DEEP-ripping trials on Wes Harding's mixed-cropping property have given the Ongerup grower something to think about, as 2016 results are collaborated.
Mr Harding - who farms 6500 hectares with wife Tina, and parents John and Sally - is participating in a Statewide trial funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and run by the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA).
The trial - which began in 2015 - is testing whether deep-ripping up to 450 millimetres on various soil types with the addition of gypsum and chicken manure will improve soil structure and quality.
Mr Harding runs a 12 metre controlled-traffic farming (CTF) system on his property, which is part of the reason he was invited to participate in the trial.
The trial site is made up of sandy clay duplex soil, which is sodic and dispersive below 300mm.
Wheat was planted in the first year of the experiment, with some trial plots treated with 5 tonne per hectare of gypsum, and 10t/ha of chicken manure.
The Hardings planted barley on the site in 2016, and received almost 90mm more rain in the growing season compared to 2015.
"I think results have shown up more in 2016, the soil was just able to handle the water being a deeper profile and was able to get rid of some of the water," Mr Harding said.
"I think the crop handled it a bit better than it normally would."
Results indicated barley sown in 2016 that was deep-ripped at 300mm and untreated, yielded more than 650kg/ha more than barley on untreated, non-ripped soil.
DAFWA research officer Wayne Parker said the results were pleasing.
"We're really happy with the trial," Mr Parker said.
"One of the main things that came out of it was the ability for improved drainage.
"The Ongerup site had quite a lot of water last year and the deep-ripped plots seemed to improve ahead of the non-ripped plots."
Mr Harding said plots ripped deeper than 300mm were more difficult to manage.
"The deepest we could go was 450mm but that was bringing up quite big clods and I think that's why it didn't show that good of a yield response because there was not that much seed contact," he said.
"The plots that were ripped to only 300mm proved to be the best to start with because it was not as deep and not as cloddy, but it's still given it some sort of ripping effect.
"You could see these really bright green strips where the ripping had been.
"Even the summer weeds and cereals were quite a bit healthier."
Mr Parker recommended farmers interested in implementing similar deep-ripping programs on their properties should gain an understanding of the depth of sodicity of their soils before ripping.
"What we saw here for this soil type is with the 300mm ripping, we haven't interfered with that sodic layer at depth.
"The roots are getting down there and we were also helped getting some drainage off the site," he said.
Although the experiment had yielded some pleasing results, Mr Harding said a few challenges arose during the trial process.
"I think the biggest problem is that it needed a better system of grading the soil flatter because it's so rough compared to a normal paddock that you're seeding.
"With the chicken manure, it did seem to have some negative side effects in the first year with screenings, because it's so high in nitrogen and we didn't get the finish we needed with 2015 being so dry."
Despite a few hurdles Mr Harding planned to incorporate deep-ripping into his 2017 program.
He will plant canola on the trial site this year.
"That will be interesting because canola will be able to tap down a bit deeper," Mrs Harding said.
"I think the ripping is a good idea because that is the problem we have with it being too wet in the winter and then too dry in the summer, we need to try and get a bigger soil profile," Mr Harding said.
"This year I'll probably do a bit more, and probably do every second run across a couple of paddocks."
DAFWA will continue to monitor the Ongerup trial site until 2018.
