APSRU PROJECT SUMMARY

  PROJECT NO.  155

Project Title

Assessing the risks and returns of warm season cropping in the West Australian wheatbelt

Project Leader

Mike Robertson

Organisation

CSE

Funding Body

GRDC

Administration Contact

Marshall Mackay

CSE

Ph: 07 3214 2382   Fax: 07 3214 2946

Commencement Date

1 July 2001

Completion Date

30 June 2004

Research Proposal Summary

Recently there has been a high level of industry and research interest in the potential for warm-season cropping in the WA wheatbelt.  This interest has been driven primarily by the expectation that summer-grown crops may have a role in reducing deep drainage in grains-based farming systems, through opportunistic use of summer rain as well as drying out the soil profile before the main drainage period in the winter months.

Summer cropping has been practised on a sporadic basis in WA for a number of years with variable results.  During the 1960’s interest developed in summer cropping with the collapse of wheat prices.  In the mid-1970’s considerable areas of sorghum and sunflower were grown around Esperance with variable results.  During the late 1980’s and 1990’s there has been a resurgence of interest with the advent of no-till farming systems, which can increase opportunities for summer cropping through conservation of moisture and allowing access into waterlogged areas.  The recent spate of wet summers combined with a heightened awareness of the need for management options to reduce recharge under croplands has spurned the need for a comprehensive analysis of the risks and returns with summer cropping throughout the WA wheatbelt.

The aim of this project would be to provide that comprehensive analysis across the range of soil types, rainfall environments and cropping systems that exist in WA, through the application of cropping systems simulation.  The APSIM model has received considerable testing in WA for winter crops (wheat and canola) and has been routinely used for warm-season crops (sorghum ,sunflower, millet, maize, pastures) in the north-eastern cropping zone for the last 15 years.  This project would take this existing APSIM capability and address the issue of which situations warm-season cropping is likely to produce the biggest impact in terms of reduction in recharge and reliable production of grain and fodder.  The eventual outcome from the project would be a rational basis upon which to promote warm-season cropping for maximum benefit to the environment and profitability of the farming system

Aims

 

Potential Outcomes

Risk analysis of warm season cropping for a range of soil type X location X cropping system combinations to arrive at best bet options to minimise deep drainage and maximise summer and winter crop productivity.

Milestones

 

Budget

Text Box: GRDC Budget Brief description of the main items required in each category $2001-02 $2002-03 $2003-04 Total $ GRDC Salaries   Salary for research technician to design, run and analyse simulations, specifying soil type and climate information 40,000 40,000 40,000 120,000 Travel   Trips between Brisbane and WA to engage with project staff and stakeholders, collaborators payments. 8,000 13,000 13,000 24,000 Operating   Consumables for simulation work, publicity materials, coordination meeting 5,000 10,000 10,000 15,000 Capital   Two desktop computers 10,000 nil nil 10,000   Grand Total GRDC $ for project duration (note: GST exclusive) 63,000 63,000 63,000 184,000 Non-GRDC Contribution Brief description of contribution ($ and in-kind) $2001-02 $2002-03 $2003-04 Total non GRDC Additional from host agency 15% Robertson’s time, 10% of Gaydon’s time, computer resources, historical climate data for WA locations 50,000 50,000 50,000 150,000 Additional from other sources 5% of Asseng’s time   5,000 5,000 5,000 15,000 On-going base (if applicable)               Grand Total Non-GRDC $ for project duration (note: GST exclusive) 55,000 55,000 55,000 165,000  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resource Requirements & Contributions

Text Box: Staff % / year Project Supervisor Dr Michael Robertson 15 Dr Senthold Asseng 5 Research Staff   Mr Don Gaydon 30  

 

 

 

 

Prior Provision of IP & Rights of Ownership

The APSIM modelling system is background IP that is bought into the project by APSRU. New IP developed within the project is apportioned based on the resource investment.

Ownership, equity in and use of IP to be developed

No commercially valuable IP is expected to be generated.

Rights of Publication

 

Strategic Plan KRA Area

 

Relevance to Strategic Plan