Project Title
Better managing wheat-lupin-canola rotations for improved water and nitrogen use efficiency
Project Leader
Senthold Asseng
Organisation
TBA / CSIRO
APSRU Representative
Mike Robertson
Funding Body
GRDC
Administration Contact
Lori Cook
Organisation - TBA
Ph: Fax:
Commencement Date
1 July 1999
Completion Date
30 June 2003
Research Proposal Summary
Wheat-lupin rotations and wheat-canola rotation account for over 30% and 10%, respectively, of the agricultural area in Western Australia. Because of problems with herbicide resistance, nitrate leaching and acidification in wheat-lupin rotation, interest is growing in the role canola could play in sustainable wheat rotations. Decisions about crop frequency, choice of genotype, sowing time and density, rate and timing of fertiliser application, and residue removal are vital for growers short-term profitability. Decision making in wheat-lupin-canola rotation is complex because of the strong interactions of water and N use with seasonal weather conditions, soil type and management by aiming to improve short-term profitability and long-term sustainability.
The APSIM wheat model, with its crop, soil water, soil nitrogen and crop residue modules, has been extensively validated for several locations in Western Australia (GRDC projects CSP156WR) and will be applied for various studies at key locations of the wheat belt (CSP246WR). Results of these projects have shown the reliability of the various modules, which can be used with any other crop module. An unique opportunity exists to extent this work to rotations with wheat, lupin and canola by calibrating, validating and applying an available generic grain legume template from APSRU for a lupin crop and utilising a canola model currently under development at APSRU (GRDC project CSC47NR). A large database is available on lupin and canola crops and rotations with wheat, lupin and canola in Western Australia, which would be sufficient to calibrate and validate these modules.
The calibrated and validated model will be linked to long-term historical weather data to quantify the impact of management decisions on yield, water and N use efficiency, deep drainage and nitrate leaching within a single crop as well as in wheat-lupin-canola rotations. All analyses will be done in a way that enables the variability and risks to be assessed. Impacts of crop frequency, choice of genotype, sowing time and density, rate and timing of fertiliser application, and residue removal by grazing or burning on profitability and sustainability of rotations with wheat, lupin and canola will be analysed to improve decision making in wheat farming. This information will be suitable for economic analyses (eg. Via the MIDAS model) and would be invaluable in other proposed uses of the APSIM model that examine innovative delivery systems for decision support (current PRPs by Dr Ian Fillery and Dr B Bowden).
Aims
§ To use a modelling approach and existing experimental database to quantify the impact of rainfall variability, soil type and crop management on lupin and canola growth, yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency in rotations with wheat.
§ To develop improved management strategies that raise profitability and sustainability of wheat based farming systems in WA via the optimal use of lupins and canola in the rotations.
Potential Outcomes
§ Improved capability to simulate lupins, canola and wheat in WA
§ Identified opportunities for improved management of these systems
Milestones
§ Calibrate the APSIM crop template for lupins and canola using available data in WA, to be provided by CSIRO, WADA, CLIMA
§ Linkage of models with long term climate data for key sites to explore the effects of various management options on water and N-use efficiency, crop productivity, drainage, N leaching.
§ Identify opportunities for improving management of these systems with key industry personnel.
Budget
Resource Requirements & Contributions
Prior Provision of IP & Rights of Ownership
APSIM remains the sole property of APSRU
Ownership, equity in and use of IP to be developed
D - CSIRO / APSRU will retain ownership of re-existing APSIM modules used/ modified in the project. The lupin module with be jointly owned by CLIMA and APSRU
Rights of Publication
Negotiated between researchers involved in project
Strategic Plan Goal No.
1
Relevance to Strategic Plan
The project will address the strategies listed in the plan of “undertake simulation analyses to evaluate options for improving biophysical resource use efficiency in field crops and farming systems” and “undertake simulation analyses to evaluate options for improving system sustainability in relation to soil erosion, soil structural decline, and soil nutrient decline”.