Browsing by Author "Fox, J"

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Controlled traffic farming systems for the North Coast Grower Group : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project Final report
(2008) Fox, J; Zamparutti, M
The project aim was to implement and trial farming systems that incorporate the practices of controlled traffic, minimum tillage and crop rotations. The North Coast Grower Group members combined their resources and efforts to develop and implement a new farming system that utilized the bulk of their existing equipment, improved the management of their natural resources and reduced their cost of production. The group combined the results of their trials to identify a farming system that is sufficiently robust to handle the variations experienced in the North Coast environment (seasonal conditions, soil types, farm layouts and variable equipment) and improve the financial sustainability of the group members.
Effective use of lower mill mud rates in the nutrition program
(2014) Fox, J
In 2011 Mackay Sugar changed its mud truck fleet to enable low rates of banded mill mud and mud/ash application on farm. The aim of this was to: make mill by-products available to more growers, lessen the impact of Reef Regulations by introducing an applicator capable of applying mud at rates < 100 t/ha and increase the distance mud is transported away from the mill. MT Catherine Cooperative (a farmer group in the Wagoora district of Mackay Sugar) set about answering some of the agronomic unknowns associated with this new practice. Replicated trials (fallow plant and first ratoon) were established in 2011 to determine if one application per crop cycle of mill mud banded on the row: would provide enough phosphorus for the crop cycle, needed to be incorporated to ensure early phosphorus access by plant cane and could improve runoff water quality in ratoons relative to traditional application.
Maximising centre pivot efficiencies : Final report GGP051
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2014) Fox, J
Centre pivot irrigators are proven to be one of the most efficient irrigation systems. But in the cane industry with long ratoon cycles, and a six month harvest season, a pivot applying the same amount of water over the entire area (and length of pivot) becomes a management issue. With a pivot length of 700 metres, it is common for more than 1 block to be under the pivot at once. It is more than likely that these blocks require different irrigation amounts, while some blocks may not need water at all due to age of crop or blocks about to be harvested, or blocks planted to legume fallows which have different water requirements.