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The following trials were established in or around the West Midlands Group Main trial site at the Badgingarra Research Station. Results of these trials will be published in the '2010 Research Annual' being launch at the West Midlands Crop Updates in Badgingarra on 1st March. Find out more by visiting our Events page.
Soil Management
 Assessing rotary spading and claying for improved pasture establishment and production on pale deep sand
Historically, pasture option have been limited on the pale deeps sands of the West Midlands region. These sands are characterized by their low water and nutrient holding capacity and non wetting properties. Over the past 15 years much of this country has been in a crop rotation as a matter of course. Increased fertilizer prices, recent lower growing season rainfall and the high sheep price have meant that farmers are now considering pasture options for this country.
Sub-tropical perennial pasture species have been widely adopted by farmers on pale deep sands of the WM region, however, these sub-tropical perennials are a long-term investment and their flexibility as far as rotation and cropping is still being explored. WMG was keen to establish a trial that examined pasture option that would allow the farmer flexibility and act as a crop pasture rotation option.
This trial will assess the impact of soil disturbance through spading and various low rates of claying on pasture establishment and productivity. The pasture species being trialed are Hykon Rose Clover, Margurita (French/ pink Serradella), Dalkeith (sub-clover) and new release AGWEST ® BARTOLO Bladder Clover. In addition sub-tropical perennial mix will be seeded in August.
Acknowledgements: Funding provided by NACC and the Caring for our Country program; Clay and spreading provided by Graham White; Spading provided by David Hayes; seed provided by David Paish and Ballard Seeds; Alosca provided by Landmark.
 Assessing rotary spading, mouldboard ploughing and claying for amelioration of pale deep sand (2nd year)
This is the second year of a four year trial that aims to assess the impact of various levels of soil disturbance (cultivation methods) on water repellence and productivity and the interaction of these cultivation methods with soil amendments, lime and clay. This year, 2010, the trial site will be sown to Canola.
This trial was established in May 2009, the conclusions of the first year of the trial are summarized as follows:
"One of the fundamental problems of pale deep sands is their poor water and nutrient holding capacity. While cultivation techniques can overcome water repellence they do not necessarily greatly alter the lack of water holding capacity. Similarly addition of clay at rates of 100-150 t/ha can be used to overcome water repellence but will not greatly increase water holding capacity. Deep ripping or the soil loosening caused by rotary spading or mouldboard ploughing allows faster root growth and improved nutrient and water uptake and this appears to be one of the primary reasons for the improved yields. The advantage of the rotary spader and mouldboard plough over deep ripping alone is improved weed control and reduced water repellence although the longevity of this is unknown. Reduced water repellence may prove to be more significant in certain seasons and more sensitive crops. Sustained productivity benefits are likely to be required for these approaches to be economically viable."
Dr Stephen Davies, West Midlands Group Research Annual 1st Edition, 2009, page 10
Acknowledgements: Funding provided by GRDC
Clay application rates and degree of clay incorporation (2nd year)
What is the right rate of clay to apply? This continues to be a common question for growers considering claying water repellent sands. A small clay rate demonstration site was established at the Badgingarra Research Station by several growers in May 2009 to look at the impact of various rates of clay ranging from 50-450 t/ha.
In its first year the trial confirmed expectation that the degree of incorporation needs to be commensurate with the rate of clay applied. This year (2010) the site will be sown with Canola. Yield will be examined and compared to 2009 data to determine long-term advantages of clay application and various incorporation methods.
Cereals
 Wheat National Variety Trial
To evaluate a range of current wheat varieties at a single sowing time, under grower practice at Badgingarra, WA.
Acknowledgements: Funding provided by GRDC
Wheat Time of Sowing
Commercially popular or recently released wheat varieties will be sown at three sowing times at Badgingarra to provide growers with useful information to understand the impact of sowing time on the yield and quality.
 Brome Grass in Scope Barley
Brome in cereals is being increasing controlled by Group B herbicides alone, and in some areas in a continuous cereal rotation. Group B resistance is a certainty under this regime and it is critical to identify some form of assistance to Group B usage
The objective of this trial is to:
- Evaluate crop tolerance and weed control of using residuals IBS followed by Intervix; and
- Examine impact of using soil wetter in autumn to enhance knockdown performance on brome
Break Crop's
Roundup Ready Herbicide (RRH) trial
Controlling wild radish is a key to growing canola in WA. Significant areas of the WA wheatbelt are affected by non-wetting soil and with no residual protection, the Roundup Ready Canola system is vulnerable to subsequent germination in the absence of solid crop growth. This trial will evaluate:
- the effect of soil wetter on crop and weed germination
- the effect of sowing rate on weed control
- the impact of LI700 to the performance of RRH, and
- any interactions with these factors
Canola Variety Demonstration
Canola has become an increasingly important ‘break crop' option for growers in the West Midlands region, especially as the profitability of lupins has diminished. Canola also allows different weed control options to wheat and lupins, which is appealing to some growers. The recent release of conventionally bred ‘hybrid' canola varieties, as well genetically modified (glyphosate tolerant) canola varieties has further increased interest in this crop. This trial seeks to compare the performance of recently released TT (triazine tolerant)varieties (ATR Cobbler, CBTM Tanami, CBTM Scaddan, CB Telfer) against new ‘hybrid' canola varieties (CBTM HT JardeeTM, CBTMTumby HTTM, CBTMMallee HTTM.
Acknowledgements: Seed provided by Canola Breeders WA
RR Canola Systems Trial
Compare the three herbicide tolerant canola systems (Clearfield, Triazine Tolerant, and Roundup Ready) for i) weed control and ii) yield and oil of varieties
Anthracnose Lupin Trial
Nutrition
Wheat Time of Sowing trial with Yield Profit model to determine variable N rate
Yield Prophet® does not generate recommendations or advice. Yield Prophet® uses the computer simulation model APSIM together with paddock specific soil, crop and climate data to generate information about the likely outcomes of farming decisions. This tool has been widely trialed in the medium and low rainfall areas of the Northern Agricultural region, however is has never been tested in the West Midlands region.
This trial seeks to test the Yield Profit tool to determine its relevance and usefulness to growers of the WM region in determining most efficient and effective nitrogen strategy.
The trial will examine and compare three Nitrogen strategies (see below) over two wheat varieties (Bonny Rock and Mace) at two times of sowing. N strategies as follows:
- Strategy 1: Farmers Practice - growers use same decision making process as they would for their own crops to determine N strategy for each treatment
- Strategy 2: Farmers use reports from Yield Prophet to assist decision making - decision made a week prior to expected time of actual application
- Strategy 3: Control strategy - growers will determine a standard N application strategy prior to seeding, rates & timing will be consistent for all treatments
Acknowledgements: Funding provided by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forrestry and the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC). Many thanks to: Harm van Rees and Birchip Cropping Group; Dr Stepehn Davies and DAFWA team; David Cameron (Farmanco), Helen Lethlean (Landmark), Jeff Fordham and Ben McTaggart.
 Matching P and N rates to yield potential on sands (2nd year of long-term trial)
These trials are being conducted to examine the likelihood of economic returns to VRT on sandplain soils.
Two identical trials were sown around 100m apart, the first on a strong gravelly sand with a high yield potential, and the second on a deep white sand, with lower clay content and lower yield potential. The purpose was to investigate the economics of variable rate fertiliser applications by comparing the response to additional N and P on variable sandplain.
Chemical Treatments
 Sakura Herbicide trial
SakuraÒ, the new pre-emergent herbicide to be launched by Bayer CropScience in 2011, demonstrated outstanding results in the 2009 cereal growing season. In 2010 Bayer CropScience is performing further development trial work through replicated small plot scientific trials. WMG has been offered an opportunity to host one of these trials at the Badgingarra Research Station
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