Pasture Practice Demonstration Site - Bookham
Future Drought Fund - Resilient Pastures - Second Demonstration Site
Alternative Phosphorous Fertiliser Strip Trial
On Monday 7th August we spread our second Future Drought Fund Resilient Pastures demonstration site. This site will assess the efficacy of three fertilisers to build soil phosphorus.
Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) ‘Five Easy Steps’ Program has determined fertiliser rates to build soil P levels to near optimum over five years, however this site will also address the P:S ratio that must be applied to increase soil P and S concurrently, so the constraints they impose on pasture production are approximately balanced.
Stay tuned for the results!
This site will examine how the ‘5 Easy Steps’ Program can be used to address low soil phosphorus levels in native perennial pastures. The treatments will demonstrate how a range of alternative Phosphorus fertilisers can achieve optimal soil P levels and therefore which fertilisers are the most cost effective in building soil phosphorus for graziers. Fertilisers to be examined include:
- Single superphosphate
- Agri-Ash
- Triple Plus
Plot Size: 5 m x 2 m
Replicates: 3
Treatments:
Treatment 1
Control
Nil Fertiliser
Treatment 2
4 t/ha Lime
Targeting a pH of 5.5 in 0-10cm
Treatment 3
Single Super
5 Easy Steps rate + 4 t/ha Lime
Treatment 4
Single Super
5 Easy Steps rate
Treatment 5
Triple Plus
Rate = P delivered in Single super
Treatment 6
Triple Plus + Gypsum
Rate = P delivered in Single super treatment
Treatment 7
Agri-ash
Rate =P delivered in Single Super treatment
Treatment 8
Agri-ash + Gypsum
Rate =P delivered in Single Super treatment + 200kg Gypsum
Treatment 9
Agriash
Commercial rate
Treatment 10
Agriash & Gypsum
(commercial rates
Trial Layout
This project received funding from the Australian Govenment’s Future Drought Fund, and is being undertaken in association with a range of partner organisations, with Holbrook Landcare Network as the project lead.
