GRDC Micronutrient Deficiency Scoping Study

More Profit from Crop Nutrition II - Micronutrient survey

A national survey of the extent of micronutrient (zinc, copper, managanese, boron) deficiencies across all regions and agroecological zones with analysis against environmental and management metadata by 2013.The project will:

• assess the extent of potential impact of -nutrient deficiency
• focus on B, Cu, Mn, Mo and Zn and on the crops wheat, lupin, chickpea and canola.
• cover each agroecological zone (except the Atherton, Burdekin, Tasmania and the Ord zones).

In particular, the project will collection information based on four lines of evidence about micronutrients:

Part 1: Regional soil characteristics (pH, texture, type, % OC – primary drivers)

• Use existing soil information, such as from the Australian Soil Resource Information System (ASRIS), to assess the risk within each agroecological zone.
• Use digitised soil maps from the Atlas of Australian Soils, for each soil type within each agroecological zone to assess the risk of micronutrient deficiency based on pH, texture and organic matter.
• Develop a GIS map for each AEZ showing soil types and their risk of micronutrient deficiency.
• Develop a table of potential areas at risk.
• Provide both the table and map for publication on the More Profit from Crop Nutrition website.

Part 2: Soil Test Information

• Request from NVT collaborators soil tests for Cu, Zn and Mn (0-10 cm as DTPA extracted) and B (0-60 cm or 10-60 cm as either Hot water or hot CaCl₂ extracted), plus Mo (part of a heavy metals package).
• Source other data from NVT and request data from the two major commercial laboratories CSBP and IPL.
• Costs associated with NVT soil testing to be directed straight to GRDC.

Part 3: Grain nutrient concentrations
Collect grain samples from two common wheat, lupin, chickpea and canola varieties per site in the NVT series:
Wheat – Yitpi, Gregory, Elmore and Gascoigne.
Lupin - Jenabillup, Mednelup.
Chickpea– Jimbour, Genesis 90, PBA Hat Trick, PBA Slasher.
Canola – ATR Cobbler, CB Junee (both TT), AV Garnet, Hyola 50 (both conv.), Hyola474CL, Pioneer 44Y84 (both imi), GT Cobra, Pioneer 45Y22 (both RR).

• Analyse for nutrient content using ICP-OES – Al, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Se, Ti and Zn.
• As required, analyse for nutrient content using ICP-MS (Co, Mo).

Part 4: Collation of field experimental data on micronutrient responses

• Review the published literature from refereed and other sources
• Develop a web-based map similar to the current Better Fertiliser Decisions for Crops database map or through Google Maps
• Make the map available for publication on the More Profit from Crop Nutrition website.

For more information contact Rob Norton (rnorton@ipni.net).