Role of stubble management in improving soil fertility. In highly-weathered nutrient-poor soils of the south-western Australia, the amount of nutrients in stubble is critical in nutrient cycling as well as in determining optimal amounts of fertilisers to be applied. Stubble management is therefore an integral part of crop fertilisation and nutrient management. We will characterise nutrient cycling in the stubble-soil-crop continuum in a range of cropping situations. Computer modelling will be us ....Role of stubble management in improving soil fertility. In highly-weathered nutrient-poor soils of the south-western Australia, the amount of nutrients in stubble is critical in nutrient cycling as well as in determining optimal amounts of fertilisers to be applied. Stubble management is therefore an integral part of crop fertilisation and nutrient management. We will characterise nutrient cycling in the stubble-soil-crop continuum in a range of cropping situations. Computer modelling will be used to extend applicability of results over space and time. This project will provide the knowledge required for improving fertiliser recommendations to take into account changes in the cropping systems that have occurred in the last 10-20 years.Read moreRead less
How do legumes improve phosphorus uptake of the following wheat? World rock phosphate reserves for manufacturing phosphorus (P) fertilisers will be depleted in 50-100 years. Thus it is critical to reduce the reliance of the Australian agriculture on P fertilisers. The long-term application of P fertilisers has resulted in accumulation of P in a soil P bank which is unavailable to crops such as wheat. Legumes may have access to the soil P bank and increase growth and P uptake by the following wh ....How do legumes improve phosphorus uptake of the following wheat? World rock phosphate reserves for manufacturing phosphorus (P) fertilisers will be depleted in 50-100 years. Thus it is critical to reduce the reliance of the Australian agriculture on P fertilisers. The long-term application of P fertilisers has resulted in accumulation of P in a soil P bank which is unavailable to crops such as wheat. Legumes may have access to the soil P bank and increase growth and P uptake by the following wheat, but the mechanisms behind this effect are unclear. In this multidisciplinary international collaboration, we will characterise the changes in soil chemistry and microbiology in the legume-wheat rotation. The knowledge generated could result in greater utilisation of the soil P bank and decreased P fertiliser use.Read moreRead less