Dynamic crop sequencing in Western Australian cropping systems
Raj S. Malik A G , Mark Seymour B , Robert J. French C , John A. Kirkegaard D , Roger A. Lawes E and Mark A. Liebig F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 10 Dore St, Katanning, WA 6317, Australia.
B Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, PMB 50, Melijinup Road, Esperance, WA 6450, Australia.
C Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, PO Box 432, Merredin, WA 6415, Australia.
D CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
E CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, PO Box 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
F Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, PO Box 459, Mandan, ND 58554, USA.
G Corresponding author. Email: raj.malik@agric.wa.gov.au
Crop and Pasture Science 66(6) 594-609 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP14097
Submitted: 28 March 2014 Accepted: 14 May 2015 Published: 29 May 2015
Abstract
During the last two decades in Western Australia, the traditional mixed farming system has been increasingly displaced by intensive crop sequences dominated by wheat. Intensive wheat sequences are usually maintained by using suitable breaks, including pasture, fallow, or alternative cereal, oilseed and legume crops, to control weeds and disease, or maintain the supply of nitrogen to crops. New cereal fungicide options may also assist to maintain intensive cereal systems by suppressing soilborne cereal diseases. To guide the successful diversification of intensive cereal systems, we evaluated the effect of a 2-year experimental matrix of 10 different sequence options. Wheat in the sequence was treated with the fluquinconazole fungicide Jockey (wheat + J) to control soilborne pathogens, or with the usual seed dressing of flutriafol fungicide (wheat – J), used for control of bunts and smuts only. The sequences were wheat + J, wheat – J, barley, grain oats, oaten hay, canola, lupin, field pea, oat–vetch green manure, bare fallow) in which all treatment combinations were grown in year 2 following the same 10 treatments in year 1. In year 3, wheat + J was grown across the entire area as the test crop. In year 2, grain yields of all crops were reduced when crops were grown on their own residues, including wheat (22% reduction), canola (46%), lupin (40%) and field pea (51%). Wheat + J significantly outyielded wheat – J by 300 kg ha–1 in year 1 (14% increase) and 535 kg ha–1 in year 2 (26% increase). Wheat + J was more responsive to break crops than wheat – J in both year 1 and year 2. Break crops sown in year 1, such as canola, fallow, field pea, lupin and oaten hay, continued to have a positive effect on year 3 wheat + J yields. This study has highlighted the importance of break crops to following cereal crops, and provided an example in which a seed-dressing fungicide fluquinconazole in the presence of low levels of disease consistently improved wheat yields.
Additional keywords: break crops, dynamic crop sequence, seed dressing, wheat.
References
Angus JF, van Herwaarden AF, Howe GN (1991) Productivity and break crop effects of winter-growing oilseeds. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31, 669–677.| Productivity and break crop effects of winter-growing oilseeds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Angus JF, Kirkegaard JF, Peoples MB (2001) Rotation, sequence and phase: research on crop and pasture sequences. In ‘Proceedings 10th Australian Agronomy Conference’. Hobart, Tasmania. (Australian Society of Agronomy/The Regional Institute: Gosford, NSW) Available at: www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/plenary/4/angus.htm#TopOfPage
Angus J, Kirkegaard J, Peoples M, Ryan M, Ohlander L, Hufton L (2011) A review of break-crop benefits of brassicas. In ‘Proceedings 17th Australian Research Assembly on Brassicas’. Wagga Wagga, NSW Department of Primary Industries. pp. 123–127. (Australian Oilseeds Federation) Available at: www.australianoilseeds.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/8294/S6-P1-Angus.pdf
Angus JF, Kirkegaard JA, Hunt JR, Ryan MH, Ohlander L, Peoples MB (2015) Break crops and rotations for wheat. Crop & Pasture Science 66, 523–552.
Bateman GL, Gutteridge RJ, Jenkyn JF (2004) Take-all and grain yields in sequences of winter wheat crops testing fluquinconazole seed treatment applied in different combinations of years. Annals of Applied Biology 145, 317–330.
| Take-all and grain yields in sequences of winter wheat crops testing fluquinconazole seed treatment applied in different combinations of years.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXjvFWisw%3D%3D&md5=95c01a633b980c025de5b1f00b9e5f2aCAS |
Bateman GL, Gutteridge RJ, Jenkyn JF, Self MM, Orson J (2006) Optimising the performance and benefits of take-all control chemicals. HGCA Project Report No. 395. Home-Grown Cereals Authority, Kenilworth, UK.
Carmody P, Pritchard I (2009) Attitudes of Western Australian wheatbelt growers to ‘Break Crops’. In ‘Proceedings Agribusiness Crop Updates’. Perth, W. Aust. pp. 20–25. (Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia: South Perth, Western Australia)
Cox JW, McFarlane DJ, Skaggs RW (1994) Field evaluation of DRAINMOD for predicting waterlogging intensity and drain performance in South-Western Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 653–671.
| Field evaluation of DRAINMOD for predicting waterlogging intensity and drain performance in South-Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Diggle A, Bowden B (2003) ‘Select Your Nitrogen (SYN)—A decision tool for quantifying nitrogen availability and crop response in broad acre farming systems.’ (Department of Agriculture, Western Australia: South Perth, Western Australia)
French B, White P (2005) Soil and environmental factors affecting pulse adaptation in Western Australia. In ‘Producing pulses in the Northern Agricultural Region’. Bulletin 4656. (Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia: South Perth, Western Australia)
Gardner PA, Angus JF, Pitson GD, Wong PT (1998) A comparison of six methods to control take-all in wheat. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 1225–1240.
| A comparison of six methods to control take-all in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
GIWA (2014) Crop Report October 2014. Grain Industry Association of Western Australia. www.giwa.org.au
Isbell R (2002) ‘The Australian Soil Classification.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)
Jayasena K, Thomas G, Beard C (2009) Cereal seed dressing and in-furrow fungicides for 2009. FarmNote 350. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, South Perth, Western Australia.
Kirkegaard JA, Hunt JR (2010) Increasing productivity by matching farming system management and genotype in water-limited environments. Journal of Experimental Botany 61, 4129–4143.
| Increasing productivity by matching farming system management and genotype in water-limited environments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhtlShtLnL&md5=8cb09264e5128e73bb3de9b88c12bd3bCAS | 20709725PubMed |
Kirkegaard JA, Hocking PJ, Angus JF, Howe GN, Gardner PA (1997) Comparison of canola, Indian mustard and Linola in two contrasting environments. II. Break-crop and nitrogen effects on subsequent wheat crops. Field Crops Research 52, 179–191.
| Comparison of canola, Indian mustard and Linola in two contrasting environments. II. Break-crop and nitrogen effects on subsequent wheat crops.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kirkegaard JA, Sarwar M, Wong PTW, Mead A, Howe G, Newell M (2000) Field studies on the biofumigation of take-all by Brassica break crops. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 445–456.
| Field studies on the biofumigation of take-all by Brassica break crops.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kirkegaard JA, Howe GN, Simpfendorfer S, Angus JF, Gardner PA, Hutchinson P (2001) Poor wheat yield response to conservation cropping—causes and consequences during 10 years of the Harden Tillage Trial. In ‘Proceedings 10th Australian Agronomy Conference’. Hobart, Tas. (Australian Society of Agronomy/The Regional Institute: Gosford, NSW) Available at: www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/4/c/kirkegaard.htm
Kirkegaard J, Christen O, Krupinsky J, Layzell D (2008) Break crop benefits in temperate wheat production. Field Crops Research 107, 185–195.
| Break crop benefits in temperate wheat production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Krupinsky JM, Tanaka DL, Merrill SD, Liebig MA, Hanson JD (2006) Crop sequence effects of 10 crops in the northern Great Plains. Agricultural Systems 88, 227–254.
| Crop sequence effects of 10 crops in the northern Great Plains.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kumar K, Goh KM (1999) Crop residues and management practices: Effects on soil quality, soil nitrogen dynamics, crop yield, and nitrogen recovery. Advances in Agronomy 68, 197–319.
| Crop residues and management practices: Effects on soil quality, soil nitrogen dynamics, crop yield, and nitrogen recovery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lawes R, Gupta VVSR, Roget D (2012) A wet summer followed by a wet winter, a recipe for severe take-all damage to cereal crops in cereal dominant rotations. In ‘Proceedings 16th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference’. Armidale, NSW. (Australian Society of Agronomy/The Regional Institute: Gosford, NSW) Available at: www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2012/disease/8119_lawes.htm
Lawes RA, Gupta VVSR, Kirkegaard JA, Roget DK (2013) Evaluating the contribution of take-all control to the break-crop effect in wheat. Crop & Pasture Science 64, 563–572.
| Evaluating the contribution of take-all control to the break-crop effect in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
MacLeod B (2008) Root disease under intensive cereal production systems. Bulletin 4732. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, South Perth, W. Aust.
Malik R (2010) Soil quality benefits of break crops and/ or crop rotations-a review. In ‘Proceedings 19th World Congress of Soil Science – Soil Solutions for a Changing World’. Brisbane, Qld. pp. 95–89. (International Union of Soil Sciences)
Malik R, Paynter BH, Webster C, McLarty A (2011) Growing oats in Western Australia for hay and grain. Bulletin 4791. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, South Perth, Western Australia.
Matysiak K, Kaczmarek S (2013) Effect of chlorocholine chloride and triazoles – tebuconazole and flusilazole on winter oilseed rape (Bassica napus var. Oleifera L.) in response to the application term and sowing density. Journal of Plant Protection Research 53, 79–88.
| Effect of chlorocholine chloride and triazoles – tebuconazole and flusilazole on winter oilseed rape (Bassica napus var. Oleifera L.) in response to the application term and sowing density.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhslSnsrjE&md5=fbc9f4b774f97ea12bd6e5d2bf7cd4e7CAS |
Moodie M (2013) Do soil health benefits from break crops translate into cereal yield benefits in low rainfall years? Report Number 1213/00696. Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Irymple, Vic.
Ophel-Keller K, McKay A, Hartley D, Herdina CJ (2008) Development of a routine DNA-based testing service for soilborne diseases in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 37, 243–253.
| Development of a routine DNA-based testing service for soilborne diseases in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXktVChtro%3D&md5=8407230895afd239b93c023ab4da8e79CAS |
Peoples MB, Brockwell J, Herridge DF, Rochester IJ, Alves BJR, Urquiaga S, Boddey RM, Dakora FD, Bhattarai S, Maskey SL, Sampet C, Rerkasem B, Khan DF, Hauggaard-Nielsen H, Jensen ES (2009) The contributions of nitrogen-fixing crop legumes to the productivity of agricultural systems. Symbiosis 48, 1–17.
| The contributions of nitrogen-fixing crop legumes to the productivity of agricultural systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXpsFenur4%3D&md5=2304260acfc7b9a875c100c876d8a978CAS |
Robertson MJ, Lawes RA, Bathgate A, Byrne F, White P, Sands R (2010) Determinants of the proportion of break crops on Western Australian broadacre farms. Crop & Pasture Science 61, 203–213.
| Determinants of the proportion of break crops on Western Australian broadacre farms.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roper MM, Milroy SP, Poole ML, Donald LS (2012) Green and brown manures in dryland wheat production systems in Mediterranean-type environments. Advances in Agronomy 117, 275–313.
| Green and brown manures in dryland wheat production systems in Mediterranean-type environments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhslKkt7bO&md5=fd3a13e60ab5ce40b3c3aba21e4b4a1cCAS |
Ryan J, Singh M, Pala M, Donald LS (2008) Long term cereal based rotation trials in the Mediterranean region: implications for cropping sustainability. Advances in Agronomy 97, 273–319.
| Long term cereal based rotation trials in the Mediterranean region: implications for cropping sustainability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXpsVKqtrY%3D&md5=e824aaa4bb0da3686d1a4a829f895775CAS |
Seiling K, Ubben K, Christen O (2007) Effects of preceding crop, sowing date, N fertilization and fluquinconazole seed treatment on wheat growth, grain yield and take-all. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection 114, 213–220.
Seymour M, Kirkegaard JA, Peoples MB, White PF, French RJ (2012) Break-crop benefits to wheat in Western Australia—insights from over three decades of research. Crop & Pasture Science 63, 1–16.
| Break-crop benefits to wheat in Western Australia—insights from over three decades of research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Seymour M, Malik RS, French RJ (2013) WA Crop Sequence Calculator. Department of Agriculture and Food, South Perth, Western Australia. Available at: https://agric.wa.gov.au/n/636
Slope DB, Etheridge J (1971) Grain yield and incidence of take‐all (Ophiobolus graminis Sacc.) in wheat grown in different crop sequences. Annals of Applied Biology 67, 13–22.
| Grain yield and incidence of take‐all (Ophiobolus graminis Sacc.) in wheat grown in different crop sequences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sweetingham M (2015) Western Australian lupin industry. Department of Agriculture and Food, South Perth, Western Australia. Available at: https://agric.wa.gov.au/n/1469
Tanaka DL, Krupinsky JM, Merrill SD, Liebig MA, Hanson JD (2007) Dynamic cropping systems for sustainable crop production in the northern Great Plains. Agronomy Journal 99, 904–911.
| Dynamic cropping systems for sustainable crop production in the northern Great Plains.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Trinsoutrot I, Recous R, Bentz B, Line’res M, Che’neby D, Nicolardot B (2000) Biochemical quality of crop residues and carbon and nitrogen mineralization kinetics under nonlimiting nitrogen conditions. Soil Science Society of America Journal 64, 918–926.
| Biochemical quality of crop residues and carbon and nitrogen mineralization kinetics under nonlimiting nitrogen conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXms1equ7w%3D&md5=1ec1690c23b07d2fd5119031c48d246fCAS |
Wenz M, Russell PE, Löchel AL, Buschhaus H, Evans PH, Bardsley E, Petit F, Puhl T (1998) Seed treatment with fluquinconazole for control of cereal take-all, foliar and seed-borne diseases. In ‘Proceedings of the Brighton Crop Protection Conference: Pests & Diseases-1998: Vol. 3’. Brighton, UK, 16–19 November 1998. pp. 907–912. (British Crop Protection Council: Alton, UK)
