Browsing by Author "Schroeder, B"

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A collaborative approach to Precision Agriculture RDE for the Australian Sugar Industry : Final report CSE022
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2014) Bramley, R; Schroeder, B; Baillie, C
Strong sugar industry interest in Precision Agriculture (PA) has developed during the 2000s on the back of considerable progress with PA in other Australian agricultural sectors (grains and wine in particular), attempts in the Herbert (HCPSL and partners), and more recently in other districts, to develop a regional harvest management and yield mapping capability, and increased support for initiatives deemed of value in minimising possible impacts of sugarcane production on the Great Barrier Reef, including the provision of grants to growers for the purchase of GPS guidance systems and variable rate controllers for fertilizer spreaders. Against this background, the then Sugar Research and Development Corporation commissioned the reviews contained in SRDC Technical report 3/2007. A subsequent workshop held to mark the delivery of these reviews identified a number of PA-related R+D priorities which collectively could be characterised as being aimed at properly positioning the sugar industry for appropriate PA adoption, supported by access to the necessary technology, skills, methodological protocols and case studies. This project emerged from that process. Its intended focus, was to be based around core field sites in the Bundaberg, Burdekin and Herbert districts which were established with the intent of both PA research and demonstration.
A review of nitrogen use efficiency in sugarcane
(2015) Bell, MJ; Biggs, J; McKellar, LB; Connellan, J; Di Bella, L; Dwyer, R; Empson, M; Garside, AJ; Harvey, T; Kraak, J; Lakshmanan, P; Lamb, DW; Meier, E; Moody, P; Muster, T; Palmer, J; Robinson, N; Robson, A; Salter, B; Schroeder, B; Silburn, M; Schmidt, S; Skocaj, DM; Stacey, S; Stanley, J; Thorburn, P; Verburg, K; Walker, C; Wang, W; Wood, A
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem, providing both substantial economic benefit to Australia and significant international ecological value. The health of the GBR is under pressure from sediments, pesticides and nutrients (especially nitrogen) discharged from nearby catchments. Discharge of nitrogen is of particular concern as it stimulates outbreaks of the Crown of Thorns Starfish, a major predator of GBR corals. Recent research has shown that the amount of nitrogen fertiliser applied in excess of crop uptake is an important determinant of nitrogen discharge from catchments, so increasing the efficiency of nitrogen use in cropping systems is an important step in protecting the economic and ecological benefits provided by the GBR. Importantly, an increase in nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) also offers opportunities to improve productivity and profitability of agricultural industries, with such benefits a major incentive for industry adoption and practice change. The Australian sugarcane industry is a significant contributor to the anthropogenic loads of nitrogen entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, with recent estimates in the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (2013) suggesting it contributes 18% and 56% of particulate and inorganic nitrogen loads, respectively. A focus on improving NUE in the Australian sugar industry to reduce these loads wherever possible is a logical outcome from these statistics. While the relative impact of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and particulate nitrogen (PN) is still uncertain, recent NUE forums in the sugar industry in 2014 identified clear target reductions in DIN that would be needed in order to significantly improve water quality in line with Reef Plan (2013-18) targets. The forum also identified a clear need for a joint industry-government funded research program to improve NUE in sugarcane cropping systems. The review conducted for this report was commissioned and funded by the Australian Government Reef Programme to provide a foundation for this joint NUE research program. The review was tasked with providing an improved understanding of past and current research effort and available field trial information (both published and unpublished) relating to nitrogen management in the sugar industry. From this perspective the review was then tasked with identifying research gaps and opportunities for future research projects and field trials that would collectively contribute to improving NUE from both agronomic and production perspectives as well as delivering significant reductions in nitrogen lost to waterways and the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. It is widely recognized that in any crop, the demand for N is determined by the size of the crop and the fundamental efficiency with which that crop produces a unit of biomass or harvested product from a kg of acquired N (N use efficiency - NUE). Therefore a good understanding of yield potential at the spatial scale of the productivity unit (i.e., farm, several blocks of similar productivity, individual blocks or within-block) about which N fertilizer management decisions (rate, form, placement, timing) are made is required, along with an understanding of how that yield potential varies with seasonal conditions. Collectively, this could be called seasonal 'block' (or productivity zone) yield potential, and it will produce a crop N demand that may vary from year to year. The sugar industry is currently operating at the district level (generally comprising several thousand cropped hectares across variable soil types and landscapes), and basing N demand for all growers in the district on the best farm yield ever achieved over a 20 year time frame. It is apparent that overall NUE could be improved by basing N fertiliser inputs on the seasonal yield potential of the productivity unit.
Australian sugarcane nutrition manual
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2018) Calcino, D; Schroeder, B; Panitz, J; Hurney, A; Skocaj, D; Wood, A; Salter, B
On-farm nutrient management has a key role in farm and industry sustainability, and in ensuring minimal off-site impacts occur.
How much nitrogen will that crop need? Incorporating climate forecasting to improve nitrogen management in the Wet Tropics : Final project 2015/075
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2018) Everingham, Y; Biggs, J; Schroeder, B; Skocaj, D; Thorburn, P; Sexton, J
Determining the optimum amount of nitrogen that is required by the crop to maximise production, profitability and environmental outcomes is a challenging problem. The modelling approach taken in this project has balanced each of these complex elements to produce, and demonstrate, a novel and grower-friendly solution for the Tully canegrowing region. Optim-N Gets a Thumbs Up “How much nitrogen does my crop need?” depends on many interacting factors such as soil type, harvest management, position in the landscape and climate variability! This project took a unique and innovative approach to solving this problem and neatly embedded this process in a prototype tool called “Optim-N”. Instead of applying the same rate of nitrogen every year, Optim-N formulates nitrogen guidelines based on climate forecasts, for eight important soils in two climate zones in the Tully region, and three harvest dates. The processes behind Optim-N were tested against all available data, both from experiments and, where these were not available, expert opinion. When fully developed and operational, this tool will save farmers money by tailoring season- and site-specific recommendations for individual cane paddocks; improve water quality leaving farms and entering waterways to the Great Barrier Reef, and skill-up extension officers, allowing them to provide more targeted advice for farmers that factors in seasonal climate forecasts from the world’s best climate models. Two major activities are needed to take Optim-N from a prototype, to a widely used tool: Optim-N would need to be trialled with farmers in an action learning context so they could understand how it helps their decision making. This experience would also drive refinements of the Optim-N tool. It would also provide more empirical data for testing the science behind the tool, reducing the reliance on expert opinion and simultaneously increase trust and end-user confidence in the tool, which would accelerate adoption. The Optim-N prototype also needs input from professional software experts to take it to commercial levels of robustness and usability. When presented at a variety of forums, the Optim-N prototype receives a big “thumbs-up”.
Making the most of the SIX EASY STEPS nutrient management program
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2017) Schroeder, B
The SIX EASY STEPS program is recognised as the basis for best practice nutrient management in the Australian sugar industry. Ongoing learning and continuous improvement are fundamental to the program.
Soil-specific nutrient management guidelines for sugarcane production in the Bundaberg District
(BSES, 2007) Schroeder, B; Panitz, J; Wood, A; Moody, P; Salter, B
In 2003 and 2006 soil reference booklets for the Herbert and Proserpine districts respectively, entitled Soil Specific Management Guidelines for Sugarcane Production were produced for cane growers. Those booklets described the basic principles of soil management and presented nutrient guidelines for a range of soils. We are now in the position to present a similar booklet aimed at soil-specific nutrient management in the Bundaberg district. This is based on a methodology developed within an SRDC-funded project (Improved nutrient management in the Australian sugar industry) and research conducted in the area as part of an Envirofund project (Improved adoption of best-practice nutrient management: Bundaberg Sugar Industry).
Soil-specific nutrient management guidelines for sugarcane production in the Isis District
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2014) Panitz, J; Schroeder, B; Sullivan, J; Wood, A
Soil-specific nutrient management guidelines for sugarcane production in the Mackay District
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2015) Salter, B; Schroeder, B; Panitz, J; Calcino, D; Wood, A
In the last 10 years, soil reference booklets for the Herbert, Proserpine, Johnstone, Bundaberg, Plane Creek, New South Wales and Isis districts, entitled Soil-Specific Management Guidelines for Sugarcane Production, were produced for the industry. These booklets describe the basic principles of soil management and present nutrient guidelines for a range of district soils. We are now in the position to present a similar booklet aimed at soil-specific nutrient management in the Mackay district. This is based on a methodology developed within an SRDC-funded project (Improved nutrient management in the Australian sugar industry) and research conducted in the area as part of an Australian Government funded project (Improved adoption of best-practice nutrient management).
The full monty on the SIX EASY STEPS nutrient management program
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2017) Schroeder, B
The SIX EASY STEPS aims at balanced nutrition and sustainable soil and nutrient management. It considers the underlying sugarcane farming system and all essential nutrients for sugarcane production.