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Full-Text Articles in Soil Science
Native Symbiotic Fungus Increases Shoot Biomass And Grain Yield Of Canola, Khalil Kariman, Craig Scanlan, Zed Rengell
Native Symbiotic Fungus Increases Shoot Biomass And Grain Yield Of Canola, Khalil Kariman, Craig Scanlan, Zed Rengell
The State of Soil Science in WA
More than 90% of land plant species (including most agricultural crops) form beneficial associations with soil-borne mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal hyphae allow plants to indirectly explore a large soil volume and forage for nutrients (most importantly P, but also micronutrients) that are usually poorly available in soils due to their immobility. Recent studies using state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technologies have unearthed much more complexity in root-fungal relationships than those discovered using the traditional morphology-based approaches.
Are Ironstone Gravel Soils In Southwest Western Australia: All The Same?, Karen Holmes, Edward Arnold Griffin, Dennis Van Gool
Are Ironstone Gravel Soils In Southwest Western Australia: All The Same?, Karen Holmes, Edward Arnold Griffin, Dennis Van Gool
The State of Soil Science in WA
Ironstone gravel soils are widespread, locally common, and important for cropping in Western Australia (WA). The spatial extent of these soils is reasonably well known, but geographic differences and distinct subgroups of gravel soils are not. We present a novel approach to map ironstone gravel layers and associated fine earth texture classes to improve understanding of gravel soil characteristics and distribution across southwestern WA.
Monitoring Groundcover And Associated Erosion Risks Using Satellite Remote Sensing In The Agricultural Region Of Western Australia, Justin Laycock, Nick Middleton, John A. Simons, Tim Overheu, Buddy Wheaton, Karen Holmes
Monitoring Groundcover And Associated Erosion Risks Using Satellite Remote Sensing In The Agricultural Region Of Western Australia, Justin Laycock, Nick Middleton, John A. Simons, Tim Overheu, Buddy Wheaton, Karen Holmes
The State of Soil Science in WA
National satellite-derived fractional groundcover products (percentage of green vegetation, dry vegetation, bare soil) are now routinely produced by Geoscience Australia and other groups, and are available for interpretation. The extensive coverage, frequent repeated observations and large archive of historical imagery supports more objective and reproducible methods than previous degradation monitoring efforts that were based on intermittent field surveys of land condition and anecdotal reporting. Landsat (30 m pixel resolution) seasonal composite images will be used to estimate total groundcover throughout the year, and assess the proportion of cropland in the grainbelt below recommended cover thresholds of 50% for wind erosion, …
Nrinfo 2019 Release: Wa Natural Resource Information Available Through Web Portal, Justin Laycock, Angela Stuart-Street, Dennis Van Gool
Nrinfo 2019 Release: Wa Natural Resource Information Available Through Web Portal, Justin Laycock, Angela Stuart-Street, Dennis Van Gool
The State of Soil Science in WA
NRInfo (natural resource information) provides the user with access to digital mapping and information for natural resources across Western Australia. This information may be used for regional and strategic planning, and for identifying areas needing more intensive assessment.
Nutrient Recovery Via Anaerobic Digestion Of Supermarket Food Waste And Re-Use As Fertiliser In Potting Media For The Urban Retail Market; A Proof Of Concept Using Digestate And Biochar, Bede Mickan, Somayeh Zarezadeh, Sasha Jenkins, Aitian Ren, Zakaria Solaimon, Megan H. Ryan
Nutrient Recovery Via Anaerobic Digestion Of Supermarket Food Waste And Re-Use As Fertiliser In Potting Media For The Urban Retail Market; A Proof Of Concept Using Digestate And Biochar, Bede Mickan, Somayeh Zarezadeh, Sasha Jenkins, Aitian Ren, Zakaria Solaimon, Megan H. Ryan
The State of Soil Science in WA
Food waste can be diverted from landfill and utilised via anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas. The liquid by-product of AD is commonly referred to as digestate, and this can be an organic certifiable biofertilizer. Digestate in Europe is frequently used in agriculture, though is not commonly used in the urban retail market. Biochar is another organic matter which can adsorb and retain the nutrients, and also could decrease the adverse effects of high nitrogen content of soil.
Food Waste Can Be Diverted From Landfill And Utilised Via Anaerobic Digestion (Ad) To Produce Biogas. The Liquid By-Product Of Ad Is Commonly Referred To As Digestate, And This Can Be An Organic Certifiable Biofertilizer. Digestate In Europe Is Frequently Used In Agriculture, Though Is Not Commonly Used In The Urban Retail Market. Biochar Is Another Organic Matter Which Can Adsorb And Retain The Nutrients, And Also Could Decrease The Adverse Effects Of High Nitrogen Content Of Soil, Edward Arnold Griffin, Karen Holmes
The State of Soil Science in WA
Soil information is critical for efficient and sustainable agricultural management. However, there is typically a hiatus between soil information which government agencies charged with supporting agriculture develop and deliver, and the information land managers can easily use for management in the paddock. This hiatus is largely due to (1) differences in the spatial scale of information needed by these different groups, and (2) communication-style inhibiting soil science information into management advice. We outline and evaluate a ‘three factor functional soil classification’ based on soil texture, depth, and gravel content for south-western WA, referred to as Profile Texture Classes (PTC).
Soil Exchangeable Cations Increase Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency And Microbial Growth In Acidic Soils, Emilia Horn, Emily Cooledge, Anna Ray, Davey Jones, Steve Rushton, Eizabeth Stockdale, Frances C. Hoyle, Yoshi Sawada, Daniel Murphy
Soil Exchangeable Cations Increase Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency And Microbial Growth In Acidic Soils, Emilia Horn, Emily Cooledge, Anna Ray, Davey Jones, Steve Rushton, Eizabeth Stockdale, Frances C. Hoyle, Yoshi Sawada, Daniel Murphy
The State of Soil Science in WA
Microbial growth and function is influenced by the properties of the surrounding soil where surface chemistry mediates interactions between individual organisms and their local microenvironment. We hypothesised that the addition of exchangeable base cations, necessary for microbial biochemical function, will increase microbial growth in acidic soils.
Talking The Same Soil Language - A Simple Guide For Describing Wa Soils, Angela Stuart-Street, Nicolyn Short Dr, Tim Overheu
Talking The Same Soil Language - A Simple Guide For Describing Wa Soils, Angela Stuart-Street, Nicolyn Short Dr, Tim Overheu
The State of Soil Science in WA
The Western Australian Government is working to conserve and manage the State's natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. In support of this, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have prepared a simple instructional field guide for recording and describing Western Australian unique and challenging soils and landscapes.
Forensic Analysis Of Perth’S Soils, Kari Pitts, Richard Clarke, Talia Newland, Simon Lewis
Forensic Analysis Of Perth’S Soils, Kari Pitts, Richard Clarke, Talia Newland, Simon Lewis
The State of Soil Science in WA
The examination and comparison of soil and related material transferred in situations of contact is a powerful method for linking persons, vehicles, equipment and locations. The evidential value of soil comparison derives from its widespread distribution, highly variable composition, relative ease of transfer, persistence and resistance to degradation. Sandy soils, present a challenge, with minimal organic material and heavy minerals resulting in limited material for comparisons, regardless of the bulk amounts present.
The Methodology For Farm-Scale Modelling For Spatio-Temporal Prediction Of Soil Carbon Sequestration Under Climate Change, Lynette Abbott, Jolene Otway, Louise Barton, Jennifer Dungait
The Methodology For Farm-Scale Modelling For Spatio-Temporal Prediction Of Soil Carbon Sequestration Under Climate Change, Lynette Abbott, Jolene Otway, Louise Barton, Jennifer Dungait
The State of Soil Science in WA
A methodology for region-specific adaptation of existing soil carbon (C) models was developed by integrating location-specific automated data with local farm-based knowledge. The aim was to optimise the balance between scientific accuracy and farm-scale practicality of C modelling tools to identify the most influential location-specific variables.
Topsoil Evaporation In Water Repellent Soil Affected By Tillage And Claying: Preliminary Case-Study Results, Giacomo Betti, Gaus Azam
Topsoil Evaporation In Water Repellent Soil Affected By Tillage And Claying: Preliminary Case-Study Results, Giacomo Betti, Gaus Azam
The State of Soil Science in WA
Soil water repellence represents one of the major soil constraints to broad-acre agriculture in southern Australia. Topsoil wettability is significantly reduced by the presence of hydrophobic organic compounds, resulting in poor seed germination, early plant establishment and ultimately lower yields. Soil mechanical disturbance (tillage) in combination or not with the addition of clay-rich subsoil (e.g. clay spreading) have been successfully adopted in the Australian broad-acre agriculture for the amelioration of water repellent sandy soils.
Topsoil Evaporation In Water Repellent Soil Affected By Tillage And Claying: Preliminary Case-Study Results, Giacomo Betti, Gaus Azam
Topsoil Evaporation In Water Repellent Soil Affected By Tillage And Claying: Preliminary Case-Study Results, Giacomo Betti, Gaus Azam
The State of Soil Science in WA
Soil water repellence represents one of the major soil constraints to broad-acre agriculture in southern Australia. Topsoil wettability is significantly reduced by the presence of hydrophobic organic compounds, resulting in poor seed germination, early plant establishment and ultimately lower yields. Soil mechanical disturbance (tillage) in combination or not with the addition of clay-rich subsoil (e.g. clay spreading) have been successfully adopted in the Australian broad-acre agriculture for the amelioration of water repellent sandy soils.
Topsoil Water Repellence Increased Early Wheat Growth And Nutrition, Simon Yeap, Richard Bell, Craig Scanlan, Richard Harper
Topsoil Water Repellence Increased Early Wheat Growth And Nutrition, Simon Yeap, Richard Bell, Craig Scanlan, Richard Harper
The State of Soil Science in WA
Soil water repellence, derived from the accumulation of hydrophobic organic compounds, is a constraint to crop and pasture production worldwide predominantly in sandy soils. Inhibited water infiltration, unstable wetting, and preferential flow are key hydrologic issues in water-repellent soil which adversely affect plant germination and establishment. However, despite the general understanding that soil water repellence can reduce soil nutrient bioavailability due to the prevalence of dry topsoil, the implications of water-repellent topsoil for plant growth and nutrition per se are unclear.
Assessing The Suitability Of Black Soldier Fly Castings Produced From Piggery Waste As A Fertilizer, Luke Wheat, Lynette Abbott, Ian Waite, Sasha Jenkins
Assessing The Suitability Of Black Soldier Fly Castings Produced From Piggery Waste As A Fertilizer, Luke Wheat, Lynette Abbott, Ian Waite, Sasha Jenkins
The State of Soil Science in WA
Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) farming provides an alternative waste management solution on piggeries by utilising manure to produce a high protein insect meal, whilst the fly castings (frass) are a valuable fertiliser.
Chemical Nature Of Phosphorus In Cropping Soils From Western Australia Characterised By 31p Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Gustavo Boitt, Craig Scanlan, Zed Rengel
Chemical Nature Of Phosphorus In Cropping Soils From Western Australia Characterised By 31p Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Gustavo Boitt, Craig Scanlan, Zed Rengel
The State of Soil Science in WA
Speciation of soil phosphorus (P) is paramount to understanding the biogeochemical cycle in agroecosystems and key for an efficient P management. Most studies using solution-state 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for P speciation were done in soils from eastern Australia. Currently, in-depth knowledge of the P dynamics is limited for the western-Australian region. Only one study has been published using solution-state 31P NMR to characterise P compounds in topsoils (0–2.5 cm) from Western Australia under karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor F. Muell.) forests. Therefore, the objective of this research is to improve our knowledge and provide new information on the …
Continental-Scale Soil Organic Carbon Composition And Vulnerability Regulated By Regional Soil And Environmental Controls, Raphael A. Viscarra Rossel, Juhwan Lee, T Brehrens, Z Lou, J Baldock, A. Richards
Continental-Scale Soil Organic Carbon Composition And Vulnerability Regulated By Regional Soil And Environmental Controls, Raphael A. Viscarra Rossel, Juhwan Lee, T Brehrens, Z Lou, J Baldock, A. Richards
The State of Soil Science in WA
Processes that control soil organic carbon (C) composition and dynamics over large scales are not well understood. Thus, our understanding of C cycling is incomplete, making it difficult to predict C gains and losses due to changes in climate, land use and management. In this paper, we show that controls on the composition of organic C, the particulate, humus (or mineral associated) and resistant fractions, and the potential vulnerability of C to decomposition across Australia are distinct, scale-dependent and variable.
Crop Response To Amelioration Of Agricultural Soils Are Mediated By Constraint Combinations And Soil Type, Stephen Davies, Wayne Parker, Giacomo Betti, David Hall, Tom Edwards, Chad Reynolds, Glenn Macdonald
Crop Response To Amelioration Of Agricultural Soils Are Mediated By Constraint Combinations And Soil Type, Stephen Davies, Wayne Parker, Giacomo Betti, David Hall, Tom Edwards, Chad Reynolds, Glenn Macdonald
The State of Soil Science in WA
Over the past decade alternative strategic deep tillage approaches have been developed to complement more established soil amelioration methods. Strategic tillage takes the form of a one-off or occasional intervention, implemented to overcome a number of soil and biotic constraints.
Designing Soil Covers For Ecological Restoration Of Mine Waste, Lucy Commander, Luis Merino-Martin, Peter Golos, Carole Elliott, Jason Stevens, Ben Miller
Designing Soil Covers For Ecological Restoration Of Mine Waste, Lucy Commander, Luis Merino-Martin, Peter Golos, Carole Elliott, Jason Stevens, Ben Miller
The State of Soil Science in WA
Iron-ore mining is a major industry in Western Australia. The process of iron-ore extraction results in waste rock which may be backfilled into the pit void or discarded to form ‘waste rock dumps’ and fines, a by-product of crushing iron-ore. Resource companies have a legal and social responsibility to restore waste-rock dumps using local species. However, waste material may not be ideal for plant growth. Hence, as well as gaining an understanding of soil chemical and physical properties of waste materials, it is important to understand the plants interactions with the soil, especially in the early stages of restoration, such …
Efficacy Of A Phosphate Bio-Mineral Fertilizer Varied With P Concentration And P Solubility, Salmabi Assainar, Lynette Abbott, Paul Storer, Kadambot Siddique, Zakaria Solaiman
Efficacy Of A Phosphate Bio-Mineral Fertilizer Varied With P Concentration And P Solubility, Salmabi Assainar, Lynette Abbott, Paul Storer, Kadambot Siddique, Zakaria Solaiman
The State of Soil Science in WA
Bio-mineral fertilizers are gaining increasing attention in cropping systems. Phosphorus (P) use efficiency for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from bio-mineral fertilizers is not well studied. We investigated the efficiency of a bio-mineral fertilizer (rock mineral fertilizer inoculated with a multispecies microbial inoculant and augmented with different phosphorus sources of varying concentration) under both glasshouse and field conditions.
Humic Acid Coated Phosphatic Fertilizers Enhance Growth, Yield And Phosphorus Uptake Of Maize Crop In Alkaline Soil, Muhammed Shafi, Muhammed Sharif, Dost Muhammed, Ahmed Khan, Farmanullah Khan, Mehran Ali, Zakaria Solaiman
Humic Acid Coated Phosphatic Fertilizers Enhance Growth, Yield And Phosphorus Uptake Of Maize Crop In Alkaline Soil, Muhammed Shafi, Muhammed Sharif, Dost Muhammed, Ahmed Khan, Farmanullah Khan, Mehran Ali, Zakaria Solaiman
The State of Soil Science in WA
Phosphorus availability to crop is one of the major causes of poor crop production worldwide. Effect of inorganic phosphorus (P) fertiliser sources, i.e., nitro phosphate (NP), di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and single superphosphate (SSP) coated with different humic acid levels on crop production and P utilization efficiency (PUE) of maize was studied.
Engineering In Situ Soil And Plant Microbiomes To Improve Agricultural Productivity, Falko Mathes, Fiona Mcdonald, Peter Keating
Engineering In Situ Soil And Plant Microbiomes To Improve Agricultural Productivity, Falko Mathes, Fiona Mcdonald, Peter Keating
The State of Soil Science in WA
The world’s population is predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050 thus increasing crop production on current agricultural land to meet the rising demand for food is paramount. Farmers routinely manage both plant and soil nutrition to increase crop yields. However, active management of in situ soil and plant microbiomes to improve productivity is uncommon. Here, we present a patented technology aiming to reliably engineer soil and plant microbiomes to increase crop production. Bioprime is a ferment of molasses that can be applied as seed coating, or as foliar and soil spray.
Impact Of Lime And Gypsum On Wheat Yield, Soil And Solution Properties In The Short And Long Term, Geoff Anderson, Shahab Pathan, David Hall, Rajesh Sharma, James Easton
Impact Of Lime And Gypsum On Wheat Yield, Soil And Solution Properties In The Short And Long Term, Geoff Anderson, Shahab Pathan, David Hall, Rajesh Sharma, James Easton
The State of Soil Science in WA
No abstract provided.
Yield Response To Deep Ripping Of Canola, Wheat And Barley On Soils With Multiple Constraints, Shahab Pathan, David Hall, Tony Murfit
Yield Response To Deep Ripping Of Canola, Wheat And Barley On Soils With Multiple Constraints, Shahab Pathan, David Hall, Tony Murfit
The State of Soil Science in WA
Yellow Tenosols (yellow deep sand) in the Western Australian grainbelt often have multiple constraints to crop production, which include non-wetting, subsoil compaction and acidity. As a result of these multiple limitations these soils have been considered poor cropping soils with estimated costs in lost production exceeding $200/ha. A systems approach to managing these soils has been developed to improve crop production, which includes a winter fallow, limesand application and deep tillage in late winter and seeding canola in the following autumn.
Impact Of Lime And Gypsum On Wheat Yield, Soil And Solution Properties In The Short And Long Term, Geoff Anderson, Shahab Pathan, David Hall, Rajesh Sharma, James Easton
Impact Of Lime And Gypsum On Wheat Yield, Soil And Solution Properties In The Short And Long Term, Geoff Anderson, Shahab Pathan, David Hall, Rajesh Sharma, James Easton
The State of Soil Science in WA
Subsoil aluminium (Al) toxicity or soils with AlCaCl2 content > 2.5 mg Al kg-1 in the soil layers below 10 cm is a significant problem in south Western Australia. Both lime and gypsum can be used to treat subsoils Al toxicity because these products decrease the toxic effect of soil Al leading to an increase in crop grain yields. In this presentation, results are reported from three field lime by gypsum rate experiments located in the east of Merredin.
Influence Of Lime And Crop Rotation On Soil Nitrogen, Dry Matter Production And Microbial Biomass; A Field Trial, Merredin, Wa, Manjula Premaratne, Daniel V. Murphy, Craig Scanlan, Frances C. Hoyle
Influence Of Lime And Crop Rotation On Soil Nitrogen, Dry Matter Production And Microbial Biomass; A Field Trial, Merredin, Wa, Manjula Premaratne, Daniel V. Murphy, Craig Scanlan, Frances C. Hoyle
The State of Soil Science in WA
Nitrogen (N) fertilisers are applied to the soil to meet crop N demands. A large proportion of Western Australian (WA) cropping soils are acidic, decreasing access to plant available nutrients. Application of lime is generally the most effective means of ameliorating increasing soil acidity. Meanwhile, legumes are grown rotationally with cereals to increase plant-available soil N levels. We used a field experiment at Merredin, WA (Latitude -31.483347; Longitude 118.219093) to measure the influence of historic lime application and crop rotation on soil N availability and microbial biomass carbon (MBC).
Investigation Of The Common Mycorrhizal Network Concept: Plant Growth Responses In Simulated Intercropping Of A Legume And Grass Under Water Stress, Bede S. Mickan, Miranda Hart, Zakaira Solaiman, Kadambot H.M. Siddique, Sasha Jenkins, Lynette K. Adams
Investigation Of The Common Mycorrhizal Network Concept: Plant Growth Responses In Simulated Intercropping Of A Legume And Grass Under Water Stress, Bede S. Mickan, Miranda Hart, Zakaira Solaiman, Kadambot H.M. Siddique, Sasha Jenkins, Lynette K. Adams
The State of Soil Science in WA
It is widely claimed that the common mycorrhizal network (CMN) plays a significant role in facilitated transfer of nutrients between plants. This experiment investigated the role of a common mycorrhizal network between a C3 legume and a C4 grass under nutrient and water-limited conditions.
Microalgae And Phototrophic Purple Bacteria For Nutrient Recovery From Agri-Industrial Effluents; Influences On Plant Growth, Rhizosphere Bacteria, And Putative C & N Cycling Genes, Somayeh Zarezadeh, Bede S. Mickan, Sasah Jenkins, Tim Hulsen, Hossein Raihi, Navid R. Moheiman
Microalgae And Phototrophic Purple Bacteria For Nutrient Recovery From Agri-Industrial Effluents; Influences On Plant Growth, Rhizosphere Bacteria, And Putative C & N Cycling Genes, Somayeh Zarezadeh, Bede S. Mickan, Sasah Jenkins, Tim Hulsen, Hossein Raihi, Navid R. Moheiman
The State of Soil Science in WA
Microalgae (MA) and purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) have the ability to remove and recover nutrients from digestate (anaerobic digestion effluent) and pre-settled pig manure that can be utilized as a bio-fertilizer. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of biologically recovered nutrients from MA and PPB in relation to plant growth and soil biological processes involved in nitrogen & carbon cycling.
A Fast And Inexpensive Molecular Biological Assay To Assess Soil Health, Fiona Mcdonald, Falko Mathes, Peter Keating
A Fast And Inexpensive Molecular Biological Assay To Assess Soil Health, Fiona Mcdonald, Falko Mathes, Peter Keating
The State of Soil Science in WA
Soil health and biology is capturing public imagination due to its significance in organic and regenerative agriculture and its role in mitigating climate change (a location for potential carbon sequestration). Programs centred on soil health are supported by farmers and funding bodies such as the Soil Biology Initiative (Grains Research and Development Corporation), the National Landcare Program, and the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils. Additionally, global businesses are diverting resources into understanding soil and crop microbiomes to develop novel technologies that increase soil health and crop productivity to commercialise a variety of products including soil amendments (e.g. sea …
Best Practice Soil Sampling To Depth The Key To Enable Growers To Manage Soil Acidity, Stephen Carr
Best Practice Soil Sampling To Depth The Key To Enable Growers To Manage Soil Acidity, Stephen Carr
The State of Soil Science in WA
Soil acidity affects approximately 50 million hectares of agricultural land in Australia, predominantly in Western Australia (WA) and New South Wales (State of the Environment 2011 committee). Subsurface acidity below 0.1 m, in particular, is a major land degradation issue throughout the WA wheatbelt. Soil acidification is an inevitable consequence of productive agriculture, largely through the addition of acidifying fertilizers, leaching of nitrates and removal of alkaline plant products.
What Lies Deep Beneath – Acid Sulfate Soil Impacts On Groundwater Resources Used For Irrigation, Brad Degens
What Lies Deep Beneath – Acid Sulfate Soil Impacts On Groundwater Resources Used For Irrigation, Brad Degens
The State of Soil Science in WA
Over 17 years have passed since the hazards posed by Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS) were recognised in WA with a catastrophic oxidation event during dewatering of a development in Perth’s northern suburbs. Since then, regional mapping has identified ASS risks lies beneath over 6000 km2 (about half) of the Swan Coastal plain. The risks posed by these soils are mostly to water quality and aquatic ecosystems rather than the directly to soils for agricultural production purposes.