Effects of soil properties on variation in growth, grain yield and nutrient concentration of wheat and barley

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of topsoil and subsoil properties on dry matter production, grain yield and plant nutrient concentrations.

Methods (brief)

Measurements were taken at the paddock scale to describe the effects of properties in the topsoil and subsoil on plant dry matter production, grain yield and plant nutrient concentrations in two consecutive years. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) was grown in the first year and barley (Hordeum vulgare) in the second.

Fourteen sampling points were located on a grid 60 m by 104 m within each half of the paddock. A single soil core was taken within 1 m of the sampling point. The samples were then dried and passed through a 2 mm sieve and analysed for PH, EC, organic C, total soil N and various other analytes by a commercial laboratory.

At mid tillering, and at anthesis ten whole plants were sampled from within 1 m of the sampling points, trimmed at roots, dried and weighed. The plants were then analysed for mineral nutrient concentration.

Key findings (brief)

The influence of soil properties on the dry matter production and grain yield of wheat and barley varied during the growing season and for each year. Soil properties had a stronger relationship with dry matter production and grain yield in 1999 (the drier year).

Variability in plant nutrient concentration, plant growth and grain yield was also high, but less than that of most of the soil properties. Variation in grain yield was more closely related to variation in dry matter at maturity and in harvest index than to dry matter production at tillering and anthesis.

Location

Minnipa Agricultural Centre, South Australia 32^o50’S, 135^o09’E

Related studies

NA

Key references and sources of this data synthesis

These data summaries have been extracted from

1. McDonald. 2006. Effects of soil properties on variation in growth, grain yield and nutrient concentration of wheat and barley. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46: 93 – 105.