Between the Rows

Between the rowsA study of crop row spacing in wheat and canola rotations of the Riverine Plains region Between the rows Riverine Plains Inc Riverine Plains Inc is a not-for-profit, spread across a wide geographical The geographical area we service is farming systems research and area. Riverine Plains Inc members known as the Riverine Plains, and extension organisation servicing farm as far north as Lockhart and it is from this region that the group grain and mixed farming operators Henty in NSW and as far south as takes its name. in north-east Victoria and southern Euroa and Shepparton in Victoria. The research work that underpins New South Wales. Most members are dryland farmers, this report was carried out at though a number also have access The group has a membership base Bungeet, Coreen, Barooga and to irrigation. of more than 315 farming families, Yarrawonga. NEW SOUTH WALES VICTORIA Coreen Barooga Bungeet Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Background 6 2 3.0 Row spacing as part of the farming system 7 4.0 Project outline — what we did 9 Row spacing and drill opener treatments used in each trial 10 5.0 Project findings 12 5.1 How do crop row spacing and seed drill openers influence 6 crop performance in different positions of the rotation? 12 i. Overall influence of row spacing 12 ii. Influence of row spacing in first wheat crops, second wheat crops and canola 13 iii. Influence of row spacing on water use efficiency (WUE) 22 iv. Influence of drill opener on crop performance across rotation positions 24 7 5.2 Do different crop row spacings require different in-crop agronomy — plant populations and nitrogen management? 27 5.3 Do crops sown on wider rows perform better when sown earlier? 33 9 6.0 References 40 12 DISCLAIMER — TECHNICAL This publication has been prepared in good faith on the basis of information available at the date of publication without any independent verification. The Grains Research and Development Corporation, Riverine Plains Inc and FAR Australia do not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, reliability, completeness of currency of the information in this publication nor its usefulness in achieving any purpose. Readers are responsible for assessing the relevance and accuracy of the content of this publication. The Grains Research and Development Corporation, Riverine Plains Inc and FAR Australia will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of any person using or relying on the information in this publication. Products may be identified by proprietary or trade names to help readers identify particular types of products but this is not, and is not intended to be, an endorsement or recommendation of any product or manufacturer referred to. Other products may perform as well or better than those specifically referred to. CONTENTS 1 Between the rows 1.0 Introduction An esteemed researcher said to me a who have funded the project and whipcracker during the course of couple of years ago that after a set of more broadly those who are interested this project, and a huge amount of data was reported in a paper it was in the work. its incredible success is due to the often difficult to glean at first glance extremely high standards he sets for On behalf of Riverine Plains Inc, and how well that particular trial had gone himself and others. It is pleasing to all others involved in this project, I and consequently how reliable the data think back now and know this project would like to sincerely thank the GRDC being reported actually was. The same was the start of what has turned for the opportunity to undertake this researcher went on to say that the data out to be an enduring relationship work. Riverine Plains Inc generally being generated in this project was between Riverine Plains Inc and Nick only applies for project funding extremely significant and deserved to and the organisation he now leads when an area of work is deemed be recognised and valued as such. (FAR Australia). particularly relevant to the region, Given the above, this booklet is an and so is genuinely grateful for the This project was run under a national attempt to make a lasting record of funding required to undertake such a initiative looking at ways to improve the Riverine Plains Inc ‘Water Use significant project. WUE on farms by 10%. It was Efficiency (WUE) project’, funded by extremely exciting to hear that this This project has been a success the Grains Research and Development initiative was recognised by winning a because of the high calibre of people Corporation (GRDC), so that its legacy 2014 Australian Museum Eureka Prize! that worked at various levels on the is perhaps more accessible than if The prize is for excellence in Australian project team. As a humble farmer, it the results were just confined to a science and science communication has been enlightening and exciting to filing cabinet or indeed somewhere in and is a feather in the cap of all who have had the privilege of working with, the My Documents section of a few were involved in the initiative. and more to the point learning from, computers. The booklet describes such a group of people including the So it’s all gone very well, and it is my results from a series of trials that farmer co-operators, the staff at Riverine sincere hope this booklet provides you we believe were run at the highest Plains Inc, the trial contractors, both the with some helpful information and ideas. standard. Furthermore, they are set researchers who worked intimately on in the context of commercial farming the trials and those who provided pearls systems, a link in the research and of genuine wisdom from afar. development chain that is sometimes Adam Inchbold It is frought with danger to single weak. Not all project results finish up Project Supervisor in this form, but it is the hope of all anyone out, but it would be remiss involved here that this final effort will to not mention Nick Poole. Nick bring a last little bit of value to those has been the overarching brains and 2 INTRODUCTION Statistical analysis Statistical tests for example, Analysis of Variance — ANOVA, Least Significant Difference — LSD) are used to measure the difference between the averages. A statistically significant difference is one in which we can be confident that the differences observed are real and not a result of chance. The statistical difference is measured at the 5% level of probability, represented as ‘P<0.05’. If there is no significant difference the P values are greater than 0.05. Conversion table (imperial to metric) Conversion of inches to centimetres Conversion of feet to metres Inches Centimetres Feet Metres 7 17.8 25 7.6 8 20.3 30 9.1 9 22.9 35 10.7 10 25.4 40 12.2 11 27.9 45 13.7 12 30.5 50 15.2 13 33.0 55 16.8 14 35.6 60 18.3 15 38.1 65 19.8 18 45.7 90 27.4 24 61.0 120 36.6 INTRODUCTION 3 Between the rows Trial site host farmer profile — Coreen: Jarrod Hanrahan Farming philosophy Establishment system Jarrod believes inputs should be The Riverine Plains project results on targeted at improving productivity. row spacing convinced Jarrod that He acknowledges the environmental a 25cm row spacing was as wide as responsibility that goes with they should go with their commercial being a farmer and sees his role rig. So the new drill was fitted with as achieving a balance between openers at 25cm. They operate a protecting the environment and full stubble retention system and he maintaining and improving farm sees 25cm row spacing as being Farm detail profitability. He believes that the best compromise for seasons increasingly farmers must be ready with different yield potential. While « Business: South Mahonga to adapt, as the goal posts (whether Jarrod traditionally employs a full Trading Company they are agronomic or market- stubble retention system, he sees « Location: Coreen, Daysdale, based) are constantly moving. the need to be flexible depending on NSW the season and variety. Sometimes Sowing equipment « Farm size: 5000ha burning stubble is necessary in order to successfully establish the « Soil types: Red rising loams, self-mulching clays and sands next crop. With a variety such as Gregory the stubbles tend to be « Enterprise mix: 5 years crop with more problematic in terms of residue 3–5 years pasture phase flow, so Jarrod might burn those stubbles more often. Jarrod employs Cropping enterprise his no-till system with concentrated The Hanrahan’s mixed farming fertiliser banding at a 50cm row enterprise runs 3600 Merino ewes spacing. A single cultivation pass on either a lucerne or clover-based with a tined cultivator is employed pasture phase depending on soil when the pasture phase is returned type. This pasture phase runs to crop in order to relieve some for between three and five years of the compaction that builds up depending on the health of the from the livestock phase. Jarrod pasture and the weed burden. has found that introducing a forage Canola is the principal break crop cereal, such as oats, in the autumn and is followed by two cereal crops; after the pasture phase, grazing it wheat takes the first cereal slot with in spring and running a spray fallow either triticale or barley being the for the remainder of the season has second cereal depending on soil given a better entry back into the type.

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