Staff profile

Dr Peter W Sale

Reader, Associate Professor

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Life Sciences
Department of Agricultural Science
AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience

R.L. Reid Building 206, Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

BRurSc (Hons) UNE, PhD USYD

Area of study

Agricultural Sciences

Brief profile

Dr Sale's current research interests are in improving the productivity of cropping and pasture soils, with a particular focus on ameliorating subsoil constraints,  He also has research interets in the impacts of elevated CO2 on crop performance, on the rhizosphere and phosphorus acquisition, and in phytoremediation.  He joined the staff in 1988. He was the project leader for the National Reactive Phosphate Rock Project from 1991 to 1996 and has supervised numerous postgraduate students in the field of pasture and crop agronomy.

In 2008, Dr Sale published 'the second edition of Agriculture in Australia: An Introduction' with Bill Malcolm and other authors from  the University of Melbourne. In 1998, he was awarded the National University Teaching Award in the section for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.

His interests in agriculture in developing countries resulted in a University Teaching Grant from the Rotary Foundation, to teach at Universities in Uganda in 2007.

Research interests

Pasture nutrition

- Assisting farmers to adopt improved practices in south Australia and developing countries

- Improving performance of crop & pasture plants growing in infertile soils

Soil science

- Ameliorating dense clay subsoils in cropping land in south west Victoria.

Teaching units

AGR1AAS - Animal and Agricultural Science

AGR3CS - Agricultural and Animal Case Studies

Recent publications

- view a list of recent publications (PDF 15KB)

  1. Clark G.J., Dodgshun N., Sale P.W.G., Tang C. (2007) Changes in chemical and biological properties of a sodic clay subsoil with addition of organic amendments. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39, 2806-2817.
  2. Sargeant M, Sale P, Tang C. (2006). Salt priming improves establishment of Distichlis spicata under saline conditions. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 1259-1265.
  3. Singh, D.K. and Sale, P.W.G. (2000). Growth and potential conductivity of white clover roots in dry soil with increasing phosphorus supply and defoliation frequency. Agronomy Journal 92, 868-874.
  4. Trompf, J.P.T., Sale, P.W.G. and Graetz, B. (2000). Factors affecting the adoption of productive pastures by participants in a paired-paddock extension program. . Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 1089-99.
  5. Waller, R.A. and Sale, P.W.G. (2001). Persistence and productivity of perennial ryegrass in sheep pastures in south-western Victoria: a review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41, 117-144.

Research projects

Ameliorating subsoil constraints

Impact of elevated CO2 on crop growth and soil nutrient dynamics

The rhizosphere and soil nutrient dynamics

Farming systems interventions to deplete weed seedbanks

Programs available:

  • Impact of subsoil manuring on crop performance and subsoil properties