Caring for our Country trials

To assess the growth and yield of barley and wheat growing in a range of different established perennial pasture species.

To compare commercial seeding machines that have specifically been set up to sow sub-tropical grasses.

To identify the optimum sowing time for establishment of sub-tropical grasses to the east of Eneabba.

To demonstrate the effect of seeder type and operation on the efficacy and safety of pre-emergent herbicides in barley.

To assess whether the effects of grazing canola with sheep during the growing season: factors being assessed are yield and quality, dry matter production and grazing value.

To assess whether the effects of grazing wheat with sheep during the growing season. Factors being assessed are yield and quality, dry matter production and grazing value.

To assess whether the effects of grazing wheat with sheep during the growing season. Factors being assessed are yield and quality, dry matter production and grazing value.

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.

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

The Upper North Farming systems group is involved in several Carbon Farming projects, which are trying to identify areas which have the greatest potential for soil carbon sequestration or reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

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

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 determine:

• Which dual purpose varieties respond to Gippsland’s climatic conditions?
• Which new varieties may have commercialization potential?
• Which varieties are best suited to forage and feed grain production?
   

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

• 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 deal with the issue of sustainable agriculture.

To demonstrate leadership and show industry-led practice change has the greatest capacity to change behaviours to reverse the trend of over-fertilising and tp promote best-practice fertiliser use, and more specifically soil testing and fertiliser application rates.

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

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

• To investigate the potential to incorporate a mixture of perennial species into farming systems in low-rainfall areas across southern Australia.

To identify better perennial species than what is already available in low rainfall areas.

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

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

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

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

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

Demonstrate best practice phalaris establishment and management at the PPS/EverGraze site at Mooneys Gap which should provide information to producers to give them confidence to increase phalaris use.

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

• 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 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?

Using tillage to incorporate lime improves the rates of reaction and increases subsurface pH soomer than spreading lime on the surface alone.

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

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

Investigate the dry matter accumulation and timing of a range of pastrure species and mixes and comparing them to the dry matter production by crops that are grown to be grazed before being shut up for grain production or cut for hay or silage.

Investigate the dry matter accumulation and timing of a range of pastrure species and mixes and comparing them to the dry matter production by crops that are grown to be grazed before being shut up for grain production or cut for hay or silage.

To improve our understanding of what is driving these responses and how soil modification techniques can be improved on sandy profiles.

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

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 compare the performance of 3 seeding systems and 2 nutrition strategies. This is a rotation trial to assess the longer term effects of seeding systems and higher fertiliser input systems.

To compare the performance of 3 seeding systems and 2 nutrition strategies. This is a rotation trial to assess the longer term effects of seeding systems and higher fertiliser input systems.

To compare the performance of 3 seeding systems and 2 nutrition strategies. This is a rotation trial to assess the longer term effects of seeding systems and higher fertiliser input systems.

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

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

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

To compare two farming systems, one with and one without the addition of old man saltbush (OMSB). Farming system one (‘No saltbush’) operated a crop/pasture rotation which was similar to that used in the central west of NSW. Farming system two (‘Saltbush’) had an rop/pasture rotation, but each paddock had 20% of its area replaced with belts of OMSB.

To determine the effectiveness of biochar on increasing soil carbon and soil stability.