Soil health and nutrient management
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13842
Research outcomes: Soil health is improved with a resulting positive impact on the environment and yield growth. Improved reputation and relationship between industry and environmental groups.
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Item Improving the efficiency of nitrogen fertilisation of sugarcane under minimum till and trash conservation cultural conditions (Final report SRDC Project BS37S)(1992) Chapman, LS; Freney, R; Denmead, OT; Wood, AW; Saffigna, PGObjectives of the experiments were (1) Determine the extent of NH3 volatilisation when urea and ammonium sulfate are applied to the surface of a trash blanket in four cane-growing regions. Evaluate the effect of various placements of urea in a trash blanket under wet and dry moisture regimes by quantifying the amount of N recovered in the soil-plant system.Item Final report on SRDC project CLW002 (previously CSS02 & CSS2S): The role of root growth and activity in determining sugarcane productivity(1999) Magarey, RC; Nable, R; Reghenzani, J; Smith, J; Berthelsen, S; Grace, D; Robertson, MWhen the current project was initiated, poor root growth and activity were widely believed to be a major constraint to sugarcane productivity. However, there was no technology available to assess whether or not root growth and activity were constraining cane productivity. The project was established to examine the relationship between root growth and activity and sugarcane productivity. The strategic information to be generated was expected to provide the basis for estimating the potential value of overcoming poor root growth and/or activity by managing various soil constratints such as soil pathogens, poor soil structure, or low soil fertility. Initially, the objectives of CLW002 were to: quantify the relationship between root system characteristics and crop productivity; assess the methods for measuring root activity as indicators of root system constraints on crop productivity - with particular emphasis on methods that would allow remote assessment of root activity.Item The physiological and growth response of sugarcane to the sodium absorption ratio in flowing solution sand culture(1994) Crema, ATThe growth of sugarcane variety Q117 in sand culture using nutrient solutions with sodium absorption ratios of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30, each with a constant electrical conductivity of 1.5 dS/m was determined under glasshouse conditions. Increasing the SAR of nutrient solutions from 0 to 30 while holding EC and ionic strength constant, was found to have no significant effect on sugarcane grown in coarse sand for 12 weeks. Thus, sugarcane growth was not inhibited by Na+ concentrations up to 12 mM when Ca2+ and mg2+ were each present at 76uM. It can be tentatively concluded from these results that increasing levels of sodium, in the absence of high levels of soluble salts are not toxic to the variety Q117, as long as other major cations are present at concentrations uninhibitative to plant growth. The major growth effect on sugarcane of sodic soils occurs as a result of the physical limitations associated with soil structure deterioration.Item The effect of soil physical properties on growth and yield of sugarcane(1991) Braunack, MVThe literature reporting the effect of soil physical properties on sugarcane growth and yield has been reviewed and areas for further investigation are suggested. There is conflicting evidence in relation to the number of cultivations and cane yield, with little or no effect in plant cane but a significant interaction with the ratoon crop. The effect of soil compaction on cane growth has also been variable, with little or no effect in some instances and dramatic decreases in others. Overall as bulk density increased, the yield of cane decreased. The compaction effect depends on the soil water content at the time of impact. A major concern in the sugar industry is the trend to larger and heavier equipment and the effect this will have on the soil resource. To reduce the effect of compaction it was suggested that harvesters and haulout equipment be fitted with load sharing, high flotation running gear. When compared with equipment on conventional running gear, again the effect on soil compaction has been variable. It is difficult to isolate any one soil property influencing cane growth and yield. Green cane harvesting with trash blanketing has been introduced to reduce costs and it is hoped to improve soil structure. However, few studies have examined the effect on soil properties. Soil water and temperature are modified by the trash blanket and soil structure has been observed to improve after three years. Long term studies are required to substantiate these trends and resolve problems with insects and pathogens. It is concluded that soil properties do influence cane growth and yield, but further work is required to resolve the inconsistent results of previous workers.Item Soil constraints to productivity improvement(1990) Croft, BJ; Magarey, RC; Hurney, AP; Reghenzani, JRYields of most crops are known to decrease if that crop is grown continuously without fallowing or rotation with other crop species. Sugarcane has been grown continuously on many fields in Queensland for 50-100 years. As early as 1934 soil-borne factors which restricted root and shoot growth were identified in fields which had grown sugarcane for a number of years. During the 1970s nematodes were found to be causing serious losses in Bundaberg on certain soil types and a serious root disease complex known as poor root syndrome was identified in northern Queensland. During the 1980s intensive research into poor root syndrome identified the important new disease Pachymetra root rot and a number of minor fungal pathogens. Poor root syndrome has been identified in all regions of Queensland and general poor root health has been noted in all soils which have grown sugarcane for a number of years. Yield increases of 50-100% were obtained in areas severely affected by poor root syndrome in northern Queensland by soil fumigation with methyl bromide and metham sodium, and by soil solarisation. Recent experiments have recorded yield responses of 20-40% to methyl bromide fumigation in all major sugarcane regions. These experiments suggested that yield losses due to soil-borne factors may be greatly restricting yields throughout the sugar industry. Research to identify the causes of the yield losses has commenced and progress to date is summarised in this paper.Item Evaluation of biostil dunder and mixtures with nitrogen fertilisers for sugarcane nutrition(1990) Chapman, LS; Usher, JFThe aims of this project were: (a) to measure the cane and sugar yield responses from the application of biostil dunder on its own and in mixtures with nitrogen fertilisers in field trials; and (b) to assess the suitability of these treatments for sugarcane nutrition. These treatments relate to a possible management strategy on cane farms, ie to broadcast sufficient phosphorus fertiliser on fallow land for the crop cycle, and then use a mixture of dunder and nitrogen fertilisers to provide the total N and K requirements for each crop in a single field application.Item The effect of zinc deficiency as a factor limiting sugarcane growth (SRC Project BS14S - Final Report)(1990) Reghenzani, JRResults from this project confirm that substantial yield responses to zinc application can be expected in deficient soils in North Queensland. Deficiency is commonly associated with lime application. Three soil and two foliar analytical techniques have been evaluated for detecting zinc deficiency. Currently used critical levels for zinc in cane third leaves have been confirmed as the most reliable index of deficiency. The carbonic anhydrase assay on fresh leaf extracts shows promise for measuring active zinc and providing a rapid and reliable foliar index of zinc deficiency. Critical levels for soil zinc have been established for the standard DTPA extract and for two hydrochloric acid extracts. Both acid extracts are more reliable than the DTPA extract.Item Phytotoxic substances associated with the decomposition of sugarcane trash residues. (Final report SRDC Project BS31S)(1992) Hurney, AP; Ridge, DRRatooning through trash blankets is generally effective with minor exceptions for certain varieties and in cold or waterlogged soils. Information was required to determine whether these effects are normal reactions of slow ratooning varieties to the cold conditions or poor aeration, or whether there are toxic effects attributable to trash residues, ie allelopathy. The project was a preliminary investigation to assess potential allelopathic effects from trash residues on the growth of sugarcane. It was concentrated mainly on north Queensland soils and varieties due to the high percentage of trash retention in that area. A smaller test program was carried out at Bundaberg to take into account a wider suite of varieties and soils.Item Evaluation of the effects of rare earth elements on sugarcane in North Queensland(1989) Reghenzani, JRDuring 1988 BSES submitted a proposal to the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering for partial funding of a research project to investigate the response of sugarcane in North Queensland to rare earth elements. Muswellbrook Energy and Minerals Ltd. agreed to provide the funding required and they succeeded in importing a sample of the Chinese soluble rare earth product, "Nongle". BSES received 200g of the imported product, which was sufficient to establish four field trials. An earlier 10g sample of "nongle" provided by Prof. C. Asher of the University of Queensland was used subsequently in the glasshouse studies.