Trials 13 trials and studies in partnership with local farmers, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Soil Health & Production Trials 13 trials and studies in partnership with local farmers, agribusiness and agronomists Investigating effectiveness of different products and techniques in simultaneously increasing soil health, soil carbon, productivity and profitability Projects come from 2010 and 2011 rounds of funding, open calls for projects combining a farmer and a researcher

Gayfield Gayfield trial – irrigated lucerne Rob & Isabel Casey with Seona Findlay Short term, unreplicated trial Assistance supplied by Dr Alice Palmer, Renew Duplex soil with high gravel content

Gayfield 8 demonstration plots each 2 Ha Starting P level 226mg/kg following previous poppy crop Treatment 1 - Renew 5M 3 /Ha + 9.14.17 + 0.6 sodium molybdate @ 125kg/Ha Treatment 2 - Control – nothing added Treatment 3 - TM 21 application @ 250mls/Ha just prior to planting and repeat with another 250mls/Ha later Treatment 4 - Renew 10M 3 /Ha Treatment 5 - 9.14.17 + moly @ 250kg/Ha Treatment 6 - Poppy Mulch 7t/Ha + 9.14.17 + moly @ 125kg/Ha Treatment 7 (2Ha) TM 21 application + 1/2 rate synthetic fertiliser Treatment 8 (2Ha) Poppy mulch 14t/Ha

Gayfield Carbon % 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 1/2 Nothing TM21 Renew Fertiliser 1/2 TM21 + Poppy Renew Poppy 1/2 Fert Mulch 1/2 Fert 1/2 Fert

Gayfield total cost/Ha of treatment 600 500 $ 400 / 300 H 200 a 100 0 total cost/Ha of treatment

Oakdene Oakdene trial – dryland wheat Crop Protection Research (TAS) & Bill Chilvers with support from SFS 3 year, replicated trial 1 st season finished Duplex soil

Oakdene Small plot biochar trial using wheat-stubble biochar (Pacific Pyrolysis) Large plot trial of 7 treatments, all received basal 120kg/Ha DAP Biologically enhanced manure digest liquid 200 L/Ha Renew Compost 15 m3/Ha Woodrising Farms Compost 15 m3/Ha Inorganic fertiliser 125 kg/Ha DAP Unamended control Cattle feedlot waste 15 m3/Ha Solid Poppy Waste 15 m3/Ha

Oakdene 5.00 4.50 4.00 3.50 3.00 Total C 2.50 Base (%) 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 CFW Control INF MDL PM RCP WCP First year soil carbon results – no significant change

Oakdene 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 Yield 2.5 (t/ha) 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 CFW Control INF PM MDL RCP WCP First year yield – no significant differences

Oakdene 4.50 3.88 4.00 3.05 2.94 2.86 3.16 3.50 3.00 2.50 Total C (%) Base 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 0/0 0/120 0/240 10/120 20/120 First year biochar plot carbon results. Significant increase with 20t/Ha biochar plus 120kg/Ha DAP

Woodbourn Woodbourn trial – irrigated poppies and grass seed Charles & Janet Wallace with TP Jones & Co. 1 year trial 4.25 Ha treatment areas Clay loam soil

Woodbourn Poppy crop and grass seed treatments Poppy Seed Waste at 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 tons per hectare TM21 at 0, 125, 250 and 500 mL per hectare Grass Seed Weight Vs Treatment Weight (Kg) 40 30 20 10 0 0 125 250 500 0 t/ha 2.5 5 t/ha 10 ml/ha ml/ha ml/ha ml/ha t/ha t/ha Treatment

Woodbourn Poppy Capsule Weight Vs Treatment 1.8 1.6 1.4 Weight (Kg) 1.2 1 0.8 Sample One 0.6 Sample Two 0.4 0.2 0 0 ml/ha 125 250 500 0 t/ha 2.5 t/ha 5 t/ha 10 t/ha ml/ha ml/ha ml/ha Treatment

Woodbourn Poppy PSW total carbon 3.60% 3.50% Poppy Seed Waste lowered soil 3.40% carbon in poppy field – high 3.30% 3.20% Carbon % nitrogen boost? 3.10% 3.00% 2.90% 2.80% 2.70% 0 t/ha 2.5 t/ha 5 t/ha 10 t/ha Treatment Grass Seed TM21 Total Carbon 6.00% Soil carbon also decreased in 5.00% grass seed field from TM21 4.00% application Carbon % 3.00% 2.00% 1.00% 0.00% 0 ml/ha 125 ml/ha 250 ml/ha 500 ml/ha Treatment

Saltwood Saltwood trial – ‘alternative pasture cropping’ Andrew McCarthy with Serve-Ag 2 year unreplicated trial Coastal sand Annual ryegrass based pasture with significant weed presence

Saltwood First season 2010/2011 Oats and millet – full spray, half spray and no spray Second season 2011/2012 Sorghum and rape – full spray, half spray and no spray

Saltwood

Saltwood

These trials have provided much more information that was presented here. 10 trials are still ongoing. Full reports and summaries will be on NRM North website when ready – notification provided in media. ‘Fertiliser use’ and ‘soil carbon’ methodologies for the Carbon Farming Initiative are coming. Thankyou to participating farmers and agribusinesses