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Native Pasture & Alternative Fertilizer Trial

Explore effective fertilizer treatments for indigenous pastures in 3 sites over 6 years, comparing various products and costs. Discover the impact on soil fertility, pasture quality, and microbial activity.

shirleyharris
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Native Pasture & Alternative Fertilizer Trial

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  1. Binalong Landcare Group – sub Group of Harden-Murrumburrah Landcare Native Pasture &Alternative Fertilizer Trial Fiona Leech South East Local Land Services, Yass Technical Support: Donna Reid, Rob Gorman, Phil Graham, Vicki Saville, Jacinta Christie, Bev Orchard, Rob Smith, Janelle Jenkins, Richard Simpson, Adam Stefanski, Alan Richardson, Jo Powells, Vicki Saville, Matthew Lieschke, Felicity Roos, Michelle Borland, Colin Shields, Dan Hartwell Melissa Henry, Jonathon Berryman and Hollie Baileau

  2. Trial Details • 3 Sites - • “Glenroy”, Binalong – 6 years data • “Kia-Ora”, Bookham – 6 years data • “Te Kooti”, Bookham –5 years data • 11 Treatments / 3 replicates • Small plots (10 m x 2 m)

  3. Fertilizer Treatments • A range of mineral & liquid fertilizers, rock phosphates, organic & compost materials (eg. manures) & microbial-based products (eg. microbial teas) • Applied (2009 to current) according to fertilizer company recommendations • Comparisons made to the single superphosphate treatment & effectiveness relative to nil control

  4. Oct 2012 – Spring Pasture Quality Measurements SINGLE SUPERPHOSPHATE CONTROL

  5. ‘Kia-Ora’ Bookham 1st Sept 2015

  6. RESULTS for 2009 - 2014:Spring Herbage Mass – GLENROY *indicates significant difference from control in that year P ≤ 5% (using multiple comparison tests)

  7. RESULTS for 2009 - 2014:Spring Herbage Mass – KIA-ORA *indicates significant difference from control in that year P ≤ 5% (using multiple comparison tests)

  8. Fertiliser Costs 2014 Freight charges will vary for individuals Large variation in spreading costs across products

  9. 2009-14 Average Annualised Cost ($/ha)

  10. COST EFFECTIVENESS - Glenroy 2012 & 2014 Cost of additional pasture grown above the Control 12.1 13.1

  11. COST EFFECTIVENESS – Kia-Ora 2012 & 2014 Cost of additional pasture grown above the Control 13.3

  12. PHOSPHORUS • Phosphorus is present in fertiliser in different forms: • Water soluble P (plant available now) • Citrate solubleP(available to plants in weeks to months) • Citrate insoluble P (available to plants over years – a very slow release form of P) • Organic P (varying levels of solubility)

  13. Total P & S applied after 6 years Products containing significant amounts of P & S (kg/ha) Dominant form(s) of P in product (kg/ha)

  14. P cycle in grazing systems OUTPUTS 0.5 - 2 kg/ha INPUTS Pfert 10 - 30 kg/ha losses ?? RESIDUES run-off erosion leaching SOIL SOLUTIONP labile adsorbed Bacteria Fungi INORGANIC P passive ORGANIC P precipitated MICROBIAL resistant mineral P Nematodes Protozoa Source: Richardson, AR et.al. 2009, Crop and Pasture Science 60:124-143

  15. Average Spring herbage yield (2009-2014) v’s Phosphorus & Sulphur applied High P Low P

  16. PASTURE QUALITY – GLENROYSpring Sampling Period - 2012

  17. PASTURE QUALITY – GLENROYWinter+Spring Sampling Period – 2014

  18. PASTURE QUALITY – KIA-ORA Spring Sampling Period - 2012

  19. PASTURE QUALITY – KIA-ORAWinter+Spring Sampling Period - 2014

  20. $/ha ranking based on livestock performance for 2 selected years.

  21. Questions & thoughts we are left with - • When starting from a low soil fertility status can you afford to wait for a pasture growth response when using products that consist mostly of insoluble P?? • Answer based on a business decision and/or a personal philosophical decision • Sulphur is particularly holding back pasture growth in many products & likely that if additional S is applied growth would improve. • Recognise this would result in a higher cost

  22. Soil Microbial Results • 6 years of monitoring using: • FDA Microbial Activity Test and • Biomass Carbon Test • No product has consistently resulted in higher or lower soil microbial status compared to the Control to date

  23. Where is the project going … • 6 years of pasture & soil data will be presented in Final Report end of 2015 • 2009 - 2014 botanical composition data currently being statistically analysed. • Spring herbage mass will be measured in 2015 and 2016 as fertilizers run down. No product applied in 2015 or 2016. • ADDITIONAL SOIL MICROBIAL MEASUREMENTS : Soil microbial diversity & functionality to be determined on soil collected in spring of 2014 from 2 trial sites (‘Kia-Ora’ & ‘Glenroy’).

  24. Funding Received - $216K Special thanks to our trial co-operators: Bruce & Noelene Hazell, Gary & Hansie Armour and Geoff & Fiona Henderson

  25. YOUTUBE CLIPS now available of … ‘Alternative Fertilizer & Pasture Productivity’ Seminar held at Bookham Hall on 1st September 2015 Web address: http://southeast.lls.nsw.gov.au/resource-hub/newsletters Select: South East Circular, Edition 14: November 2015

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