This virtual field day was captured on the 11th of October 2019.
The trial comprised of five treatments to evaluate deep ripping and organic matter (OM) addition on crop productivity on a deep sand:
- control (undisturbed)
- deep ripping (50cm) with rigid shank
- deep ripping (50cm) with inclusion plate operating 150mm below soil surface
- deep ripping (50cm) with inclusion plate plus OM surface applied
- deep ripping (50cm) with OM deep placed behind the ripping shank.
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)
The trial was sown to Compass Barley on 22 May 2019. The crop was sown with 62.5 kg/ha starter fertiliser (DAP S Z) + 65 kg/ha urea. It was later top-dressed with 50 kg/ha of ammonium sulphate with zinc, manganese and copper applied as a foliar spray during tillering. The trial was harvested on 13 November 2019.