SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre trials

To assess the role of annual medics as a break crop in a wheat-sheep mixed farming system, by measuring the biomass produced over the growing season followed by the retention of the pasture residue over the summer autumn period, then subsequently assessing the impact of the pasture in the following cereal phase in terms of yield and grain quality.

To improve the long term control of Rhizoctonia by increasing the understanding of the interactions between disease inoculum and natural soil suppressive activity and to improve the prediction and management of disease.

To compare current varieties to ones which are not commonly grown in the district, and to compare varieties in soil types and rainfall regions where National Wheat Variety trials are not conducted.

To measure comparative wheat yields in response to varying P applications on 2 soil types.

To test whether knowledge of soil potential, soil variation and in-season predictions of grain yield with Yield Prophet could be useful to improving management.

To understand the impact of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling on disease suppression.

To investigate the question 'Is time of sowing as important in a high decile season'?

To determine if disease suppression against rhizoctonia is achievable in a grey highly calcareous soil using alternative rotational systems and crop inputs in an upper EP environment and if soil microbial populations can be influenced by rotation and fertiliser inputs.

To assess the P response from current fertiliser applications at MAC.

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

To conduct a break crop trial at Mt Cooper.

To focus on increasing water use efficiency.

To question how much nutrition did you export to the silo last year and how much fertiliser are you applying this year?

To determine the optimum ratio of peas and canola for grain yield, profitability and post harvest ground cover.

To manage risk through variable rate technology using different inputs over variable soil types and testing the use of Yield Prophet to match plant available water and nutrition with modelling of climatic conditions, knowing that we can have unpredictable finishes to seasons.

To manage risk through variable rate technology using different inputs over variable soil types and testing the use of Yield Prophet to match plant available water and nutrition with modelling of climatic conditions, knowing that we can have unpredictable finishes to seasons.

To manage risk through variable rate technology using different inputs over variable soil types and testing the use of Yield Prophet to match plant available water and nutrition with modelling of climatic conditions, knowing that we can have unpredictable finishes to seasons.

• To compare very early maturing feed and malting barley lines selected from the University of Adelaide Barley Program advanced yield trials.
• To compare these varieties with other adapted and current varieties, and to evaluate their specific adaptation to the upper EP environment.

To provide early feed for stock in autumn, a time of year when pastures haven’t established properly, and get ewes and lambs out of the confinement feedlot and onto good quality feed as soon as possible.

To see how the commonly grown varieties with a range of maturities respond to seasonal conditions, soil type and sowing time, i.e. to evaluate how they can best fit into the farming system.

To investigate the effects of row direction, row spacing and stubble cover on grain yield and quality.

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

To test whether general soil health and fertility can be increased under a higher carbon input system with well managed grazing.

To provide data to assist in decision making of using a cereal for grazing, hay and/or grain based on seasonal conditions, while knowing the relative multipurpose performance of the cereal options.

To understand the impact of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling on disease suppression.

To address the question, what would happen if a commercial cereal crop was sown at such an early date?

To completely review the standard approach to the sheep enterprise.

To assess the performance of annual medics in a pasture – wheat rotation over the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

To include the Minnipa flock within the program to help:

• educate ram buyers of the merits of ASBVs so they seek out, and buy rams from, breeders that are members of Sheep Genetics “LAMPLAN” or “MERINOSELECT”.
• encourage more breeders to become members of Sheep Genetics “LAMPLAN” or “MERINOSELECT” and to offer ASBVs on sale rams.
• encourage more breeders to use ASBVs when buying stud sires or semen.

To build resilience into EP farms by understanding the interactions between soil potential, climate and management.

To compare current released varieties at two locations on Eyre Peninsula, plus a demonstration at Penong.

To discuss the critical growth stages for maintaining sound nutrition of crops on Upper EP.

To monitor crop production and economic outcomes from applying P at nil, replacement, average and twice average rates on both a deep sandy loam and a shallow constrained soil.

Previous work in the Mallee has shown the EM38 technology has benefited farm profit. On that basis we have commenced a demonstration on the Minnipa Agricultural Centre to validate previous Mallee outcomes.

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

To identify alternative perennial legumes to lucerne suitable for incorporation within cropping systems, there are possibly at least 3 options adapted to areas within the Eyre Peninsula environment.

To assist farmers to understand what their land is capable of producing under a range of conditions and how to tailor inputs to get the most profitable outcomes.

To provide data to assist in decision making when planning to use a field crop as a potential resource for grazing, hay and/or grain based on seasonal conditions, while in some cases utilising the benefits of a break crop within the cropping rotation.

To understand the impact of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling on disease suppression.

To determine if disease suppression against rhizoctonia is achievable in an upper EP environment on a grey highly calcareous soil using different rotations and cropping inputs.

To assess the P response from current and residual fertiliser applications.

The Farming Systems Competition was commenced in 2000 to compare the impact of four different management strategies on production, profitability and sustainability at the Minnipa Agricultural Centre.

To compare up front applications of N with a split application of N, as well as the efficiency of foliar N compared to granular N.

To manage risk through tailoring inputs to the different production zones potential by using variable rate technology.

At Wharminda the focus is on managing risk through variable rate technology (VRT) using different inputs over variable soil
types.

To further evaluate variable rate sowing as a tool to improve profitability in low rainfall upper EP farming systems, this broad acre trial
began in 2008 and has continued through to 2010.

To investigate the effects of row direction, row spacing and stubble cover on grain yield and quality.

To demonstrate the impact of different stubble management techniques on soil biota activity and nutrition demands would be monitored using the same fertiliser applications in crop and by comparing yields. In subsequent years the effect of different treatments will be monitored.

To report on 'think tank' responses to the following quesitons:
• How do you increase your crop water use efficiency?
• How do you maximise profit?
• How can you find more leisure time?

To test whether soil health and fertility can be improved under a higher carbon input system with or without grazing.