Background Growers in central and southern NSW are interested in sowing wheat earlier than the traditional May sowing window. There are a number of drivers of this change. Advances in summer fallow management, which have led to improved soil water storage and sowing opportunitiesDeclining frequency and magnitude of traditional autumn breaks and winter rainfall but...
Why Soil Management Practices are Adopted Project 1.2.002 Associate Professor Vaughan Higgins – Project LeaderUniversity of Tasmania DURATION: Two years OVERVIEW: Farmer uptake of soil management programs and techniques is historically, relatively slow. This project sets out to understand why farmers do not adopt soil management improvement programs. It will investigate whether current strategies and...
Visualising Australasia’s Soils Project 2.3.001 Associate Professor Peter Dahlhaus – Project LeaderFederation University DURATION: Two years OVERVIEW: Data is key to sustainable soil health and profitable agriculture. Following on from the scoping study, A review of indicators of soil health and function: farmers’ needs and data management, this project addresses the issue of large amounts of underutilised...
Unlocking Soil Nutrients with Organic Matter Project 3.1.006 Dr Balaji Seshadri – Project LeaderThe University of Newcastle DURATION: Three yearsOVERVIEW: Enhancing nutrient use efficiency in agricultural soils is challenging due to diminishing natural resources such as phosphate rock and water availability. The use of organic wastes (e.g. composts, manures, biosolids) as soil amendments can potentially...
Recovering Nutrients form Organic Waste Streams Project 3.1.003 Dr Dane Lamb – Project LeaderThe University of Newcastle DURATION: Three years OVERVIEW: Large scale agricultural systems rely on inputs of nitrogen and phosphorous which can be costly for farmers. Although phosphorous is significantly present in many agricultural soils, the majority exists in strongly adsorbed or insoluble...
Building Capacity Project Project 6.1.001 Felicity Harrop – Project LeaderNorth Central Catchment Management Authority DURATION: Two years OVERVIEW: As farmers better understand the importance of sustainable soil management for their productivity and profitability, they need advice, technical assistance and expertise from their local grower groups. This project is co-funded by the Australian Government through the...
Addressing Complex Soil Constraints Dr Jason Condon – Project LeaderCharles Sturt University Project 4.2.002 DURATION: Two and a half years OVERVIEW: Soils often exhibit multiple constraints that limit their productivity. Historically, attempts to address these constraints have been conducted via research that addresses each constraint individually. Each problem has an industry “best practice” solution but...
Central West Farming Systems hosted five spring field days during September and October 2017; Mumbil Creek, Tottenham (with the Tottenham Top Woodlands Agricultural Bureau), LIRAC (with CSIRO), Northparkes Mine and Gunning Gap. Dr Neil Fettell also attended the AgGrow Agronomy and Research’s Rankins Springs field day in September, explaining the CWFS stubble management and nutrient...
Early sowing is essential in order to maximise yield of wheat crops grown on long (18 month) fallow. Long fallowing and early sowing are complementary practices, as the fallow reduces weeds and diseases which can be difficult to control in early sown crops, and early sowing with slow-developing cultivars allows the crop to better use...
WUE in crop An overview on how to influence water use efficiency in crop. Rain to grain Some guidelines when it comes to converting rain to grain. Integrated weed management Outlining the importance of integrated weed management on farm and how to implement a successful strategy. Making WUE Work The ins and outs of making...
