Author:
Hamza M. A.,Anderson W. K.
Abstract
In the low rainfall area of Western Australia, clay soils with massive soil
structure form a major part of the area sown to wheat. Yield increases on such
soils have been poor in the last decade compared with those on other soil
types. An experiment was conducted over 4 years (1997–2000) using a
factorial combination of soil ripping to 0.4 m, application of commercial
grade gypsum at 2.5 t/ha, and addition of complete nutrients based on soil
test each year. All crop residues were retained after harvest and returned to
the soil. The experiment was conducted in a wheat–field pea rotation at
Merredin, WA. Soil water infiltration rate, soil strength, bulk density,
water-stable aggregates, cation exchange capacity, and wheat yields were
measured.
Grain yields of wheat and field peas were increased by deep ripping, the
addition of gypsum, or the addition of complete nutrients in some years. The
main treatment effects on yield were additive, as significant interactions
between the treatments on yield were seldom found.
However, all the main treatments also significantly improved many of the soil
physical properties related to crop growth. In 2000, 4 years after the
treatments were applied, soil water infiltration rate was increased by more
than 200%, strength of the topsoil decreased by around 1600 kPa, and
soil bulk density decreased by 20%. Gypsum application increased
water-stable aggregates, but soil mixing caused by deep ripping reduced them.
The combination of soil ripping and gypsum application in the presence of
complete nutrients and annual return of crop residues to the soil is suggested
to improve crop grain yield and soil physical fertility on a range of Western
Australian soils.
Subject
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Cited by
49 articles.
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