Field Research & Agronomy

AIM

To assess the response of wheat to phosphorus (P) fertilizer application at a sandy soil site east of Binnu.

This trial is a part of a series of trials in conjunction with GRDC looking at ‘increasing profit from N, P and K fertiliser inputs into the evolving cropping sequences in the Western Region.’

For further details please contact your local area manager, or the Summit Research Team.

CONCLUSION

• Soil test results indicated low levels of P so the strong and significant NDVI biomass and grain yield response to applied P was expected.
• NDVI values showed a decrease in plant growth and biomass from 20 kg P/ha to 40 kg P/ha and this showed up in final harvest yield as a 25% yield decrease.
• Soil moisture was not limiting during the season and this can account for the good yields and relatively low protein.
  Only treatments that didn’t have P applied exceeded 10% protein.
• Yield and profits were both optimised at 20 kg P/ha, 60 kg N/ha and 15 kg K/ha, with a yield of 3.0t/ha and return of $950/ha.