Completed projects and reports

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Sugar Research Australia, Sugar Research Development Corporation and BSES reports from completed research projects and papers.

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Strategies to limit the impact of nematode pressure on sugarcane productivity in the Isis : final report 2013/071
(BSES, 2015) Jakins, A; Quinn, B; Halpin, N; Ginns, S
Two trials were done in this project. One was a continuation of work started under a previous GRDC/SRDC-funded activity, 'Strategies to improve the integration of legumes into cane based farming systems'. This trial aimed to assess the impact of trash and tillage management options and nematicide application on nematodes and crop performance. Methods and results are contained in the following publication: Halpin NV, Stirling GR, Rehbein WE, Quinn B, Jakins A, Ginns SP. The impact of trash and tillage management options and nematicide application on crop performance and plant-parasitic nematode populations in a sugarcane/peanut farming system. Proc. Aust. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol. 37, 192-203. Nematicide application in the plant crop significantly reduced total numbers of plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) but there was no impact on yield. Application of nematicide to the ratoon crop significantly reduced sugar yield. The study confirmed other work demonstrating that implementation of strategies like reduced tillage reduced populations of total PPN, suggesting that the soil was more suppressive to PPN in those treatments. The second trial, a variety trial, demonstrated the limited value of nematicide application in sugarcane farming systems. This study has highlighted that growers shouldn’t view nematicides as a ‘cure all’ for paddocks that have historically had high PPN numbers. Nematicides have high mammalian toxicity, have the potential to contaminate ground water (Kookana et al. 1995) and are costly. The cost of nematicide used in R1 was approx. $320 - $350/ha, adding $3.50/t of cane in a 100 t/ha crop. Also, our study demonstrated that a single nematicide treatment at the application rate registered for sugarcane is not very effective in reducing populations of nematode pests. There appears to be some levels of resistance to nematodes within the current suite of varieties available to the southern canelands. For example the soil in plots that were growing Q183 had 560% more root knot nematodes / 200mL soil compared to plots that grew Q245. The authors see great value in investment into a nematode screening program that could rate varieties into groups of susceptibility to both major sugarcane nematode pests. Such a rating could then be built into a decision support ‘tree’ or tool to better enable producers to select varieties on a paddock by paddock basis.
Improvement of internal soil drainage and yield on heavy clay soils in the Herbert.
(2015) Russo, V
The Herbert consists of large areas of clay soils being approximately 60% of soils being sugarcane farmed within the region. These soils are usually nutritionally fertile; however yield potential is limited due to waterlogging. Surface drainage has been improved through laser levelling throughout the district, however yield potential is not fully realised due to limitations associated with internal soil drainage. The soils are prone to significant nitrogen losses associated with denitrification and anaerobic conditions which limit crop growth when waterlogging does occur. The project investigated biological, mechanical and cultural practices which may increase the productivity of these soils. The project has clearly shown that yields can be increased on heavy clay soils in the Herbert through the use of mill ash as a soil amendment. The use of mill ash has also clearly shown that the product will enhance germination, crop establishment and increase stalk density leading to increases in cane yield on heavy clay soils in the Herbert. Qureshi et.al (2000) highlighted that there was significant environmental benefits for transporting and applying mill by-products further from the mill site, to manage environmental hazards. This project has highlighted both the economic and environmental benefits of using mill by-products more effectively in a farming system. During the duration of the project SnE Plant Hire constructed a GPS zonal mill mud and ash applicator and has modified its fleet of trucks to allow for zonal application of mill by-products; this has been a very positive step in the handling and distribution of mill by-products in the Herbert.
Assessing the impact of biochar in the Herbert cane industry.
(2015) Morley, G
Biochar is the charred by-product of biomass pyrolysis, the heating of plant-derived material in the absence of oxygen in order to capture combustible gases. It is generally accepted that biochar is a highly stable form of carbon and as such has the potential to form an effective C sink, therefore sequestering atmospheric CO2. The objective of this report was to report on the findings of a SRDC/SRA funded Grower Group project that was undertaken in the Herbert cane growing region between 2012 and 2014 to assess the impact of biochar and compost in a sugarcane farming system. The trial was conducted on a low cation exchange capacity soil in the Lannercost farming area west of Ingham. A large number of studies (on numerous crops) have been conducted where biochar application has shown significant agronomic benefits, with a minor number of studies showing no significant effects on crop productivity and some studies reporting adverse effects (Sohi et. al., 2009). These results clearly suggests that crop productivity is variable due to a multiple number of reasons which are not fully understood. The mitigation potential of biochar with regard to other greenhouse gases, such as N2O and CH4, through its application to soil is less well established and requires further research (Sohi et. al., 2009). In this particular trial there were no significant difference in levels of greenhouse gases measured for the various treatments accessed. In the trial conducted for this project, there was no significant cane productivity (being measured as cane and sugar yield) or economic advantage from applying biochar. The only way biochar may become viable is if a carbon market is established. The economic value of sequestered carbon is still being researched and debated in scientific and political arenas, so while this is occurring it will be challenging for biochar to be economically viable based upon the results from this trial. If biochar is to be considered as a part of a carbon sequestration program, a whole of carbon life cycle analysis will be required to better understand the carbon pathways and potential loss mechanisms. In this trial the use of biochar in a sugarcane farming system is uneconomical based upon the results obtained. The only way that biochar may be economically viable in a sugarcane farming systems is through a government or community carbon credit program whereby a grower may be paid for the amount of carbon sequestered. Composts can be a useful source of nutrients, however the nutrient content of parent materials will need to be considered. This trial has shown that sugarcane can be produced using compost as a nutrient source. If composts are to provide the nutrients for cane growth, an assessment of total nutrients present and their availability and speed of release will be required. Because the nutrients are in organic forms in compost, the availability of nutrients may be variable. Composts should only be applied when they are “stabilised” and are not being acted upon by microbial activity. In this trial it is suspected that the composting process was still active when the product was applied and the compost was not yet “stabilised”. Germination and establishment of the plant cane were negatively impacted upon, with the crop showing nitrogen deficiencies in early stages of growth due to the compost not releasing sufficient nitrogen for crop growth. Composts could be a useful source of nutrients to grow a crop, however the economics associated with purchase and application will need to be considered.
Investigate skip row configuration in sugar cane: Final report GGP046
(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2013) Blackburn, L
The 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.
A monitoring-based system to enhance canegrub control best management practice for Isis sugarcane growers : final report GGP056
(BSES, 2013) Stanley, W; Chandler, K
The aim of GGP-056 was for growers to experience the effectiveness and practical value of monitoring canegrub risk as the basis for more cost-effective and efficient canegrub management: - taking the most appropriate option, including the most suitable insecticide treatment if and when and where needed, as opposed to current routines that are in the main effective but not as efficient as possible.
Developing prescription compost to suit specific soils in Maryborough
(2014) Grohn, G; Dougall, A
One issue with organic based fertilisers is the variability of the nutrient content, often the amount of nutrients is not enough or too much for the crop. This project sought to solve this problem by producing and trialling compost that has been fortified with mineral fertiliser (soil specific compost) so that it more accurately matches the needs of the crop. To achieve this goal the project had three main components; construct a compost mixer that is capable of achieving mixing mineral fertiliser into the compost, produce soil specific compost and establish a trial to test the concept
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.
SRDC Research Project final report Improved methods of compost generation
(2012) Walker, B
This report explores different techniques and management principles and the results of compost production specifically for sugar-cane in tropical agriculture. Our earlier research using the Lubke Methodology developed in Austria for temperate and cold climates and reported on in GGP034 provides a background of basic compost production principles using community and sugar industry organic wastes, tractor drawn turning equipment and Lubke monitoring tools and principles. The Lubke system turns compost once weekly, more often in the first month, when CO2 content of the pile reaches 16%, but many composters claim loss of carbon and nitrogen as high as 50%, with constant turning. Some major USA composters use Static Pile composting principles to reduce turning costs and conserve nutrient losses from turning. The Ecology Action Group in the USA use 40% fresh green feed stocks to improve nutrient content because plants remobilise nutrients before foliage dies and weather continues to reduce minerals in organic mater materials. Dr Fiona Robertson in a CRC research found cane trash left on the surface looses much of its nutrition to the atmosphere as it decomposes. Hawaiian research found losses, through plant nutrient remobilisation of 30 – 50% of N, P, K and B in sugar cane leaf blade before its death. GGP062 reports on our experiences with static pile composting, our first experience of composting sugar-cane bagasse, using selected green feed stocks and a change in brix levels, i.e. greater nutritional content of vegetables grown with compost and liquid calcium, also, trials with producing the nitrogen component on-farm. A brief overview of world population trends at the end of this report implies a need for a change in agricultural practices and results, if we are to feed our population by 2100 AD.
Final report SRDC project GGIP050 Improving soybean and nitrogen management in subtropical NSW cane systems
(2012) Moore, NY; Munro, AJ; McGuire, PJ; Aitken, R; Beattie, R; Herridge, DF; Young, A
This project aimed to document nitrogen inputs from soybean crops grown in NSW cane lands, promote soil-specific fertiliser recommendations following soybean to achieve more efficient use of nitrogen fertiliser and to assess different methods for dealing with soybean crop residue. The project was a Grower Group Innovation Project undertaken from April 2009 to March 2012 by the NSW Farming Systems Group Inc. in association with staff from the NSW Department of Primary Industries, BSES Limited, NSW Sugar Milling Cooperative and the University of New England. Whilst many sugar cane growers have adopted soybean rotations, the potential benefits of soybean are not being fully realised, particularly making use of residual nitrogen (N) in the following cane crop. Some growers continue to over-fertilise cane following a soybean crop, while on some soil types in NSW cane crops have shown nitrogen stress after a well grown soybean crop. Local data was required to fine-tune N fertiliser recommendations in sugar cane following soybean. Previous research on soybean as a rotation crop in cane-production systems was conducted in the tropical Qld environment through the Sugar Cane Yield Decline Joint Venture. However, the different rainfall, temperature and soil conditions in this subtropical region of NSW are likely to impact differently on N cycling.
Overcoming barriers to controlled traffic adoption : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2007) Aylward, C
At the commencement of this project, the available solutions for keeping harvesting traffic centred on wider row spacings while adequately filling cane bins are not effective. This was due to unsuitable harvester elevator design, which results in a larger proportion of the field area being compacted, defeating the purpose of controlled traffic farming. The issue of getting cane into bins in wider row spacings is more problematic than was currently recognised by those promoting the adoption of CTFS in the sugar industry. The existing harvester elevator suits 1.5m row spacings. Simply extending the whole elevator is too expensive and increases weight, as do bolt on elevator extensions, which reduces harvester stability on uneven fields, being a major safety issue. This problem has plagued several of our group members and visitors from other areas such as Maryborough, have nominated this safety issue as a major reason growers will not adopt wider row spacings. Several of our group members (in a harvesting Co-op) have spent $5000 repairing slews, bearings, pivot points etc due to the additional wear and tear caused by the weight of a bolt on conveyor. Other group members have reported reduced bin weights which have raised concerns for mill transport scheduling staff. In 2004, three of our group members trialled powered paddles on their harvesters. All successfully overcame the weight and stability issues, they were cheap to construct, they were effective in allowing machinery to remain centred in the interspace, thus minimising compacted area, and they were effective at maintaining suitable bin weights in both wide row spacings (CT) and narrow (1.5m) row spacings of farms in conversion to CTFS. However, because of different elevator designs on the different harvesters, only one paddle operated successfully, the other two increased cane losses through recirculation and also through the secondary extractor. Group members realised we need assistance from experienced harvester engineers to successfully over come these problems. SRDC funding was sought to assist with these costs. This project aimed to continue work commenced by group members in 2004 harvest season.

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