Subsoil manuring an exciting new technology

Gary Clark, Peter Sale, J Singh Gill and C Tang Department of Agricultural Sciences, La Trobe University

The Issue
Australia has the worlds largest area of texture contrast soils These soils impose major constraints to crop production

Texture contrast soils distribution

Chromosols

Sodosols (ASC) Solonetz (FAO)

Texture contrast soil

Sodosol SW Victoria
Loam surface soil OC > 2 % High clay (>60%) sodic subsoil OC << 1 %
cm 10
20 40 60

80

Macroporosity <10% 100 Microporosity > 30%

Constraints
Poor root penetration <40 cm Dense, poorly structured clay subsoil Very low saturated HC << 1 mm/hr
10 20 40

60

80

100

Up to 30 % of soil water is contained in micropores !unavailable for plant growth

Constraints - Crop Production

"Waterlogging "Drainage raised beds "Lack of water at grain fill

Past practice
"Deep ripping with addition of gypsum "Ca stabilizing sodic clay (microaggregates) to increase permeability and aeration !Poor macroaggregation (Clark et al. , 2007) "Short-lived effect

The Challenge
Can plant roots be encouraged to explore deeper into the soil profile?? #! #Increase the amount of water extracted by plant roots ! #Increase stored water for use at grain fill ! #Increase crop yields

Hypothesis
Deep incorporation of organic amendments superior to inorganic can "Improve deep root growth in the subsoil "Increase water extraction from the subsoil

Aim

Deep organic material

Deep gypsum

Deep fertilizer

Field Experiment - 2005

"Site in SW Victoria "Raised bed crop production - 8 years "9 Treatments x 4 Reps (CRBD) "Once only "Crop management best practice "3 crop seasons "Wheat, wheat and canola

Treatments - 2005
"Control + Deep ripped control "Gypsum 10 t/ha "Lucerne pellets (2.8% N) - 20 t/ha "Dynamic lifter (4% N) 20 t/ha "MAP 100 kg/ha "Combinations organic and inorganic "Sand

Deep placement - 2005

Raised bed 140 cm
15 cm 30 cm

30 cm ~10 cm To 100 cm

Furrow

Amendment Neutron probe access tube

Subsoil manuring with organic amendments

Season 2005 (Winter wheat) May-Nov. 326 mm (long term 327 mm)

2005 grain yield Deep Organics additional grain yield of 4 t/ha (70%) close to 13 t/ha extra 67 mm of subsoil water use flag leaf remained greener for extra 10 days

Season 2006 (Winter wheat)

May-Nov. 178 mm drought

2006 grain yield (Residual effects from deep incorporation in 2005) Deep Organics additional grain yield of 2 to 3 t/ha 80% increase extra 80 mm of soil water use

Season 2007 (Canola)

May-Nov. 438 mm
Dry spring moisture stress at anthesis 2007 grain yield (Residual effects from deep incorporation in 2005) Deep Organics additional grain yield of 1 t/ha 60% increase extra 24 mm of subsoil water use

Why?
Increased water-use can be attributed to "More favorable subsoil structure !Increased root growth !Improved recharge of the soil profile !Greater extraction of water from the subsoil

Soil profile water 40-60 cm

60 Soil water (mm) 50 40 30 20 7 57 107 157 Days after sowing

Control Gypsum Lucerne Lucerne + MAP + Gyp error bars

Soil profile water 60-80 cm

70 Soil water (mm) 60 50 40 30 20 7 57 107 157 Days after sowing

Control Gypsum Lucerne Lucerne + MAP + Gyp error bars

Soil sampling (2006) for soil physical properties Soil sampling in middle of raised bed
15 cm Furrow

30 cm ~10 cm To 100 cm

Amendment Neutron probe access tube

Macroporosity (% v/v)
0 5 10 15 20 30

Soil depth (cm)

0-10 10-20
-

Control Deep rip Sand Gypsum + MAP Lucerne Dynamic lifter

20-30 30-40

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (cm hr -1)

0 1
1

Soil depth (cm)

0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40

Control Deep rip Sand Gypsum + MAP Lucerne Dynamic lifter

Root growth 2005 crop

"Less root growth in deep organics at surface "Increased root growth in the subsurface

Soil sampling (2007) for soil physical properties R1 S R2

15 cm

30 cm ~10 cm To 100 cm

Furrow

Amendment Neutron probe access tube

Water-stable aggregates - 2007

Aggregates >0.25 mm (% soil) 80 60 40 20 0 Control Lucerne Lucerne + MAP + Gyp

R1 S R2

Summary (2005-7)
"Consistent 60-80% increase in grain yield (wheat or canola) in organic treatments "Higher recharge of water in soil profile "Improved rooting depth "Improved soil physical structure

Does subsoil manuring work at other sites in SW Victoria ?

GRDC (Grains Research & Development Corporation) funded on-farm, in-paddock field experiments established in 2009.

Lake Bolac Penshurst Derrinallum

Ballan

Winchelsea

Interesting observations at Winchelsea 2009

Barley crop at anthesis in late October; then heat wave..10 days 35-40oC

Control plot

20 t/ha poultry litter

Yield responses in 2009

District Site Control Subsoil % manuring increase LSD (P=0.05)

Winchelsea barley Derrinallum wheat Penshurst wheat

4.4 t/ha

7.7 t/ ha 10.5 t/ ha 7.6 t/ ha

75%

1.3 t/ha

5.0 t/ha

110%

1.3 t/ha

4.8 t/ha

58%

1.6 t/ha

How long will the effect last?

"Sampling across the raised bed to a depth of 60 cm in 2009 "Confirmed that the organic-amended soil was remaining more friable, in comparison to the blocky control

Difference in appearance of subsoil layer 4 years after subsoil manuring event

Control: 30-40 cm Lucerne +: 30-40 cm

In the rip-line

What are the mechanisms

"Microbial activity initiates macroaggregation of this sodic high clay soil "Root growth stimulated by the mineralization of the organic amendments "Roots reinforce the macro-aggregation of this sodic high clay soil

Subsoil manuring
Biological activity

Formation of aggregates Increased porosity

Deep root penetration

Access to additional soil water

Increased recharge of soil profile

Further information
Subsoil manuring with different organic manures increased canola yield in a dry spring- J Singh Gill Poster Session 2.1.1 Optimising water use with soil physics Friday 10.00
References Clark, G. J., Dodgshun, N., Sale, P. W. G. &Tang, C. (2007). Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39: 2806-2817. Clark, G. J., Sale, P. W. G. &Tang, C. (2009). Australian Journal of Soil Research 47: 770-780. Gill, J. S., Sale, P. W. G., Peries, R. R. &Tang, C. (2009). Field Crops Research 114: 137-146. Gill, J. S., Sale, P. W. G. &Tang, C. (2008). Field Crops Research 107: 265-275.

Acknowledgements
ARC and GRDC Nathan Dodgshun, Ashely Wallace, Kelly Johnson, Ryan Devine Department of Agricultural Sciences http://www.latrobe.edu.au/agriculture/

Thank You