Farming systems and production management
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Research outcomes: Growers and harvesters benefit from the ongoing research in productivity improvement, production management and agronomical techniques. Developed technologies and management practices that enhance productivity and demonstrate a high rate of return on investment.
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Item Investigate skip row configuration in sugar cane: Final report GGP046(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2013) Blackburn, LThe 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.Item Evaluating alternative irrigation for a greener future(2011) Hesp, CThe potential agronomic and environmental benefits of green cane harvesting and trash blanketing, the ongoing issues of nutrients and pesticides threatening the Great Barrier Reef, the rising ground water levels in the area, and water use efficiency issues, prompted the progressive MAFIA grower group to conceptualise a project to trial alternative irrigation systems and compare them with the conventional furrow irrigation system. A lateral move irrigation system was established on the Hesp property, in the Mulgrave farming area in the Burdekin, to irrigate sugarcane throughout a full 4 year crop cycle. This system was compared to conventional furrow and, on a nearby property, a drip irrigation system. The sites were extensively instrumented to measure parameters that would enable the water and nutrient balance to be monitored on the furrow and lateral move irrigated fields. Importantly, an intensive economic analysis was conducted to provide a guide to the economic evaluation of the three systems. Overall the results of the trial indicated that it was indeed possible to grow large sugarcane crops under the lateral move and drip irrigation systems, and that these crops could be subsequently harvested green. It was shown that the lateral move and drip systems also provided opportunity for improved water use efficiency over the furrow irrigation system and that the subsequent flow on benefits from this was reduced loss of nutrients via deep drainage and irrigation runoff. The economic evaluation, using actual inputs costs from the trial sites, show that the furrow and lateral move had similar operating costs which were significantly less than the drip system. However, it should be pointed out that this economic study looked at the adoption of a new irrigation system versus an existing furrow irrigation system. If the analysis was to examine a greenfield investment comparison, then the economic results could significantly change because of the extra capital investment required to establish a furrow irrigation system. In this analysis, environmental benefits resulting from improved water, nutrient and pesticide use are not accounted for in dollar terms, but if included would recognise the value of more efficient farming systems. While every effort was made to provide reliable information from this study, constraints associated with conducting the trial, within an existing “whole of farm” operation, meant that it should be considered more as a pilot study rather than a rigorous scientific trial. For this reason care should be taken in extrapolating the data from this study to other properties or areas where different circumstances and constraints could alter the perspective significantly.Item Improving billet planter efficiency : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report(2010) Shannon, CThe aim of North Clarence Innovative Planting Group was to produce an efficient billet planter for a dual row cane system that provided minimal working hours and labour, thus reducing costs, and having minimal impact on the farming environment. Consequently this will increase profit margins. The dual row billet planter was to be compared to the conventional method of a Hodge dual row planter. The design concept was based around building a unit that was self propelled, compact, and required minimal working labour. Design materials sourced were to be recycled to reduce cost. Materials were sourced locally and interstate with approximately 60 % of the design being recycled materials, parts or machinery. The trial site was chosen for consistency of soil type and drainage. Northern New South Wales do not irrigate fields therefore watering was achieved through rainfall. The plantings were completed the same day with both dual row cane planters planting identical cane variety in the trial site. Planting of the trial was completed within several hours with all aspects of planting identical between the two planting machines i.e row spacing, planting depth, chemical application and water rate. Both machines were fitted with Global Positioning Systems to eliminate human error providing precision and accuracy within the cane rows. During the planting process, the self propelled unit revealed to be more user friendly than the conventional dual row planter. As it was shorter in length, it had a smaller turning circle, which was more beneficial within the trial site headlands. Being shorter also allowed easier inspection and monitoring of the working machine. This monitoring process was also aided with rearward facing cameras. The design provided greater carrying capacity of cane billets within the holding bin which consequently provided longer planting times and less refilling. Therefore saving time and fuel consumption. In comparison to the conventional dual row planter, collected data of planting rates, eye count, set placement and billet feeding/metering/delivery were similar between the two machines, concluding that there is no vast difference in planting success; i.e strike rate and/or set placement. In comparison of finances of the two machines, a total of $65,506.43 (inc GST) was spent in constructing the project. Current prices of a conventional dual row Hodge cane planter alone, are, (at time of printing) $74,000 ( inc GST). This consequently requires a tractor to pull the machine. This values the unit to an estimated total of $175,00 (pending on the make and model of the tractor), thus making a difference of approximately $100,000 between the two units.Item Maximising soy's in Central Queensland : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report(2011) Mattsson, SThe Mackay region is currently expanding into soybeans as a legume for green manure and for grain production. The lack of region specific information has meant that growers are relying on information that has been developed in other regions. Some of this agronomic or varietal advice has resulted in crop failure when applied in the central region. Soybean crops in the central region are often lower yielding and have a higher frequency of failure than in other cane growing regions due to the lack of good local understanding of the crop. Our region’s climatic conditions such as: day length, temperature, rain fall and the number of rainy or clear days will impact on soybean production. These needs must be addressed to further encourage the adoption of legume break crops in the central region. Soy bean yields in the central region have not reached their potential when compared to the other regions and we believe that some of the issues relate to poor variety selection and the lack of good local information. This project experimented with current and new varieties and documents the results of these experiments. This information will give cane growers in the central region a process for better decision making.