Farming systems and production management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13844

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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Improving the yields of ratoon crops of sugarcane : SRDC Final report BS7S
(SRDC, 1992) Chapman, LS; Ferraris, R; Ludlow, MM; Hurney, AP
The economics of sugarcane growing improve with the number of ratoon crops which can be grown from a single planting. In Australia, declining yields with increase in the number of ratoons limit a cycle to three to five ratoons, according to district. However, studies by BSES indicate that the most economic strategies involved growing up to six ratoons. If this decline in yield could be reduced, then more ratoons could be obtained from a single planting with the associated economic benefits.
Implementation of controlled traffic farming of sugarcane in the Herbert River district : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project Final report GGP003
(SRDC, 2007) Morris, E
The Pinnacle Precision Farming (PPF) Group was formed with the goal of implementing and benefiting from the principals of controlled traffic farming using techniques being used by the Sugar Yield Decline Joint Venture Team on a trial and demonstration plot located on the farm operated by Ed Morris located in Toobanna. However we could not envisage a Double Disc Opener Planter (DDOP) being viable unless it was able to successfully plant cane billets instead of using whole cane stalk planters as used by the SYDJV Team.
Sugar farming systems development and demonstration on the wet tropical coast : Final report DPI014
(SRDC, 2002) Sing, NC; Sparkes, DR; Charleston, C
The QDPI Sugar Solutions Project was an extension project focussing on group activities and on-farm demonstrations. Objectives of the project included the development and testing of alternative farming practices to improve the viability of cane production on the Wet Tropical coast from Ingham to Mossman. The alternative farming practices included the use of legume fallows and minimum tillage.
Validation of fibre cropping in rotation with sugar cane by Mackay Fibre Producers : SRA Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2008) Muscat, J
The ultimate aim of this project was to investigate the feasibility of improving the profitability, sustainability, and robustness of the sugar industry in the central region through the incorporation of fibre rotation crops. MFP (Mackay Fibre Producers) and its partners have investigate production and processing systems of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea) and Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) in the central region. Through out the life of this project the group members have been enthusiastic in relation to answering the many questions that are attributed from these new crop options. The local and whole sugar industry community have also been keen to keep abreast of the findings of this project. Fibre cropping in rotation with sugar cane has been extremely successful with a number of key finding emerging, one of the key finding is Sunn Hemp which is a new legume rotational crop option, its traits like root knot nematode resistance, its drought tolerance, it high bio-mass and nitrogen fix and short cropping cycle all attribute to its ability to become a real legume cropping option for the sugar cane cycle. Another finding is the effect that Kenaf has to address packametra spores in the soil in a normal Kenaf cropping cycle. The science of why this effect happens, is a research question still to be answered, the evidence that MFP group has compiled is that in two different trial sites in different years there was a significant reduction in packamtrea spore counts. One of the important findings is the economic impact that fibre crops have on the following cane crops, there is a significant improvement in gross margins and will impact positively on growers bottom line. When developing a new crop option in any industry there are many challengers to over come and this has been no difference in the case of fibre crops. For a new crop option the agronomics are important and will determine the cost of production, this is coupled with the yield achieved as both of these aspects are important for the future viability of that crop option. Marketing of that particular crop option also plays a significant role to its future viability, in the case of the Fibre crops, marketing will play an important role to its sustainability and its future role in the sugar industry.
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.
Development of a precision mill mud applicator for a new farming system : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2008) Atkinson, J
This aim was to construct an innovative mill mud spreader capable of accurately applying mill mud in a narrow band between 2m dual rows. The group postulated that applying mill mud in a band would increase the area that a load of mill mud would treat thereby making mill mud amendment cheaper per hectare in comparison to a broadcast application. Another way to explain this is that a load of mill mud applied on a band at 50 tonnes/ha would treat three times the area of a load of mill mud broadcast at 150 tonnes/ha. This was tested theoretically with a desk-top economic analysis and practically with a large scale replicated trial. An economic analysis tool was constructed in Microsoft Excel by Trish Cameron from FutureCane (QDPI & F). The tool showed that if 50 tonnes/ha is applied in a band rather than 150 tonnes/ha broadcast there is a saving of $6.63/tonne of mill mud spread (provided the yield of the two practises is the same). The subsequent replicated trial showed that this was the case in the plant crop, with no significant difference in cane or sugar yield between the two practices. The yield will be recorded in next few seasons to ascertain if there is a difference in subsequent ratoons. The project suggests that current practices of applying mill mud are wasteful, time consuming and expensive. Additionally the truck used to spread the mill mud rarely fits in with a controlled traffic system. By applying mud in a band with machinery that fits in with a controlled traffic system significant savings can be made. It could also be argued that applying mill mud between dual rows on a 2 metre bed system has potential to reduce the amount of off-farm nutrient loss although this was not tested in this project.
Factors affecting cane farm productivity and profitability in the Bundaberg district
(1993) Queensland Department of Primary Industries
At the request of the Bundaberg Cane Productivity Committee, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries carried out a study to identify factors affecting the level of sugar yields and reasons for variation in the level of farm input use and to examine other on-farm influences affecting the profitability of cane growing in the Bundaberg district. A purposive sample of 53 cane growers was selected and information obtained through personal interview. The study examined a wide range of farm characteristics which were expected to affect sugar yields in the district. The study found that 70% of the variation in sugar yields over the survey period could be explained by: - the percentage of harvested cane consisting of Autumn plant cane; - type of irrigation use (flood or non-flood); - number of days to irrigate the crop (length of irrigation cycle); - amount of nitrogen applied to ratoon crops; - soil type; and - water use. Sugar yield and farm size were identified as important factors affecting the profitability of cane growing on specialist cane farms.
An economic evaluation of irrigation methods and programs 1997 : SRDC Final report BS148S
(1997) Willcox, T
The aim of the project was to produce economic and financial information to promote the adoption of more efficient irrigation practices in the Bundaberg district.The project was developed through workshops convened by the Bundaberg Cane Productivity Committee (BCPC). Irrigation consultants Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) were engaged to conduct the investigation with assistance from BSES, Bundaberg Sugar Limited and QDPI.The first activity was a workshop to confirm project objectives

Farming systems and production management

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