Micronutrient Field Evaluations

A summary of six experiments on field responses to micronutrients in western Victoria.

IPNI-2013-AUS-14

25 Mar 2014

2013 Annual Interpretive Summary


Six field evaluations of micronutrients on wheat were undertaken in Mallee (1 site), Wimmera (3 sites) and Western District (2 sites) of Victoria, Australia, in collaboration with various research partners. Both Cu and Zn supplements were evaluated on sites typical of the regions to assess the likelihood of responses and to add additional field data to the GRDC Micronutrient Scoping study.

No significant yield responses to either Cu or Zn were seen at any of the sites in Wimmera or Western District. The site in the low rainfall Mallee region showed a small, but significant response to Cu additions when applied either as a foliar or fluid application, although there was also an apparent yield suppression noted with the basal P fertilizer (single superphosphate) applied at sowing. The sites selected had relatively low soil test concentrations of Cu and Zn, but yield responses were not seen. Nor were there any clear effects of supplementary Cu application on grain Cu concentration. In contrast, where Zn fertilizer was applied around anthesis, there were increases in grain Zn concentrations. A high Zn supply is particularly important for developing seedlings and, therefore, late Zn applications could be recommended where the grain was to be retained for planting seed.