Micro-Water harvesting and soil amendment increase grain yields of barley on a Heavy-Textured alkaline sodic soil in a rainfed Mediterranean environment

E.G. Barrett-Lennard; R. Munir; D. Mulvany; L. Williamson; G. Riethmuller; C. Wesley; D. Hall

doi:10.3390/agronomy11040713

Back

Micro-Water harvesting and soil amendment increase grain yields of barley on a Heavy-Textured alkaline sodic soil in a rainfed Mediterranean environment

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Micro-Water harvesting and soil amendment increase grain yields of barley on a Heavy-Textured alkaline sodic soil in a rainfed Mediterranean environment

E.G. Barrett-Lennard, R. Munir, D. Mulvany, L. Williamson, G. Riethmuller, C. Wesley and D. Hall

Agronomy, Vol.11(4), Art. 713

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040713

Files and links (2)

pdf

grain yields.pdfDownload View

Published (Version of Record) Open Access

url

Free to Read *No subscription requiredView

Abstract

This paper focuses on the adverse effects of soil sodicity and alkalinity on the growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in a rainfed environment in south-western Australia. These conditions cause the accumulation of salt (called ‘transient salinity’) in the root zone, which decreases the solute potential of the soil solution, particularly at the end of the growing season as the soil dries. We hypothesized that two approaches could help overcome this stress: (a) improved micro-water harvesting at the soil surface, which would help maintain soil hydration, decreasing the salinity of the soil solution, and (b) soil amelioration using small amounts of gypsum, elemental sulfur or gypsum plus elemental sulfur, which would ensure greater salt leaching. In our experiments, improved micro-water harvesting was achieved using a tillage technique consisting of exaggerated mounds between furrows and the covering of these mounds with plastic sheeting. The combination of the mounds and the application of a low rate of gypsum in the furrow (50 kg ha−1) increased yields of barley grain by 70% in 2019 and by 57% in 2020, relative to a control treatment with conventional tillage, no plastic sheeting and no amendment. These increases in yield were related to changes in ion concentrations in the soil and to changes in apparent electrical conductivity measured with the EM38

Details

Title: Micro-Water harvesting and soil amendment increase grain yields of barley on a Heavy-Textured alkaline sodic soil in a rainfed Mediterranean environment
Authors/Creators: E.G. Barrett-Lennard (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
R. Munir (Author/Creator) - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
D. Mulvany (Author/Creator) - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
L. Williamson (Author/Creator) - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
G. Riethmuller (Author/Creator) - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
C. Wesley (Author/Creator) - Affiliation Undetermined
D. Hall (Author/Creator)
Publication Details: Agronomy, Vol.11(4), Art. 713
Publisher: MDPI
Identifiers: 991005545113707891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#12 Responsible Consumption & Production

Metrics

41 File views/ downloads

119 Record Views

10 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.45 Soil Science; 3.45.879 Soil Erosion
Web Of Science research areas: Agronomy; Plant Sciences
ESI research areas: Agricultural Sciences