Oviposition response of Chironomus tepperi to nitrogenous compounds and bioextracts in two-choice laboratory tests

Two-choice laboratory tests were used to investigate the oviposition response of Chironomus tepperi to a range of nitrogenous compounds and crude bioextracts. Responses to nitrogenous compounds varied in response to concentration. Ammonium nitrate did not influence oviposition at concentrations from 2 to 12 mg/liter. Hydroxylamine hydrochloride increased oviposition at 6 mg/liter, but had no effect at either 2 or 12 mg/liter. Sodium nitrate reduced oviposition at 2 mg/liter relative to the controls, but had no significant effect at 6 or 12 mg/liter. C. tepperi responded to many of the crude bioextracts, strongly avoiding oviposition in solutions containing homogenized chironomid larvae ( 1 final instar/100 ml; C. tepperi or Polypedilum nubiferum), and avoiding solutions conditioned by conspecific larvae at concentrations down to the equivalent of 1 final instar/100 ml over 24 hr. Homogenates of adult conspecifics had no effect on oviposition site selection. Homogenates of larval Culex annulirostris (Culicidae) deterred oviposition, but only at high concentrations (3 final instars/100 ml). Our results demonstrate that chemical cues from larval populations deter oviposition by C. tepperi females searching for newly flooded habitats where larval competition will be minimized.

Long-term benefits of limestone applications to soil properties and to cereal crop yields in southern and central New South Wales

The cost of buying, carting and spreading limestone, relative to the value of broadacre crops, makes investment in liming a questionable proposition for many farmers. The longer the beneficial effects of limestone persist, however, the more the investment in liming becomes economically favourable. We re-established previous lime trials with the aim of measuring the long-term effects of limestone on surface acidity (pH run-down), subsurface acidity (lime movement) and grain yield. The study made use of experiments where there was adequate early data on soil chemical properties and cereal yields. We report data from 6 trials located at 4 sites between Dubbo and Albury in New South Wales. The rate of surface soil (0–10 cm) pH decline after liming was proportional to the pH attained 1 year after liming. That is, the higher the pH achieved, the more rapid the rate of subsequent pH decline. Since yields (product removal) and nitrification (also acid producing) may both vary with pH, the post-liming pH acts as a surrogate for the productivity and acid-generating rate of the soil–plant system. The apparent lime loss rate of the surface soils ranged from the equivalent of nearly 500 kg limestone/ha.year at pH approaching 7, to almost zero at pH approaching 4. At commercial application rates of 2–2.5 t/ha, the movement of alkali below the layer of application was restricted. However, significant calcium (Ca) movement sometimes occurred to below 20 cm depth. At rates of limestone application exceeding the typical commercial rate of 2.5 t/ha, or at surface pH greater than about 5.5, alkali and Ca movement into acidic subsurface soil was clearly observed. It is therefore technically feasible to ameliorate subsurface soil acidity by applying heavy rates of limestone to the soil surface. However, the cost and risks of this option should be weighed against the use of acid-tolerant cultivars in combination with more moderate limestone rates worked into the surface soil.There was a positive residual benefit of limestone on cereal grain yield (either barley, wheat, triticale, or oats) at all sites in both the 1992 and 1993 seasons. While acid-tolerant cultivars were less lime responsive than acid-sensitive ones, the best yields were generally obtained using a combination of liming and acid-tolerant cultivars.The long-term residual benefits of limestone were shown to extend for beyond 8–12 years and indicate that liming should be profitable in the long term.

Phosphorus fertiliser placement for lupins in southern New South Wales

Research in Western Australia and South Australia indicated that fertiliser phosphorus (P) banded below the seed of narrow leaf lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) at sowing was a more effective method of applying P�fertiliser than the usual placement of P with the seed. This technology has not been investigated in southern New South Wales where lupins have been known to be unresponsive to fertiliser P.We conducted 4 field experiments to examine the effect on lupin yield of applying 6 rates of P (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 kg/ha) either by placement with or below the seed. To further test responsiveness to P, an additional set of treatments was used; applying P at 40 kg/ha before sowing and then placing additional P below the seed at the 6�rates of application. The grain yield of lupin was increased by P application at all sites, despite the medium to high P�status of 3 of the 4 sites used in these experiments. However, the technique of banding P fertiliser below the seed depth rather than placing it in direct seed contact had only a small advantage in grain yield responsiveness to applied fertiliser P (P = 0.09). Fitted response curves indicated that when P was applied at 15 kg/ha, grain yield increased by 60 kg/ha at one site and 30 kg/ha at the other 3 sites, if P was deep-placed rather than applied in seed contact. This advantage of deep placement of P fertiliser was much smaller than has been reported in Western Australia.Placement of P below the seed of lupin when sown on the red earth and red-brown earth soils of southern New South Wales slightly enhanced the availability of fertiliser P. This applied even when sowing was quite shallow (2–3�cm), provided recommended rates of P fertiliser were used at conventional row spacing (17 cm). Separation of seed and fertiliser to avoid reduced germination may be an advantage when using double row spacing and higher P�application rates.