Herbicide residues in Australian grain cropping soils at sowing and their relevance to crop growth.

Herbicides are used extensively in Australian grain cropping systems. Despite occasional observations of herbicide-induced phytotoxicity, there is little information on the persistence and carryover of multiple herbicide classes in cropping soils and the risk to subsequent crops. Two soil surveys were conducted, in 2015 (n = 40) and 2016 (n = 42), across different Australian grain cropping fields prior to sowing of winter crops, and soil samples analysed for herbicide residues (16 analytes in 2015 and 22 analytes in 2016).

Data validating the use of rubidium as a non-radioactive tracer for the localised proliferation of wheat roots in acidic or limed subsoil.

Existing technologies for lime (CaCO) incorporation into acidic field soils result in the heterogeneous distribution of limed and acidic soil sections. In a study characterising the response of wheat ( L.) to the amendment of an acidic soil profile with vertically limed slots [1], elucidation of the dynamics of root proliferation within the acidic and limed soil sections was a prerequisite to understanding the mechanisms driving the above-ground responses.