB)

Draft protocol for high yield and high profit barley, 2007

Barley protocol (185 KB)

Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains

Objectives

To investigate and evaluation different rotations in a research project that brings together farmers, advisers and researchers. 

Aims

• To identify the principles that lead to rotations being productive, profitable and sustainable on the Riverine Plains.
• To use a rotation experiment as a focus around which co-learning and meaningful information distribution can take place.

Project term 

31 December 2002 to 1 January 2006, project funded by GRDC.

Background

The project has demonstrated some of the economic benefits that can be achieved from zoning paddocks into areas of similar parameters, and treating these areas according to their own unique characteristics.  PA tools that can be used effectively in the Riverine Plains area have been identified, culminating in the production of a protocol advising farmers on starting into zonal management in commercial situations.

Research

Previous work has identified significant within field variation in soil conditions, elevation and subsequent yield. Additionally, much of this variation occurs in large zones (two or three/field), making the variation quite manageable with commercial machinery where it is appropriate.  In this project it was shown that these zones can be delineated easily and cost effectively with an em38 survey in the Riverine Plains area.

Testing of zones showed that variation in basic soil 'fertility' parameters is significant.  This variation, includes significant differences in N and P status, CEC, ESP and Ca:Mg between zones.  Once zones have been delineated, each zone can be soil tested as opposed to soil testing an entire field.  Once the soil fertility status of the individual zones are known, input prescriptions can be given according the the characteristics of each individual zone and hence a variable rate prescription for the entire paddock can be arrived at and then ultimately carried out.

So, even when the same yield is still targeted across the entire field, inputs can be more appropriately allocated, resulting in economic and environmental benefits.

Variation in soil physical factors, particularly water holding capacity and subsoil constraints, as well as elevation  have been shown in this project  to impact on yield potential across a field.  Soil-water measurements that were taken during the project showed that in 2005, the three zones in one field had a barley yield potential of 4.5t/ha, 5.5t/ha and 6.5t/ha respectively.  When this variation in yield potential is combined with the variation in underlying soil fertility, significant improvements in ultimate gross margin can be achieved.  For example, N 2005 and 2003, improvements in excess of $20/ha were observed, when the most appropriate levels of N fertiliser were applied to three different zones within one paddock.  Differential responses to P were also observed between zones, but more work needs to be done in this area.

Remote sensing techniques such as satellite and aerial NDVI and Gamma radiometrics were investigated in a pilot sense in this project.  In both cases, while there may be some use in commercial situations in the future, in most cases it was found that em38 surveys and elevation surveys had more application initially.

A basic protocol has been written to help farmers adopt zonal management in an initial sense.  This protocol is as follows:

• EM survey & zone paddocks
• Check EM & zones with farmer (yield maps, NDVI etc)
• Ground truth – soil cores & surface samples
• DSN test to zones
• Develop VR lime, gypsum, N and P prescriptions according to soil test results
• Crop monitor to zones
• Yield map

Test strips rather than entire paddock VR in the first year is recommended in order to gain knowledge and confidence in the system.

A precision ag discussion group has been established and conducted for the last two years of the project.  Significant interest in the Riverine Plains area in the general area of precision ag, including zonal management has been identified, and many issues limiting PA adoption have been addressed.  In the last two years, results from this project have been extended to this group, with a number of farmers utilising the protocol that was developed in 2005.

Outcomes

The project demonstrated some of the economic benefits that can be achieved from zoning paddocks into areas of similar parameters, and treating these areas according to their own unique characteristics.  PA tools that can be used effectively in the Riverine Plains area have been identified, culminating in the production of a protocol advising farmers on starting into zonal management in commercial situations.  Farmers adopting this protocol will realise economic and environmental benefits through the more appropriate allocation of inputs.

Publications

Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains: An introduction, Research for the Riverine Plains 2004
Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains: Soil-water monitoring results, Research for the Riverine Plains 2004
Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains: Variation in Deep Soil Nitrogen (DSN) Levels, Research for the Riverine Plains 2004
Mapping Protein and Utilising Protein Maps, Research for the Riverine Plains 2005
Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains: Variation in Deep Soil Nitrogen (DSN) levels – Part II, Research for the Riverine Plains 2005
Early investigations into variations in yield potential within fields: soil variability and soil-moisture profiles, Research for the Riverine Plains 2005

Making Money out of zonal management, a report from the GRDC funded project Zonal Management in the Riverine Plains 2007 

Making Money out of Zonal Management (743 KB)

Using Mosaic Farming Systems to better match land use to land capability

Objectives

To investigate the potential to implement aspects of mosaic farming in commercial situations. 

Project term 

1 June 2004 to 30 June 2005, funded by National Landcare Program.

Background

Mosaic farming is a system of land use combining patches of annual cropping interspersed with perennial vegetation.  Land use is better matched with land capability using technologies (eg yield mapping, em surveys, bio-economic modelling) that identify spatial and temporal variability across paddocks, farms and sub-catchments.  Areas of land can then be zoned for annual cropping or perennial vegetation in a way that minimises the economic effect on individual farmers but maximises the environmental benefit to the area.  The benefits are expected to be more appropriate use of land/land-use sustainability, more appropriate allocation of resources/inputs (less nutrient runoff, less wastage, less leaching of nutrients, less nutrient build-up in the soil), reduced erosion and soil loss, improved yields/productivity, improved soil condition and increased production, increased perenniality of annual systems.

This project is the pilot or trial phase, in other words the theory has been developed by CSIRO and local community, and there is a need to test the broader practicality of the concept with a group of local landowners.

Research

The project:

• investigated the feasibility for mosaic farming
• trialled the mosaic farming using farmer focus groups
• developed recommendations and guidelines for the district

Outcomes

The mosaic farming project was implemented on the back of information and knowledge that already exists on the current project paddocks that are being investigated as part of the zonal management project in the Yarrawonga area.  A two-pronged approach was adopted.

• Detailed examination of the within field variation in production capability.
• Investigation of the use of remote sensing tools to gauge variability in the broader landscape.

A focus group of interested farmers was established to aid the extension of findings.  Some of these farmers were already undertaking some basic steps in zonal management, so there is a high level of interest in the area within this group. 

Cooperative research

Riverine Plains Inc are proud to cooperate with other research projects.  Some of the projects we have participated in include:

• IPM Strategies to control pests for canola, wheat and lucerne crops – Joanne Holloway, NSW DPI 
• Collaboration with CSIRO examining soil-water properties of various soil types across the Riverine Plains

 

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