using ca to improve water use efficiency in wheat crops on the branson farm in sa. mark branson

Using Conservation Agriculture to improve water use efficiency in

wheat crops on the Branson farm in South Australia.

Mark Branson (B.AppSc (Agric), 2005 Nuffield Scholar,)

The Branson’s Family FarmArea: 1200ha

StockportLower North of South Australia

Rainfall: 425mm to 525mm

Dryland Farming System

Stockport

Crops Grown (80%)- Durum and Bread Wheat- Malting Barley- Canola- Faba Beans- Field Peas- Pasture Seeds

Sheep–(20%)

Self Replacing Merino Flock

And a Prime Lamb Flock

Clover and Duel Purpose Cereal

Pastures

Water Use Efficiency (WUE) over 23 years in wheat

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

1988-931990-941991-951992-961993-971994-981995-991996-001997-011998-021999-032000-042001-052002-062003-072004-082005-092006-10

5 Year Period

5 Y

ear

Ave

rag

e Y

ield

(T

/Ha)

50.00

55.00

60.00

65.00

70.00

75.00

80.00

85.00

90.00

95.00

100.00

5 Y

ear

Ave

rag

e %

Po

ten

tial

Y

ield

Yield (T/Ha)

% Potential Yield

Linear (% Potential Yield)

French/Schultz Potential Yield Model for Wheat

Potential Yield = (GSR-110)*20

ie. If GSR = 350mm

Potential Yield = (350-110)*20 = 4800kg/ha

French/Schultz Potential Yield Model for Wheat

Potential Yield = (GSR-110)*20Potential Yield = (350-110)*20 = 4800kg/ha

If actual yield was 4000kg/ha

Then % potential yield = 4000/4800 = 83%

Ie the Water Use Efficiency is 83%

WUE over 23 years

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

1988-931990-941991-951992-961993-971994-981995-991996-001997-011998-021999-032000-042001-052002-062003-072004-082005-092006-10

5 Year Period

5 Y

ear

Ave

rag

e Y

ield

(T

/Ha)

50.00

55.00

60.00

65.00

70.00

75.00

80.00

85.00

90.00

95.00

100.00

5 Y

ear

Ave

rag

e %

Po

ten

tial

Y

ield

Yield (T/Ha)

% Potential Yield

Linear (% Potential Yield)

WUE from 1988 to 2005

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

1988-93

1990-94

1991-95

1992-96

1993-97

1994-98

1995-99

1996-00

1997-01

1998-02

1999-03

2000-04

2001-05

5 Year Periods

5 Y

ear

Av

erag

e Y

ield

(T

/ha)

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

5 Y

ear

Av

erag

e %

Po

ten

tial

Y

ield

(%

)

Yield (T/Ha)

% Potential Yield

Linear (% Potential Yield)

WUE annual increase of 1.1%

Years from 1988 to 2001Farming system changes

• Introduction of Grain Legumes and Oilseed crops.

• Introduced new wheat varieties.

• Nitrogen based fertilizers introduced.

• Stubble retention enforced.

• No-Till introduced.

WUE from 2002 to 2010

3.00

3.50

4.00

2002-06

2003-07

2004-08

2005-09

2006-10

5 Year Period

5 Y

ear

Ave

rag

e Y

ield

(T

/Ha)

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

5 Y

ear

%

Po

ten

tial

Yie

ld (

%)

Yield (T/Ha)

% Potential Yield

Linear (% Potential Yield)

WUE annual increase 2%

Years from 2002 to 2010Farming system changes

• No-Till enforced

• Precision Agriculture introduced

• Controlled Traffic introduced

• Introduction of using animal manures as an additional carbon source

• Growing as many high carbon crops as possible

• Inter – Row sowing introduced.

WUE from 2002 to 2010

3.00

3.50

4.00

2002-06

2003-07

2004-08

2005-09

2006-10

5 Year Period

5 Y

ear

Ave

rag

e Y

ield

(T

/Ha)

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

5 Y

ear

%

Po

ten

tial

Yie

ld (

%)

Yield (T/Ha)

% Potential Yield

Linear (% Potential Yield)

WUE annual increase 2%

My Farming System in 2011

No-Till

Sowing Equipment- JD 8200 Tractor (200hp)- CASE PTX – 600 32’Barr, 9” Alternate spacing- Horwood Bagshaw 3*2000L quad box, electric drives- Auto CutOff.

Controlled Traffic

Sowing equipment 1/4 width of Sprayer

2.2M Spacing

9.8m sowing equipment

39.2m Sprayer

Compaction

• When using random traffic in a field, at least 50 % of the field is driven over.

• Most of the compaction damage is done in the first pass.

Precision Agriculture

Mainly VR Nutrients, Seed, and Weed Management.

Autosteer - RTK 2cm Guidance

Inner Row Sowing

Spray Equipment

-Millar Nitro 3275-4wd, High Clearance-39 M Boom-RTK 2cm Autosteer and Autosection Cutoff- Ideal for Controlled Traffic

Header

- Case 7120- 30ft Honey Bee Draper Front- Chopper- 15T Chaser Bin- AFS Yield Monitor

Yield Monitor

Durum Wheat

• Last year Faba Beans• No Nitrogen applied till flag leaf

emergence, mainly for protein.• Deep N test at sowing of 0-60

165N/Ha

Durum Wheat

Thanks