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Wayne Pluske
Equii
Make the complex simple to make more money, make life easier and ideally both
Focus on soils, nutrition and fertiliser
Also chair of Soil Constraints – West Steering Committee
GRDC Soil Constraints – West Steering Committee
“looks after GRDC’s investment into soil constraints in the western region”
- ensure there is bang for the investment buck- provide guidance, feedback, direction on projects- check projects are integrated- make subtle recommendations to project leaders- make bigger recommendations to GRDC- do a pretty good job
Soil Constraints - West Steering Committee
Soil Constraints - West Steering Committee
- RCSN Kwinana East representative (Bob Nixon)
- RCSN Kwinana West representative (Tony White)
- RCSN Geraldton representative (Craig Topham)
- RCSN Albany representation (Mark Pearce)
- RCSN Esperance representation (Quentin Knight)
- Western Panel Representative (John Even)
- GRDC Manager (Julia Easton)
- Chair (Wayne Pluske)
Soil Constraints - West Steering Committee
Recurring items:
- the usuals:- more trials in more places in more seasons …………………- why are they doing that and not this?
- better extension of results- better economic analysis of results- better integration of information into my farming system and farming business
Economics of tackling subsoil constraints
Or how robust is the balance sheet?
Certain and large investment is needed, yet yield benefits are uncertain
because many “tech” things affect the financial outcome of subsoil amelioration
How does one justify the cost and risk?
How does one assess likely returns and risk to justify investment?
Economics of tackling subsoil constraints - how do we justify cost and risk?
- Business are good at “looking for the edge” - some can be good edges, others not so good edges
- Businesses are good at managing financial risk
Researchers and others are not good at quantifying returns and risk in a meaningful way
Economic analyses are always “done the wrong way, irrelevant to me, too simple, too complicated, modelled so not real, ………….”
When we say we need more economic analysis, what does this actually mean?
Tackling subsoil constraints – meaningful return:risk info?
- Simplistic economic analysis of trial results
- Returns on one single variable input
- Multiply “chance” results by dollars to get big dollar differences
- Different perspectives from researchers, management consultants, agronomists, agribusiness advisers, bankers, ……………
- Short term cash flow v longer term profitability
- How to prioritise where to tackle subsoil constraints (accurate diagnosis and expectations of benefits of amelioration)
- How to know it relates to my country and my management
- How to measure if it works
The eleven agricultural soil zones of south-western Australia
Economic analysis of the impacts and management of subsoil constraints Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Petersen
Economist, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Economic analysis of the impacts and management of subsoil constraints Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Petersen
Economist, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
NPV ($/ha) Benefit cost ratio Annual profit ($/ha) Break even (years)
Soil type TD TD & DB TD TD & DB TD TD & DB TD TD & DB
Sandy earths 799 (670) 990 (890) 3.7 (3.2) 5.5 (5.7) 64 (54) 79 (72) 3 (6) 3 (6)
Clays & shallow loamy duplexes
745 (540) 860 (670) 3.8 (2.9) 4.8 (4.1) 60 (43) 69 (54) 3 (6) 3 (6)
Deep loamy duplexes & earths
750 (540) 860 (670) 3.8 (2.9) 4.7 (4.1) 60 (43) 69 (54) 3 (6) 3 (6)
Alkaline shallow duplex
1,030 (730) 1,150 (940) 4.3 (3.1) 5.5 (5.3) 83 (59) 92 (76) 3 (7) 3 (5)
Deep sandy duplexes
890 (n.a.) 1,060 (n.a.) 3.9 (n.a.) 5.7 (n.a.) 71 (n.a.) 85 (n.a.) 3 (n.a.) 3 (n.a.)
Economic analysis of the impacts and management of subsoil constraints Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Petersen
Economist, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Subsoil acidity - economic analysis over 20 yearsIF pH < 4.5IF pH < 5.0
Benefit cost ratio
DR & DW alone DR & DW + gypsum DR & DW + CTF
0.6 0.2 4.8
Subsoil compaction- economic analysis over 20 years
Beacon: 2015 and 2016Benefit to cost ratio = (sum of benefits from year 1 and 2 – cost)/cost
Thanks to Wayne Parker, DAFWA
York gum Nil lime 5 t/ha lime
R300 R450 R450P Nil R300 R450 R450P Nil
2015 -3.1 0.6 0.0 0.0 -0.6 -1.0 0.0 -0.7
2016 -5.7 -1.2 -0.6 0.0 -0.7 -1.2 0.1 -0.5
Morrell Nil gypsum 5 t/ha gypsum
R300 R450 R450P Nil R300 R450 R450P Nil
2015 -4.1 -3.8 -0.7 0.0 -1.5 -1.8 -0.9 -4.9
2016 -3.0 -3.7 0.7 0.0 -1.4 -1.9 -0.6 -4.8
Tackling subsoil constraints – practical issues
- Soil type changes - mainly talking about parts of blocks or paddocks rather than whole blocks/paddocks
- Figuring out if there are subsoil constraints, what they are and where they start and finish
- Having confidence amelioration will work and make money
- Kill many birds with one stone? “I might as well tackle everything at once”
- Where do we start? What paddock, what gear, ……………
Tackling subsoil constraints – good diagnostics
- Spatial information: yield maps, google earth, shouldertop computer, NDVI, EM, radiometrics, …..
- Hotspots of weeds? Ryegrass and/or radish
- Shovel- Is it “tough” digging?- How deep are roots?- Do roots go sideways? Especially radish- Non-wetting?
Tackling subsoil constraints – practical issues post amelioration
- Groundcover or lack thereof
- Uneven seedbed
- Hotted up herbicides (less OC, higher pH, herbicide movement)
- Poor establishment, poor vigour, poor competitiveness and/or poor herbicide tolerance
- Induced nutrient deficiencies
- Droughting that may not otherwise occur
Subsoil Constraints: Understanding and management - David Hall
From David Hall - DPIRD
Summary of 2016 trials (many established before 2016)
From David Hall - DPIRD
Greener plots are 10 – 20 t/ha manure trenched in
2015 Esperance – proof of concept
From David Hall - DPIRD
0.16 t/ha yield increase in 20150.15 t/ha yield increase in 2016
2015/16 Esperance – grower practices
Topdown
From David Hall - DPIRD
2015 Burracoppin
Large strip trial
From David Hall - DPIRD
2016 Burracoppin
Plot trial
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0.25
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Nil lime 2.5 t lime 5 t lime Nil lime 2.5 t lime 5 t lime Nil lime 2.5 t lime 5 t lime Nil lime 2.5 t lime 5 t lime
Can
ola
yie
ld (
t/h
a)
No cultivation Disc plough Deep rip Disc plough + Deep rip
LSD at 0.001 probability level
2015 Merredin RS
Plot trial
From David Hall - DPIRD
Depth of Ripping and Tyne Design (2016ES47) – fibre optic cable layingDavid Hall , Andrew Heinrich (Farm and General) , Steve Lloyd
From David Hall - DPIRD
Depth of Ripping and Tyne Design (2016ES47)David Hall , Andrew Heinrich (Farm and General) , Steve Lloyd
All treatments Main treatments
From David Hall - DPIRD
Depth of tillage effects on deep sandplain soils – DandaraganChris Wilkins and Bill Bowden (West Midlands Group)
Large scale ripping trial Small plot ripping x N trial
46 N/ha applied at weeks:
From David Hall - DPIRD
Interaction of cultivation and lime, west Wubin 2016
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0.25
0.50
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Control Limesand Dolomite Lime +Dolomite
Control Limesand Dolomite Lime +Dolomite
Control Limesand Dolomite Lime +Dolomite
Mac
e w
he
at y
ield
(t/
ha)
LSD
No till Spader Grizzly
Best net margin two years in a row
From David Hall - DPIRD
Acidity (pH < 5.5) Multiple constraints
Constraints maps include:Acidity, Alkalinity, Boron toxicity, Salinity, Sodicity, Compaction, Non wetting, Waterlogging, Erosion
Source: Dennis van GoolFrom David Hall - DPIRD
From David Hall - DPIRD
From David Hall - DPIRD
From David Hall - DPIRD
Innovative approaches in managing subsoil acidity
GRDC Project DAW0252 (2016-2021)
Project Manager: Chris Gazey
DPIRD Researchers: Dr Gaus Azam and Dr Craig Scanlan
UWA Researchers: Prof Zed Rengal and Paul Demon
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
1. Pot trial: Effects of different soil ameliorants on acidic wodjil subsoil and establishment of Al sensitive barley crop
• Subsoil only (from Kalannie)• Al sensitive crop barley only (La Trobe)• Five rates of lime x five rates of gypsum (total treatments 25) – replicated and randomised• Direct seeding of barley seeds• Grow for three weeks after germination• Measure soil pH, EC and Al (all in CaCl2 1:5 extract) and soil solution at field capacity • Measure root morphology at three weeks
Research questions:- Which ameliorant(s) is more effective to increase soil pH and reduce toxic Al?- Does lime + gypsum work better than a single ameliorant?- What happens if we bring subsoil to the top (as in MBP) and treat for acidity related issues?- How is the establishment of an Al sensitive crop (barley) affected by ameliorations?
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
2. Pot trial: Effects of different soil ameliorants on sub and mixed acidic soil and crop establishment
• Subsoil and mixed soil (50:50) (from Kalannie)• Three crops (wheat, barley and canola)• Five rates of lime with and without gypsum (total treatments 10) – replicated and
randomised• Direct seeding of seeds• Grow three weeks after germination• Measure soil pH, EC and Al (all in CaCl2 1:5 extract) and soil solution at field capacity • Measure root morphology at three weeks
Research questions:- How much lime do we need to correct acidic soil profile?- Does lime + gypsum work better than a single ameliorant?- What happens if we mix equal proportions of subsoil and topsoil along with the optimum
amount of soil ameliorant?- How is the establishment of common crops affected by ameliorations?
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
Treatments:Soils: low and high topsoil pHLime: 0, 3, 6 t/haGypsum: 0, 1.5, 3 t/ha Rainfall: 200 & 400 mm (divided into 12 applications)
Column size and count: 500 x 100 mm; 108 columnsMonthly measurement of pH, Al, Ca, S at 5 depths using soil solution extracted by Rizons
Objective: Estimate individual and combined effects of lime and gypsum at varying rates
Research questionsDoes initial soil pH influence movement of alkalinity into acidic subsoil?Do intensity and total annual rainfall affect movement of alkalinity into to acidic subsoil?Does combination of lime and gypsum works better in ameliorating acidic subsoil?
3. Column experiment - Hydro-chemical amelioration of subsoil acidityNortham Growth Room
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
Objective: Estimate individual and combine effects of lime and gypsum at varying rates
Treatments:Lime: 0, 2, 4, & 6 t/ha / 0 & 4 t/haGypsum: 0, 1, 2 & 3 t/ha / 0 & 2t/ha (may be repeated in future years)Incorporation: no incorporation & one-way ploughingSoil compaction will be pre-treated with deep ripper
Design: Split plot Latin square: (4x4x2) with 3 replicates / (2x2x2) with 5 replicatesPlots size and count: 20 x 1.82 m; 96 plots / 50 x 13 m; 40 plotsMeasurements: pH, Al, Ca, S at depths (in soil solution and alternative extract); plant response (growth and yield)
4 & 5. Field trials - Interactive effect of lime & gypsum towards amelioration of subsoil acidityKalannie – small plots and large plots
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
Objective: Minimise subsoil acidification using nitrate fertilizer in combination with lime
Treatments:Lime: plus & minus limeN sources: ammonium sulphate & calcium nitrateN placement: surface & banded at 10 cmK: plus & minus K
Design: RCBD (2x2x2x2) with 4 replicatesPlots size and count: 20x1.82 m; 64 plotsMeasurements: pH, Al, nutrients (in soil solution and alternative extract); plant response (growth and yield)
6. Field trials - Biological amelioration of subsoil acidity Merredin, Wongan Hills
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
Objective: Minimise subsoil acidification using different sources of N fertilizer in combination with lime
Treatments:1. Control (40N Urea TD)2. Lime + 40N Urea TD3. Lime + 40N CaNO3 TD4. Lime + 40N Urea DB5. Lime + 40N CaNO3 DBTD=topdressed; DB=banded at 10 cm
Design: RCBD with four replicatesPlots size and count: 1 x 1.2 m micro-plots; 15 plotsMeasurements: pH, Al, nutrients, root distribution using Rhizotron tubes; plant response (growth and yield)
7. Field trial - Effect of lime and nitrogen fertiliser source on root growth in an acid subsoil Wongan Hills
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
Objective: Estimate changes in subsoil pH under different cropping sequences and lime application rates
Treatments:Crop sequence: continuous wheat and wheat/fallowTillage: no cultivation & cultivation in 2016 with offset discsLime rate: 0, 2, 4 & 6 t/ha limesand applied before cultivation in 2016
Design: RCBD (2x2x4) with four replicatesPlots size and count: 20x1.54 m; 64 plotsMeasurements: pH, Al, nutrients (in soil solution and alternative extract); plant response (growth and yield
8. Field trial - Effect of cultivation and fallow on the rate of change of subsoil pH after lime applicationMerredin
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD
Glasshouse trials using large Rhizoboxes for root measurements under different levels of ameliorations mainly by deep-ripping
Research objectiveto characterise the factors influencing root and shoot growth responses to slotting a curtain of ameliorated top/sub soil into acidic subsoil
9 . Collaboration with UWA
From Chris Gazey - DPIRD