Manure link to best ever crops for Hassells

AFTER growing some of their best ever crops following application of chicken manure in addition to their base fertiliser previously, the Hassell family between Pingelly and Wickepin in Western Australia turned to pig manure this season and the crops are again shaping up very well.

Leading WA grower always seeking next step

DESPITE the complexities, challenges and, at times, mysteries of broadacre cropping today, you get the feeling some have a good handle on it and could attract a “look over the fence’’ – and Mic Fels at Wittenoom Hills in WA’s south-east region is one of those.

Carbon Ag latest developments

As Carbon Ag heads into its fifth year and the industry toward a new season, it’s a good opportunity to provide an update on some of the latest trends and exciting developments ahead.

Liquid fertiliser, carbon trials raising interest

TRIALS of a high concentrate liquid phosphorus and potassium fertiliser banded with seed at sowing, together with a carbon pellet drilled underneath and followed by a foliar-focused nutrition program, are creating interesting discussion at spring field walks, particularly considering the rising cost of granular seeding fertilisers.

Playing the soil amelioration game at Latham

DYLAN Hirsch knows soil amelioration for improved soil health is a long-term game and is keen to continue trialling carbon compost products, as well as high concentrate liquid fertilisers, on the sandy soils of his family’s Latham property.

The Hirschs used a deep ripper with inclusion plates to incorporate Carbon Ag’s WA Broadacre Blend loose compost at different rates into a canola trial area last season.

New soil scanning services a step forward for WA ag

THE WA agriculture industry’s search for an accurate system to measure soil carbon on farm properties looks to have arrived following the announcement of new scanning services available to growers and advisers that collect carbon data and other key soil measurements over entire farms.

Emerging carbon products player, Carbon Ag, recently launched the Veris iScan high definition soil mapping and furrow sensing module, which is available to mount on growers’ seeding bars for the 2021 season.

Amazing soil amelioration results at Brookton

NOT much tends to surprise growers after many years farming their land, but Jeff Edwards was in shock when he took a closer look at deeper subsoils on the family’s east Brookton property.

Fortunately, Jeff has since had a similar reaction – in a positive way – to trials of a unique soil amelioration program implemented last year to address the problem.

On-farm carbon, liquid fertiliser trials attract discounts

GROWERS keen to enhance their deep ripping and soil amelioration programs, soil health and nutrient availability and uptake can take advantage of special discounts for on-farm trials next year.

Developing carbon and liquid fertilisers company, Carbon Ag, is offering discounts to growers interested in undertaking their own coordinated trials of its product range.

New carbon fertiliser trials show strong benefits

INTEREST is building towards grain yield results from another year of trials investigating the performance of a range of new carbon products and high concentrate liquid fertilisers across the State’s agricultural region.

Carbon Ag is coordinating the trials from Latham in the northern wheatbelt through to Kulin in the eastern wheatbelt, south to Borden and across to Esperance in the south east. The company has engaged independent research businesses, SLR, a new development and extension research entity, and South East Agronomy Research, to manage fully replicated plot trials at the Liebe Group site at Latham, as well as at Tammin and between Wittenoom and Neridup in the Esperance region.

Carbon, liquids crop tours

STRONG crop responses to a range of carbon products and high concentrate liquid fertilisers on farms across the State’s agricultural region can be viewed by growers, agronomists and advisers on a number of properties next week.

Participants will also gain an understanding of how the products are being used for seeding and foliar applications, their performance in State-wide trials and important soil carbon and health benefits.

Liebe Group trial looks to kickstart crops on sandy soils

THE Liebe Group in Western Australia is hosting an innovative trial this season that aims to prove if a high concentrate carbon compost product is the boost needed to kickstart crops on light sandy soils throughout the State’s northern agricultural region.

Liebe Group member and Latham grain grower Dylan Hirsch, who is hosting the Group’s main trial site this season, said crops struggled to get going on the light sandy soils, where there was low carbon and the country may have blown previously when running livestock.

New crop system evolves

MOVES by a number of graingrowers to adopt a range of high concentrate liquid fertilisers for both seeding and foliar applications, in addition to extended trials with the products that also include the banding of a carbon pellet, could usher in a new cropping system in WA broadacre agriculture.

WA company Carbon Ag Solutions is offering a range of products to growers including liquid phosphorus and potassium fertiliser, DKP, immediately available calcium, magnesium and nitrogen product, CalMag, and the Bioprime line-up of soil microbial stimulants.

Carbon pellet generates extra $180/ha with New Norcia export hay

NEW Norcia full-time cropper Dave Mackie has been thinking about the need for carbon in his soils for some time and after a trial on his property this season showed an encouraging return on investment of $160-$180 per hectare, he’s now set to put his thinking into action.

This is exactly what has happened at ‘Yupiri’, the property operated by Viridis Ag at Beaumont, near Esperance, that is hosting an extensive trial of a new carbon fertiliser pellet that can be direct-sown through growers’ seeding systems.