A trial site was established near Ouyen in the Victorian Mallee on a deep sand dune soil. Deep ripping was undertaken in April to a depth of 50cm. The deep ripper was fitted with Tilco A66 tynes spaced at 56 cm apart. Crops were sown on two dates: 2nd May and 1st June 2022. At each sowing time four varieties of Chickpeas and Lentils were sown (Table 1)
Chickpea Varieties
Lentil Varieties
Genisis 090
PBA Bolt
CBA Captain
GIA Lightning
PBA Hatrick
PBA Jumbo2
PBA Magnus
GIA Leader
Table 1. Four varieties sown in this trial for Chickpea and Lentils.
Seasonal Conditions
Timely crop establishment was achieved with over 100 mm falling during the critical April – May sowing window. The site experienced a relatively dry winter period with just 60 mm of rainfall recorded from June to August. Extremely high levels of rainfall were received during spring with 300 mm of rain falling from September to early November with 126 mm of this received during October. Due to the sandy texture of the soil, waterlogging was not a problem, however the growing season was extended three weeks longer than normal. This made disease control difficult, and some level of disease was present in the crop.
Results: Lentil
Deep ripping increased lentil grain yield by 0.7 t/ha (Figure 1). The grain yield of PBA Bolt was 0.7 t/ha less than the other varieties included in the trial. As a single factor, delayed had only a minor impact chickpea grain yield in the very wet 2022 season.
When all three factors were combined there was a yield gap of 2 t/ha between the best and worst treatments (Figure 2). PBA Bolt sown early without deep ripping resulted in the worst yield outcome of the trial (0.4 t/ha), while late sown PBA Jumbo2 with deep ripping produced the best grain yield (2.4 t/ha.)
Figure 1. The impact of variety, deep ripping, and time of sowing on lentil grain yield. Error bars represent LSD.
Figure 2. Grain yield of each treatment where the factors of lentil variety, sowing time and deep ripping were combined. Error bars represent LSD.
Results: Chickpea
Deep ripping increased chickpea grain yield by 0.7 t/ha (Figure 3). Desi varieties CBA Captain and PBA Hattrick had a 0.6 t/ha advantage over the Kabuli varieties Genesis 090 and PBA Magnus. As a single factor, delayed had only a minor impact chickpea grain yield in the very wet 2022 season.
When all three factors were combined there was yield gap of 1.6 t/ha between the best and worst treatments (Figure 4). For example, sowing Desi chickpeas early following deep ripping resulted in a grain yield of 2.9 t/ha while sowing Kabuli chickpeas late into un-ripped soil resulted in a grain yield only 1.3 t/ha.
Figure 3. The impact of variety, deep ripping, and time of sowing on chickpea grain yield. Error bars represent LSD.
Figure 4. Grain yield of each treatment where the factors of chickpea variety, sowing time and deep ripping were combined. Error bars represent LSD.
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Governments’ National Landcare Program.
Six commercial lentil varieties were sown at Loxton in 2022 (Table 1). Each variety was sown at three seeding rates to target plant populations of 60, 90 plants and 120 plants m2. Each treatment combination was sown at two Times of Sowing (TOS): 5th May and the 26th of May.
Sowing rates (kg/ha) used for each lentil variety to target plant densities of 60, 90 and 120 plants m2. Individual rates were calculated using the 1000 grain weight for each variety and a field germination rate of 80%
Results
Crop emergence
The emerged plant population was 20-25% higher than the target population for all plant density treatments (Table 2). Seeding rates were calculated using a field germination rate of 80%, therefore most of the planted seeds emerged. This is most due to the excellent soil moisture present at both sowing times following 88 mm of rainfall falling in April-May. There was no difference in emergence between varieties within each target plant population. There was also no difference in lentil emergence between the two sowing times.
Target plants m2
Emerged plants m2
60
76
90
112
120
143
Table 2. Number of emerged lentil plants for each target population treatment.
Grain Yield
GIA Thunder was the highest yielding variety, with an average yield of 4.2t/ha across all treatments (Figure 1). The grain yield of GIA Thunder was significantly better than the other five varieties at TOS 1 and was superior to all varieties except GIA Lightning at TOS 2. PBA Kelpie had the lowest grain yield of all varieties at TOS 1, however it produced similar yields to the other varieties except GIA Thunder at TOS 2 (Figure 2)
Time of sowing generally had no impact in lentil yield in 2022 at Loxton, due to the very wet and cool spring which extended the growing season. The target plant population did effect grain yield, but only at TOS 2. Lentil grain yield increased in linearly from 3.3 t/ha for 60 plants m2 to 3.9 t/ha for the 120 plants m2 treatment at the later sowing date.
Grain Losses
Grain losses were greater with earlier sowing with 2.5 times more pods dropped and 3.2 times more seed shattered in the TOS 1 than in the TOS 2 treatments. The greatest seed losses were measured in PBA Kelpie, which experienced particularly bad seed shattering (Figure 3). Seed losses via pod drop were also higher in PBA Kelpie than in the other lentil varieties. GIA lightning had lower seed shatter than other varieties, however pod drop was similar between all varieties with the exception of PBA Kelpie.
Greatest seed loss was PBA Kelpie with a seed rate of 120, early time of sowing.Greatest pod drop was PBA Kelpie with a seed rate of 60, early time of sowing.Figure 4. Pod drop measured for each variety.Figure 3. Seed shattering measured for each variety.
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Governments’ National Landcare Program.
Pre-emergent herbicides were applied on 4th May 2022 prior to sowing vetch (Timok) and lentils (GIA Lightning) at Loxton (Table 1).
Each herbicide was applied at a district application rate or double the standard district rate (high) and are summarized in Table 1. Herbicides were also applied as either an Incorporated By Sowing (IBS) or Post Sowing Pre-Emergent (PSPE) application. Both crops were also sown either shallow (approximately 2.5 cm) or deep (approximately 5 cm) depth.
Herbicide
Herbcide Group
Low Rate
High Rate
Untreated Control
N/A
N/A
Metribuzin (750 g/kg)
5
130 g/ha
260 g/ha
Diuron (900 g/kg)
5
400 g/ha
800 g/ha
Terbuthylazine (875 g/kg)
5
430 g/ha
860 g/ha
Fomesafen (240 g/L)
14
0.5 L/ha
1 L/ha
Table 1: Pre-emergent herbicide treatments applied at a district rate (low) and 2 x district rate (high).
Results
The trial was implemented into a moist seedbed with approximately 30 mm of rain falling in the month prior to sowing. A further 50 mm of rain was received in the four weeks post sowing. Furthermore, 275 mm of rainfall occurred during the critical spring period which coincided with flowering and podding, extending the growing season of both crops by approximately three weeks later than normal . The protracted growing season may have allowed for some compensatory growth where early crop damage occurred.
Lentils
The application method of how herbicide was applied had the greatest impact on the level of damage to lentils. Herbicide damage assessments completed six weeks post sowing showed that applying group 5 herbicides IBS (Metribuzin, Diuron, Terbuthylazine) was less damaging than when they were applied PSPE (Figure 1). Terbuthylazine (e.g. Terbyne Extreme®) applied IBS caused significantly less damage than the other herbicides.
Based on the 6 week assessment, the level of damage was similar between all herbicides when applied PSPE. Fomesafen (Reflex®) which is a group 14 herbicide, showed high and equivalent levels of damage irrespective of being applied IBS or PSPE. The depth of seeding of the crop (2.5 cm or 5 cm) did not have a significant effect on the level of herbicide damage to lentils in 2022.
There was no grain yield penalty when each herbicide was applied IBS at the at the lower rates (Figure 2). However, a PSPE application of diuron at the low rate or applying any herbicide PSPE at the high rate resulted in a yield penalty of between 25 – 50%. There was not any effect of sowing depth on lentil grain yield in 2022.
Figure 1. Visual herbicide damage assessment completed for lentil 6 weeks post sowing for each herbicide treatment applied as an Incorporated By Sowing (IBS) or Post Sowing Pre-emergent (PSPE) application. Error bars represent the Least Significant Difference (p<0.05)
Figure 2. Lentil grain yield for each herbicide treatment applied as an Incorporated By Sowing (IBS) or Post Sowing Pre-emergent (PSPE) application. Error bars represent the Least Significant Difference (p<0.05)
Vetch
Early damage symptoms in vetch were also minimized where Group 5 herbicides (Metribuzin, Diuron, Terbuthylazine) were applied IBS rather than PSPE (Figure 3). Damage symptoms were highest where metribuzin, diuron and terbuthylazine (Terbyne Extreeme ®) where applied PSPE at high rates. Similar to lentils, Fomesafen (Reflex ®) exhibited similar levels of damage when applied through IBS or PSPE at either low or high rates.
Deeper sowing of vetch (5 cm) slightly reduced damage symptoms relative to sowing shallow (2.5 cm) when metribuzin and terbuthylazine were applied at low rates (Figure 4). However, sowing depth did not affect the level of damage observed for the other herbicide treatments.
Dry matter yield penalties were highest where Metribuzin, Diuron, Terbuthylazine were applied PSPE at the high rate (Figure 5). In these treatments dry matter production was reduced by 35 – 40%.
Figure 3. Visual herbicide damage assessment completed for vetch 6 weeks post sowing for each herbicide treatment applied as an Incorporated By Sowing (IBS) or Post Sowing Pre-emergent (PSPE) application. Error bars represent the Least Significant Difference (p<0.05)
Figure 4. Visual herbicide damage assessment completed for vetch 6 weeks post sowing for each herbicide treatment applied to vetch sown shallow (2.5 cm) or deep (5 cm). Error bars represent the Least Significant Difference (p<0.05)
Figure 5. Vetch grain yield for each herbicide treatment applied as an Incorporated By Sowing (IBS) or Post Sowing Pre-emergent (PSPE) application. Error bars represent the Least Significant Difference (p<0.05)
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Governments’ National Landcare Program.
The trial compared nutritional treatments for lentil, chickpea and barley grown on a sandy soil with and without deep ripping. There were 7 nutrient treatments (Table 1) applied to the following varieties:
Lentil: GIA Lightning
Chickpea: Genesis 090
Barley: Titan AX
Barley plots also received 70 kg/ha UAN (~30 kg N/ha) applied in crop at early tillering.
All nutrient x crop treatments were applied to plots with and without deep ripping. The soil was ripped to a depth of approximately 50 cm using Tilco straight shank tynes.
The trial was replicated on two soil types within the paddock: A deep sandy soil located on the top of a dune, and a sandy loam soil located in the swale between sandy dunes. Soil properties for each soil can be found here
Results
Deep ripping had the biggest impact on the productivity of lentils, chickpea and barley grown on the sandy soil. The benefit from deep ripping was consistent across all three crops with an extra 1.2 t/ha of grain grown following deep ripping. However, on the loam soil, deep ripping was not beneficial in any crop.
There were some small benefits from nutrition treatments, however these effects were mixed in terms of crop type and soil type. There was approximately 0.7 – 0.8 t/ha grain yield response from applying 50 kg/ha MAP relative to the nil fertiliser treatment in lentils and barley. The rate of response was similar across both soil types, which equated to a rate of return of approximately 15 kg/grain for each one kilogram of MAP applied. In barley, the addition of sulphate of ammonia (SOA) also improved grain yield, but only on the sandy soil type.
The application of trace elements alone did not influence the productivity of any crop or soil type. However, when trace elements were applied in combination with SOA to barley on the un-ripped sandy soil, this combination produced superior grain yields to all other nutrition treatments. This complete nutrition package also closed the yield gap between ripped and un-ripped soil. However, given the extremely high growing season rainfall experienced at the site in 2022, it is probable that barley yields were nitrogen limited. Grain protein levels in barley were 10 – 10.5% which further indicates grain yields reached a nitrogen limited yield potential, which possibly capped the yield benefit achieved by deep ripping in barley.
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Governments’ National Landcare Program.
Deep ripping has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the production of crops grown on deep sandy soils across the Mallee. However, farmers within this region must manage multiple soil types within each paddock, and therefore need to know which of these soils are responsive to deep ripping and which are not. This trial site was established near Kooloonong in 2021 to identify which Mallee soil types should be deep ripped to return an economic benefits to Mallee farmers.
Method
A trial site was established across multiple soil types within a Mallee paddock grading from a deep sand on top of a dune to sandy loam mid-slope to clay loam on the swale. The site was a collection of 30 smaller trials from the transition from dune to swale. Each trial shared the following deep ripping treatments:
Depth of ripping: 300 mm v 500 mm deep
Timing of ripping: Early (2 months prior to sowing) v Late immediately prior to sowing
The intention of the timing of ripping treatments was to compare ripping when the soil was dry to deep ripping when the soil was wet. However, the lack of rainfall at the site from the early ripping treatment (March) until the end of May meant that the ripping when wet treatments were not able to be implemented . Therefore the second dry ripping treatment was undertaken in early June before the site was sown on the 11th of June to Commodus barley.
Results
Positions 1-7 were the sandiest trial site locations and at each of these there was a large response to deep ripping. Across all treatments the average yield benefit for the first 7 trial location was 0.7 t/ha.
At trial position 8 there was an abrupt change where the crop was not responsive to deep ripping at that soil type location. There was no response to deep ripping from positions 8 to 14 where soil was much drier than the sand and the texture tended to be a loamier soil type.
From positions 15-22 the soil type gradually increased in texture and had visible free lime present. Across this group of soils there was a negative response to deep ripping.
Positions 23-29 had the highest clay content and across this zone there was a negative response to ripping to 500mm close to seeding.
Bay 30 abruptly transitioned back to a sandy loam soil texture and this corresponded with a strong response to deep ripping at this location.
Figure 1. Grain yield of barley at 30 separate trial locations on transitioning from a deep sandy on top of a dune to a clay loam on the swale.
360 Virtual Tour
Double click for full screen
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority with funding from the Australian Government.
Research over the previous two seasons (2019-2020) had shown that deep ripping led to substantial yield increases for most pulse crops grown on deep sands where pulse productivity is normally constrained.
Four separate trials were established on a sandy soil near Tempy in 2021 to continue to investigate the potential for deep ripping to increase the production of pulse crops grown on deep sandy soils within the Central Mallee region.
Four leading commercial varieties or breeding line for each trial
Crop management details for each of the four trials
3d Model of the Central Mallee Tempy site, Captured August, 2021
360 Virtual Tours
A virtual experience was created on 5th of October, 2021 for each pulse crop in this trial
Deep ripping resulted in significant yield increase for each crop (Figure 2-5).
For all pulse crops sown in our Central Mallee 2021 trial, the average grain yield produced was approximately 0.5 t/ha without ripping.
Crops sown following deep ripping, average grain yields were close to 1.5 t/ha for chickpea, field pea and faba bean. Average grain yield for lentils were 1 t/ha.
The percentage yield increase for each crop is shown below:
Chickpea: 236%
Faba Bean: 161%
Field Pea: 131%
Lentil: 79%
For each of the four pulse crops in this trial four different varieties were grown.
The variety selection has only affected grain yield in field peas, varieties PBA Butler and OZP1901 produced higher grain yield than the variety PBA Oura.
The grain yield of varieties grown with and without deep ripping. Error bars are the least significant difference (of the variety x deep ripping interaction).
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority with funding from the Australian Government.
The research featured in this virtual field day was completed as part of the Southern Pulse Agronomy project which is funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Agriculture Victoria. The trials are a collaboration between Frontier Farming Systems and Agriculture Victoria
The uptake of new pasture legume varieties in the Victorian Mallee is currently low. Annual medic and vetch remain the dominant crop choices however, there are a range of new pasture varieties which have potential in low to medium rainfall environments. A number of these pasture legumes come from the Western Australian breeding program and have limited evaluation in the Mallee. They possess different maturities, growth habits and are generally suited to neutral to acidic soil types.
A significant obstacle to the adoption of new pastures legumes is the high cost of pasture seed and difficulty in establishment. A feature of some of the new pastures under investigation is their aerial seeded habit and retention of seed, allowing seed to be grower harvested and re-sown with standard cropping equipment. This is in comparison to traditional medic pastures which require costly vacuum harvesting equipment.
The majority of medic and vetch currently sown in the region is established in autumn. A number of the new pasture legumes contain hard seed characteristics that provides a viable pasture after many cropping phases. The capacity to employ alternative establishment methods such as twin (sown with crop before the pasture phase) and summer sowing has been a particularly effective strategy across regions of NSW and Western Australia under a range of growing conditions including extreme drought (Nutt et al. 2021). Hard seeded pasture legumes offer capacity to develop flexible crop-pasture rotation systems that exploit this characteristic. Summer sowing was developed to utilise the opportunity of being able to header harvest pasture legume seed easily on farm and then successfully establish a pasture without needing to further process the seed. This project is examining the potential of different pasture legume species to be established more efficiently, reduce establishment costs and improve productivity from greater water use efficiency.
Aims
The Dryland Legumes Pasture Systems (DLPS) project was undertaken to improve the quality of annual pastures on mixed farms receiving less than 450 mm annual rainfall in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. A multi-season trial was established at Piangil, Victoria and aimed to;
Aid growers with the selection of new pastures in comparison to traditional medic and vetch crops
Improve pasture establishment using novel sowing strategies
Assess seedbank regeneration of new pasture legumes
Evaluate the harvestability of pastures using standard harvesting equipment
Quantify the farming system benefits of regenerating legume pasture systems
Method
A replicated trial was established at Piangil from 2018 to 2021. The trial included 3 main plots (establishment method) x 7 subplots (pasture variety) x 4 replicates. The three establishment methods were used;
Twin-sown, where ‘hard’ pasture seed/pod was sown with Compass barley seed on 28 June 2018 for pasture establishment in 2019
Summer-sown (7 February 2019), where ‘hard’ seed/pod was sown in summer and softens to establish on the autumn break
Autumn-sown (control treatment), where ‘soft’ germinable seed is sown on the break (13 May 2019) of the season
Figure 1. Pasture establishment methods (Flohr et al. 2022).
Seven pasture species were evaluated in this trial, Annual Medic, Biserrula, Bladder clover, Gland clover, Rose clover, Serradella and Trigonella.
The seeding rate of the pasture legumes was calculated on the basis of providing each species and establishment method with 100 germinable seeds/m2 in autumn 2019 (Table 3). This took into account seed regeneration from twin sowing and ‘soft’ seed percentages. Any 2018 germination from the twin sowing which remained in 2019 was chemically removed. Two comparison treatments were also sown in 2019: Barley to represent a continuous cereal system and autumn sown vetch that was browned manured in spring.
In 2020 the entire trial was sown to Catapult wheat on 28 April by direct drilling into the existing pasture, barley and vetch plots. Basal fertiliser was applied as 62.5 kg/ha of DAP S Z with 43 kg/ha urea top dressed on all plots on 19 June 2020. All pasture species were allowed to regenerate in 2021.
Pasture species included in this trial
Results
2019 Pasture Establishment and Production
Twin and summer sowing strategies were useful tactics when compared to conventional autumn sowing for some varieties. For bladder clover, gland clover and rose clover similar establishment rates were achieved from either autumn or twin sowing. Interestingly summer sowing was best strategy for Serradella and Trigonella. Autumn sowing was the best timing for Biserrula and annual medic.
Several new pasture legumes produced similar dry matter compared to commonly grown annual medic under tough growing where the site received less than half its long-term seasonal rainfall. Rose clover and bladder clover dry matter production was comparable to annual medic (Table 2). Biserrula and Serradella produced the next highest dry matter followed by Trigonella and gland clover. However, all regenerating pastures had lower production than the sown vetch treatment. Vetch which was terminated in September, still produced 3.2 t/ha of biomass. Similarly, the continuous cereal treatment was highly productive in the first year and produced a grain yield of 2.8 t/ha.
Break effects in the 2020 Wheat Crop
2020 pre-sowing soil nitrogen (kg N/ha, 0-1 m) , wheat grain yield (t/ha) and protein content (%) in response to seven pasture legumes, vetch and wheat sown in autumn 2019 at Piangil, Victoria.
Soil available nitrogen at the beginning of 2020 was high for all pasture species. The continuous cereal treatment has the lowest soil available nitrogen at 22 kg N/ha, clearly showing the benefit of having break crops in the system. All other pasture treatments and vetch had soil available nitrogen levels which ranged between 102 and 116 kg N/ha. Wheat grain yield and protein results highlighted the longer-term benefits of pasture systems. The continuous cereal treatment had the lowest grain yield of 1.8 t/ha and 10.7% protein. This was expected due to the low starting soil nitrogen (22 kg N/ha) compared to all other treatments. For all pasture and vetch varieties there was little difference in grain yield ranging 2.6 – 2.8 t/ha. Grain protein levels were consistent across the pasture and vetch treatments averaging 12.3%
Pasture regeneration 2021
Pasture regeneration was adequate (>200 plants/m2) for five of the seven pastures in year three. Rose clover, bladder clover, annual medic, biserrula and gland clover were all greater than 231 plants/m2. The lowest regeneration at Piangil was observed for Serradella and Trigonella. Seredella has shown a number of favourable characteristics across the first two seasons in terms of biomass production and benefits to the following wheat crop.
However, in year three its persistence through the cropping phase was low which would be a problem for growers who want to maintain a seedbank. Dry matter regeneration was highest for Biserrula and rose clover across four sampling dates). At various sampling times other pastures were also high yielding, for example, in September annual medic dry matter was higher than the other pasture options. Later in the season bladder clover and Serradella maintained similar biomass compared to Biserulla and rose clover.
2019 pasture seed yield (t/ha) and the subsequent 2021 plant regeneration (plants/m2) and seed yield (t/ha) of 7 pasture legumes following a cereal in 2020 at Piangil, Vic.
360 Virtual Tour
Double click for full screen
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority with funding from the Australian Government.
This project was supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water & Environment as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation. The research partners include the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Murdoch University, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University, as well as grower groups.
Local research projects have found that French Serradella has the potential to provide a fodder option on Mallee sandy soils where lupins are normally grown. The potential benefits that serradella in the Mallee include: • Adaptation to deep infertile, coarse textured soils • Deep rooting and produces an extended green feed period compared to most annual legumes • Potential for seed collection and cleaning with on-farm equipment • Tolerance to pH (4.0< pHCa <7.5) • Good tolerance to redlegged earth mite and aphids • Very palatable to stock and high nutritive value • No major anti-nutritional properties
There is also potential for Serradella to be established using novel methods aimed at reducing the cost of pasture establishment and improving productivity from greater water use efficiency. The methods are: • Twin sowing where hard seed/pod is sown with the crop before the pasture phase. Little or no pasture is expected to establish in the crop phase. Hard seed “softens” over the summer period and germinates to produce a viable pasture in the following autumn. • Summer sowing is where hard seed/pod is sown in the summer prior to the pasture phase where the hard seed “softens” and germinate to produce a viable pasture in autumn.
Demonstration Sites
A one hectare French Serradella demonstrations site was dry sown on the 1st of March at Ouyen. This site was was sown to lupin in 2019 and cereal in 2020. Treatment strips were 100 m long and ran from the near peak of an east west sand dune to the neighbouring flat. The site was intersected into 3 zones described as hill, mid-slope and flat. A block of Volga vetch was sown alongside to provide a comparative assessment of current local practice. The 0-10 cm soil pH (CaCl2) was less than 7 only on the hill location at Ouyen, increasing to more than 8 on the flat.
There was no measurable rain from seeding in March until late May. Rainfall was approximately 100 mm for the period from the end of May through to the end of September. A further 60 mm in October/November resulted in a total GSR of near 160 mm at both sites.
Serradella produced an extra 1 to 1.5 tonne biomass than vetch on the hill while vetch produced an extra 1 to 1.5 tonne of biomass to serradella on the midslope and flat (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Total serradella and vetch biomass (tDM/ha) in the 3 soil zones, at 3 sampling times at Ouyen.
360 Virtual Tour
Double click for full screen
Recommendations
The demonstration sites show that serradella could provide a dual purpose (hay, grain, grazing) alternative to vetch on neutral to acidic deep sandy Mallee soils. These soil types are where lupins are commonly grown. Serradella can also provide operational benefits over vetch such as summer sowing and lower seeding rates.
To successfully establish a French serradella phase pasture we recommend:
Sowing in February early March. The time of seeding is necessary to continue the rate of seed softening of the shallow sown seedpods.
Sowing on-farm produced seedpod at 5 to 20 kg/ha. The seeding rate is based on the small seedpod size (10 kg/ha = ~250 seedpods/m2). A soft seeded cultivar such as Eliza requires sowing at 5 kg/ha while 20 kg/ha is required for a hard-seeded cultivar such as Margurita pod.
Serradella and lupin share the same rhizobia species for inoculation(Group G/S rhizobia). A history of lupin in the paddock reduces the the risk of inadequate nodulation and the need for inoculation, particularly where summer sowing of pod is used to establish the pasture.
Chemical weed control options include post-seeding pre-emergent Spinnaker (not Simazine) and/or post-emergent Broadstrike and grass selective herbicides plus a spring insecticide for Heliothis control.
Acknowledgements
This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority with funding from the Australian Government.
This project was supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water & Environment as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation. The research partners include the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Murdoch University, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University, as well as grower groups.
The trial was sown on the 15th of May. Each variety was sown at the seeding rates specified in the table below. The trial was sown with a tyned seeder fitted with paired row Root Boot. Granulock Z was supplied as starter fertliser at 50 kg/ha. All varieties were inoculated with a group E/F Tagteam Granular. Simazine (200 g/ha), Diuron (200 g/ha) were applied as pre-emergent herbicides and were incorporated before sowing (IBS).
Pinnaroo Lentil Trial Results Lentils produced excellent grain yields in 2020 with PBA Jumbo2 topping the trial with 3.4 t/ha. PBA Highland, PBA Bolt, GIA Leader and PBA Hurricane all had similar grain yields. Grain yields of PBA Hallmark and PBA Kelpie were significantly less than PBA Jumbo2, PBA Highland and PBA Bolt.
Acknowledgement This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
The research featured in this virtual field day was completed as part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded project: • Understanding the implications of new traits on the adaption, crop physiology and management of pulses in the southern region (DAV00150) This trial was managed by Frontier Farming Systems and Agricultural Victoria
Sub-optimal productivity is commonly reported for the deep sands that make up 20 to 30% of the cropping soils in the low rainfall Victorian Mallee region. Diagnosis of local constraints have pointed to low fertility and the physical restriction of rooting depth as the most likely constraints to production on sands in the Victorian Mallee. To explore this further, a trial was established at Ouyen in 2017 to investigate the potential the interactions between crop water use, physical disturbance by rotary spading, and the incorporation of organic amendments.
Methods
Treatments Six different types of organic matter were incorporated to a depth of 30 cm depth in 2017 using a one pass spade and sow operation (Table 1). Each organic amendment was applied at a rate which supplied 2.5 t/ha of carbon, but varied in carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio. Spaded organic matter treatments were also compared to spading only, spaded urea (supplying equivalent quantity of N as vetch hay) and a non-spaded control.
Management The trial was sown to barley in 2017 with subsequent years rotating between wheat and barley. Each season the trial received DAP S Z (16:17:0:8; 0.5%Zn) @ 62.5 kg/ha at seeding and 47 kg/ha of Ammonium Sulphate and a foliar application of copper, zinc and manganese was applied during tillering.
Treatment
Application Rate (t/ha)
C:N Ratio
Treatment N Input (kg/ha)
Spaded Vetch Hay
6
16:1
156
Spaded Oaten Hay
5.9
72:1
35
Spaded Vetch + Oat Hay
3.3 + 2.7
25:1
102
Spaded Chicken Litter
6.8
16:1
218
Spaded Compost
15.8
10:1
252
Urea
0.34
N/A
156
Spaded control
Nil
N/A
–
Non-spaded control
Nil
N/A
–
Table 1
Results
2020 Grain Yield
Here was a 0.75 t/ha increase in grain yield in 2020 between the non-spaded control and all other treatments which were spaded in 2017. There was no significant difference between spaded treatments, therefore there was no effect of organic matter in 2020.
Cumulative Yield Benefit (2017-2020)
Spading chicken litter compost in 2017 has provided increased grain yield by 3.4 t/ha relative to the on-spaded control. The effect of spading was 1.3 t/ha, therefore the long term yield benefit of the application of 6.8 t/ha chicken litter was 2.1 t/ha. The next most effective organic matter source was compost while on-farm organic matter sources such as vetch hay has provided not provided long term benefit over and above spading.
Acknowledgement This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
The research featured in this virtual field day was completed as part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded project: • Increasing production on sandy soils in the low-medium rainfall areas of the southern region. The trials are a collaboration between Frontier Farming Systems and Mallee Sustainable Farming, CSIRO and UniSA.
There is considerable interest in strategic deep tillage (e.g. deep ripping, spading) with or without agronomic amendments (fertilisers, organic matter) to overcome physical constraints and increase water and nutrient supply within the profile of Mallee sandy soils. To investigate the potential benefits of deep ripping and the inclusion of organic matter (OM), a replicated trial was established near Tempy in 2019.
Methods
Treatments The trial comprised of five treatments to compare deep ripping only with inclusion plates and OM addition. All deep ripping treatments were implemented to a depth of 50cm with a tine spacing of 56cm. The OM used was a chicken litter compost blend, applied at 5t/ha (https://www.peatssoil.com.au), in the treatments listed in Table 1.
Management The trial was sown to barley in both 2019 and 2020. Each season the trial received DAP S Z (16:17:0:8; 0.5%Zn) @ 62.5 kg/ha at seeding and 47 kg/ha of Ammonium Sulphate and a foliar application of copper, zinc and manganese was applied during tillering.
Depth cm
Treatment
Control (undisturbed)
–
–
Deep ripping
50
with rigid shank (Tilco)
Deep ripping
50
with inclusion plate (Tilco) operating 150mm below soil surface
Deep ripping
50
with inclusion plate (Tilco) plus OM surface applied
Deep ripping
50
with OM deep placed behind the ripping shank
Table 1
Results
2020 Grain Yield
Deep ripping with inclusion plates and/or OM applied produced a significantly higher grain yield than the undisturbed control in 2020. The grain yield of the deep ripping only treatment was not significantly higher than the control in 2020.
Figure 1: Grain yield from the Tempy site in 2020
Cumulative Yield Benefit (2017-2020)
All treatments increased the quantity of grain grown in 2019 and 2020 by at least 1.5 t/ha, relative to the undisturbed control. However, there is no significant difference in cumulative grain yield between the ripping treatments.
Acknowledgement This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
The research featured in this virtual field day was completed as part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded project: • Increasing production on sandy soils in the low-medium rainfall areas of the southern region. The trials are a collaboration between Frontier Farming Systems and Mallee Sustainable Farming, CSIRO and UniSA.
The trial was sown on the 15th of May. Each variety was sown at the seeding rates specified in the table below. The trial was sown with a tyned seeder fitted with paired row Root Boot. Granulock Z was supplied as starter fertliser at 50 kg/ha. All varieties were inoculated with a group N Tagteam Granular. Simazine (200 g/ha), Diuron (200 g/ha) and Balance (80 g/ha) were applied as pre-emergent herbicides and were incorporated before sowing (IBS).
Pinnaroo Chickpea Trial Results Desi Chickpea types PBA Striker and PBA Slasher were the highest yielding varieties with grain yields of 2.8 t/ha Both varieties were higher yielding than the large Kabuli chickpea varieties Kalkee and PBA Monarch The striker also had a significantly higher grain yield than PBA Magnus but did not differ significantly from the other varieties
Acknowledgement This virtual field day has been developed as part of the Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) project: “Facilitating enhanced knowledge sharing of Mallee sustainable farming practices” This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
The research featured in this virtual field day was completed as part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded project: • Understanding the implications of new traits on the adaption, crop physiology and management of pulses in the southern region (DAV00150) This trial was managed by Frontier Farming Systems and Agricultural Victoria
