Controlled traffic farming effects on productivity of grain sorghum, rainfall and fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency

Abstract

Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is a mechanisation system in which all machinery has the same (or modular) working and track width so that field traffic can be confined to the least possible area of permanent traffic lanes. CTF enables productivity of non-compacted crop beds to be optimised for given energy, fertiliser and water (rainfall) inputs. This study investigated the agronomic response and economic return of grain sorghum grown in compacted and non-compacted soils to represent the conditions of non-CTF and CTF systems, respectively. Yield-to-nitrogen (N) responses were derived following application of urea, 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate-treated urea (DMPP), and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN, 32% N) at rates between 0 and 300 kg ha −1 N. Selected soil properties were measured to guide parametrisation of the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM), which was used to assess long-term (55 years) effects of CTF and non-CTF soil conditions on crop productivity, rainfall use efficiency (RUE) and develop rainfall-runoff relationships. Grain yield and yield components (harvest Index, grain thousand-grain weight, number of grains) were significantly higher in CTF compared with non-CTF. On average, the most economic N rates, and corresponding grain yields, were 144 and 3428 kg ha −1 , and 100 and 1796 kg ha −1 for CTF and non-CTF, respectively. When N inputs were optimised, agronomic efficiency calculations showed 18% increase in CTF compared with non-CTF. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was 1.75 times higher in CTF than in non-CTF. Rainfall-use efficiency was about 65% higher in CTF, which concurrently reduced the amount of runoff compared with non-CTF. Average rainfall season (330–450 mm in-crop) grain yield was 30% lower in non-CTF compared with CTF. For subtropical conditions of Australia, long-term APSIM simulations showed that increased productivity and inter-season yield stability can increase gross margin of grain sorghum by AUD74 ha −1 or greater depending on the adopted tillage system and in-crop rainfall. In non-CTF systems, improvements in NUE and RUE are constrained by soil compaction. Enhanced efficiency fertilisers, such as DMPP-treated urea, cannot compensate for other stresses caused by soil compaction and therefore cannot achieve the same NUE and RUE as the CTF system. Adoption of CTF delivers improved resource-use efficiency and profitability in rainfall-limited environments. Long-term (1960–2015) simulation of grain yield (A) and runoff (D) as a function of in-crop rainfall. Modelled data for grain sorghum-fallow cropping on a Red Ferrosol in Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia) in controlled (CTF) and non-controlled traffic farming (non-CTF) systems, respectively. Continuous lines show the best fit to predicted data. Dotted vertical lines show the 30th (left) and 70th (right) percentiles rainfall, respectively. • Controlled traffic farming (CTF) increased long-term grain yields by 30% in average-rainfall seasons. • Fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was 1.75 times higher in CTF compared with non-CTF. • Rainfall use efficiency (RUE) was 65% higher in CTF compared with non-CTF, which significantly reduced runoff. • Avoidance of (random) field traffic is a pre-requisite for jointly improving fertiliser NUE and RUE. • In non-CTF, improvements in NUE and RUE are constrained by compaction. • Enhanced efficiency fertilisers cannot compensate for other stresses caused by compaction.