Browsing by Author "Blackburn, L"

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Investigate skip row configuration in sugar cane: Final report GGP046
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2013) Blackburn, L
The aim of the project was to compare a double skip row sugarcane system with conventional solid plant on 1.8 m row spacing. Comparisons were made of productivity, profitability and water relationships. The skip row area was designated to grow crops which are usually cultivated over a traditional sugarcane fallow period. Ideally these skip area crops would provide break-crop soil health advantages but would also be harvested to contribute to income. One objective of this project was to evaluate different break crop alternatives to see which may be more suited to this situation. Results from this project show that the double skip row cane averaged about 70 % of the conventional cane yield, sugar yield and dollars returned per hectare. This excludes the data from the exceptionally wet 2010/11 summer which was in the wettest 5% of all years. Above-average rainfall years during the course of this trial negatively impacted on sugarcane and skip area crops. Only two skip row area crops were sown and that was to peanuts in August 2009 and November 2011. Again wet weather prevented harvest of these crops. The profitability of the double skip row system is under-estimated because costs were incurred to establish and manage the peanuts but no income was received. The group had hoped to evaluate soybean, sugar beet and possibly corn, but unfavourable seasons prevented this from happening.
Utilising available technology to better manage yield variability within blocks : SRA Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2008) Blackburn, L
The specific aim of this project was to gain information on the different layers of information collected at a block level to allow site specific crop management. The Blackburn Brothers have also investigated the farm economic within the fallow period by introducing fallow options like peanuts. Blackburn Brothers have collected a number of different layers of information such as: Satellite imagery, EM Mapping “soil”, Yield Mapping, soil analysis and leaf analysis, from the information collected, management of the nutrient applied, the gross margins achieved, all have allowed for better decision making that have improved the bottom line. A replicated strip trial site was established and determined that there was no significant difference between the peanut fallow and bare fallow in the plant cane crop while the economics determined that the peanut fallow achieved $1147.22 per hectare more than the bare fallow. Within these two treatments two nitrogen rates were utilised 45kg / ha and 150 kg / ha with no significant difference achieved. The results achieved by utilising available technology to better manage yield variability within blocks has been adopted over the total farming area (470 ha) by the confidence achieved by conducting this project. The group has also now undertaken that complete record keeping will be utilised and this will lead to better management decisions to be made at a block level.