Caring for our Country trials

To use whole farm soil mapping to rationalize the farm fertilizer programme.

• To determine which wheat varieties perform best under local conditions. The trial included a number of bread wheats, but also some noodle and biscuit wheats.

Determine the value of Wedgetail wheat for yearling steers. Determine the impact of grazing on the grain yeld of wedgetail wheat.

• To look at some agronomic solutions to waterlogging.

To test the effect of very deep ripping to 500mm with shallow leading tines and incorporation of limesand on a very deeply compacted acid sand plain soil.

To undertake a variable rate grazing trial in pastures.

To address the following questions.

• Is the variable lime technique applicable/economic in a pasture system or is it more suited to cropping systems?
• Is it viable in the smaller size paddocks that are usual in pasture systems?
• Can you measure economic gains using the technique in pasture paddocks?

To report on the use of crop sensors as an aid for nitrogen decisions.

This project is investigating where and how perennials, including fodder shrub species can fit into our farming systems and the benefits they can have on production andsustainability.

To test whether soil fertility and health could be improved under a higher input system compared with a lower input and more traditional system.

• To evaluate the fit of commonly used and non commercial (dual purpose) canola varieties in Southern Victoria under a range of sowing dates.
• To quantify the yield response of canola to a range of grazing conditions.
• To develop grazing principles for canola in the high rainfall zone.
   

To ascertain the crop safety of pre-emergent (IBS) herbicides when used with differing seeding systems and sowing speeds.

To determine the impact of grazing on soil condition and weed populations.  This report is on findings after two years of grazing. 

To trial supplementing sheep grazing medics with La Trobe pellets to accelerate growth.

To evaluate whether farmers can make use of the out-of-season rainfall.

To test the concept of spreading sand on transient salinity “magnesia” patches to see if could be equally effective in improving the performance of heavy soils.

To investigate a spader machine for lime incorporation.

To use six different labs (Soil Food Web, CSBP, APAL, AgPath, Microbwise and Solvita) to analyse soil microbiology on six different properties across Kangaroo Island.

To examine the pasture productivity and economic response to the application and incorporation of low rates of clay to pale deep sandplain over three years.

• To investigate soil acidity in Kangaroo Island soils.

To have paddocks re-tested for soil pH post liming and results were compared to the pH level prior to liming.

To identify alternative grazing systems that are both sustainable and profitable in low-medium rainfall zones where cropping is no longer viable due to high risks and changing climatic conditions.

To investigate the effect of full stubble retention compared with other stubble management methods and seeding technologies.

To investigate the effect of full stubble retention compared with other stubble management methods and seeding technologies

To build on previous crop sequencing projects, using farmer equipment and paddock lengthtrial strips to help assess both the profitability and practicality of various pulse options: to help farmers see these crops growing for themselves, discuss the various issues involved and then better decide what may best suit their farming systems

To assess the usefulness of using historical yield data to predict future yields and adjust fertiliser rates according to production zones.

To find a way to improve the productivity and sustainability of the Darkan river flats.

• Test the “triple pack pasture program™”, against the usual pasture establishment system of one year’s weed control and sowing of a perennial pasture.
• Assess the result by comparing the two systems with approximately one fifth of the paddock sown in a conventional way and the rest of the paddock established with the “triple pack pasture program™”.
• Try to ascertain whether the claimed benefits of the “triple pack pasture program™”, outweigh the extra costs of a three year establishment system.

• To investigate the effect of different types of inoculant on nodulation and yield in field peas grown in KI conditions.

To investigate options for no-till sowing in stony soils.

To investigate nitrogen response at Minnipa in 2009.

To develop a regionally viable farming system which incroporates the establishment of native perennial pastures, cropping into native pasture adn rotational grazing of the pasture and stubble.

To determine the effect of grazing on grain yield of Naparoo wheat

To provide further understanding of what is driving responses to modification of sandy subsoils and how soil modification techniques can be improved.

• To compare the impact of four different management strategies on production, profitability and sustainability at the Minnipa Agricultural Centre.

To investigate methods for successfully establishing crops in a single pass to reduce erosion potential and improve productivity.

To showcase to growers different methods for deep incorporation of lime to ameliorate sub surface, below 10cm, acidity and improve soil health.

To test the viability of establishing lucerne pastures in areas where they have not been traditionally grown.

• To look at the effectiveness of placing lime at depth.

To look at the effectiveness of placing lime at depth.

To use the increased concentration of fertiliser granules in low SBU systems to measure any advantage of fertiliser uptake

To implement the findings of previous work conducted on the establishment of native perennial grasses in the Upper North.

To monitor how quickly the lime would change the pH down the profile.

To investigate the impacts burying at depth organic matter (using a Neutrog product Bounce Back) and gypsum using the subsoiler machine.

To investigate the impacts burying at depth organic matter (using a Neutrog product Bounce Back) and gypsum using the Sub Soiler machine.

• To investigate the impacts burying organic matter at depth.

To evaluate the suitability of different wheat and barley cultivars for both grazing and grain production, when sown as part of a the normal cropping program in low rainfall zones of western Victoria.

This Demonstration forms part of the Grain & Graze II project looking at the relative merits of grazing canola and cereal crops. This demonstration looks to assess whether the effects of grazing wheat with sheep during the growing season. Factors being assessed are Yield & quality, dry matter production and grazing value.