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 Implementation of improved sugarcane farming systems in the Clare area, Burdekin District, North Queensland : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project Final report(2007) Hatch, PThe MIG was interested to quantify the benefits of moving from their current 1.52m row configuration to a row configuration that better matches tractors, harvesters and haulage equipment using GPS technology. As a result of conducting this project, the MIG has confidence that preformed beds will improve their long term sustainability and profitability by reducing input costs compared to the current system, at least for the plant crop. In particular, significant opportunities to reduce: •land preparation costs, from $265/ha in the conventional practice down to $131/ha, •general growing costs, from $209/ha down to $108/ha, and •irrigation costs, from $394/ha down to approximately $305/ha, appear to exist. In total, differences of at least $300/ha saving can be made by moving from the conventional system to the preformed mound system (see Appendix 1 for more detail). As a result, all members of MIG have moved over to planting into preformed beds; however some members of MIG prefer 1.52m singles over duals on 2.0m centres. The group recognises that during the course of the project, several errors were made with the trial design; in particular there was no planting of the 1.52m conventional practice with the mound planted systems, no replication of treatments, and fertiliser rates were not the same in each treatment. This has been a great learning experience for the group, which is now better placed to conduct future on-farm research.Item Optimising benefits of GPS integration into controlled traffic farming (CTF) system : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report(2008) Deguara, GThe modification of the haulout has been completed and been in operation for the 2007 harvesting season. The aim of the project was to primarily reduce the compacted area on the ends of the rows during the turning around phase of harvesting. The secondary aspect was to greatly improve the manoeuvrability of the unit and allow for reverse filling of the haulout by only having to keep the tractor straight. A second hand McLean 14tonne elevating bin was chosen for the modification. The original tandem suspension was removed to allow the chassis to be trimmed up to allow room for the ball race bearings to fit. EHS Manufacturing was commissioned to fabricate the two individual subframes to house the BPW air bag suspensions. EHS also constructed the trailer mounting plates which were welded to the chassis. A ram mounted to the chassis was used to turn the front axle with a tie rod to make the rear axle turn. Hyteco Hydraulics, based in Brisbane, was commissioned to design the electronics and hydraulics to make the unit functional. An EPIC controller, in conjunction with two potentiometers was used to use the angle at the hitch to steer the rear axles as required. Also when reverse on the tractor is selected the system steers the unit so it stays in line with the tractor. A trial, with the assistance of BSES and MAPS was set up to demonstrate and evaluate the unit. A fallow paddock was marked out to represent two metre beds. Measurements were taken off a controlled width headland turning in as if the field was being harvested. A significant reduction in the compacted area was noticed. Local farmers, contractors, BSES and MAPS staff were invited to a field day at the trial site. EHS staff also observed the demonstration and steering is now available as an optional extra on new haulout units. The modification has been successful in that all the aims have been achieved and in the long term the project has demonstrated that it will be a necessary tool in the move to a zero till farm.Item The next step for Precision Agriculture : SRA Grower Group Innovation Project final report(2009) Bugeja, TGrowers in the Homebush Innovative Growers Group are well aware of the within-paddock variability that occurs within paddocks. The adoption of electrical conductivity (EC) soil mapping technology verified the patterns of contrasting soil properties and satellite yield estimation maps produced by Mackay Sugar indicated considerable variability in sugarcane paddocks across the central cane growing region. The GGIP project titled “The Next Step for Precision Agriculture” provided an opportunity for the group to gain a better understanding of the interaction of variables that contribute to spatial variability within a paddock. Following the EC soil mapping of the study site, ground-truthing of EC soil mapping patterns indicated the presence of four distinct soil groups in a transect across the paddock. A comprehensive trial plan was developed incorporating the planting of replicated sugarcane plots in each of the four spatially defined soil groups to determine yield differentiation across the soil groups. The replicates for each soil group were split between conventional farming (CF) practices and a traffic free (TF) status to determine the affects of compaction on yield. To develop a better understanding of the agronomic variables that influence yield a number of measurements were undertaken in designated vegetation free zones established at the end of each TF plot across the soil groups, namely: Chemical and particle size analysis to a depth of one metre (topsoil, upper subsurface and lower subsurface); Bulk density, water infiltration and soil resistivity from the apex of the hill up and the inter-row zone; Nematode and Pachymetra monitoring in a crop and vegetation free environments to determine persistence and population dynamics over plant and ratoon phasesItem The effect of coulter ripping on GCTB ratoons at Hawkins Creek(1992) Smith, MAIn some parts of north Queensland coulter ripping is a standard operation carried out in green cane trash blanketed ratoons. Very little ripping is carried out in the Herbert Valley, even though the soil in old ratoons appears to be highly compacted. These qqnstrip trials were set out to test whether ripping to alleviate this compaction was necessary. The results of this demonstration suggest that coulter ripping will not increase growth and that by stimulating weed competition it may have actually reduced cane growth.