While the use of single row seeding boots has been popular and well understood among growers, it is unclear what impact paired row seeding has on the timely emergence of crops over a range of soil types and seasons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the emergence of crops using paired and single row seeding across the main soil types in the West Midlands region. This is a two-year project (2018-19) and the results are presented for the 2019 season. A later break to the 2019 season occurred on the 7th June with an average of 19 mm across all sites, with all sites being dry sown prior to this date to either wheat, barley, or lupin.

The use of two break crops in a row as a double break crop sequence has been successfully used to increase the grain yield of successive wheat crops in South Eastern Australia, and this study has tested this approach in the WA wheatbelt region. 
Four demonstration sites were established in 2017 near Bencubbin, Corrigin, Miling, and Calingiri. These sites were established in paddocks with a history of root diseases or weed populations that a single break crop could not address, and which were sown to a break crop, pasture, or fallow in 2016. In 2017, a range of break crop options were grown on small plots and with the remaining paddock area sown to canola or wheat. All sites were sown to wheat in 2018. 

The use of two break crops in a row as a double break crop sequence has been successfully used to increase the grain yield of successive wheat crops in South Eastern Australia, and this study has tested this approach in the WA wheatbelt region.
Four demonstration sites were established in 2017 near Bencubbin, Corrigin, Miling, and Calingiri. These sites were established in paddocks with a history of root diseases or weed populations that a single break crop could not address, and which were sown to a break crop, pasture, or fallow in 2016. In 2017, plots of up to 2 hectares in size were established using grower equipment for a range of break crop options that the grower identified as options to integrate into their farming system. The remaining area of the paddock was sown to either wheat or canola depending on grower’s paddock plan. All sites were sown to wheat in 2018.

Anecdotal evidence shows that wheat varieties released in WA are gradually changing from floppy to more erect leaves. This change in canopy architecture (mainly leaf erectness) could have significant impact on yield across the rainfall zones of WA. In other crops like rice and corn, an erect leaf canopy has significantly increased yield by 20% or more.

Serradella is a useful pasture species on the sandy soils of the West Midlands. But it has two major weaknesses: weed control (particularly radish and capeweed) and a lack of early biomass production. By sowing serradella with a Clearfield Barley variety (Scope or Spartacus) and using Clearfield (Imidazolinone) herbicides both of these weaknesses can be overcome. The aim of this demonstration was to highlight the pro’s and con’s of using Clearfield Barley as a cover crop when sowing serradella pastures. This trial was conducted on deep pale yellow sand west of Moora.

Summit’s In-Season Nitrogen Calculator aims to calculate a precise N rate to maximize yield potential of a paddock where a crop is starting to run into N limitations, using NDVI as a real-time growth measurement. It is designed to utilise comparisons between crop growth without N limitations beside paddock practice to determine optimal N application for yield and returns. This trial is part of a series that aims to evaluate the accuracy of the N Calculator’s recommended N rates and predictions of yield in various conditions and crops. The trial was conducted in Moora on sandplain soil. 

Using potassium fertiliser has come to light in the past decade by farmers as a vitally important nutrient to add to crops and pastures to achieve increased plant vigor and growth. This trial aimed at looking at the different strategies on the best ways to apply potassium (K) based fertilisers to crops. This trial was conducted over three years in Waddington on sand over gravelly sand clay at 50cm. 

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Potassium (K) is often supplied as topdressed MOP before seeding. However, this may not be the most effective method of application since the K may be pushed into slower-wetting inter-rows by seeding bars. In this trial, K was supplied in differing rates by topdressing MOP immediately after seeding PSPE, after emergence, or in a full NPK compound granule, Vigour, drilled at seeding with or without supplemental MOP to examine effects on germination and emergence and later grain production.

This trial was designed to compare and assess the effectiveness of one-off tillage treatments on soil water repellence, water infiltration, crop establishment and productivity on a water repellent gravel. The trial was conducted on water repellent sandy gravel in Moora. All tillage treatments had a little effect on the management of SWR and plant establishment in the severe water repellent gravel sand at Moora. Nevertheless, yield improvements were recorded, in particular with the “Large offsets” and the “Modified one-way with standard discs” treatments.

Cultivation is the predominant management tool for subsoil compaction. This may be in the form of deep ripping, spading or ploughing – each with varying costs, benefits and disadvantages of the chosen application. The primary aim of this trial is to test increasing the economic viability of deep ripping using controlled traffic and the addition of topsoil and ameliorants to the subsoil. The trial was located in Moora on deep loamy yellow sand. The results showed the importance of ripping below the hard pan with deeper ripping.