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HAMILTON SFS has received funding through the Australian
Government’s Caring for our Country, Sustainable Farm Practices initiative
to continue a research project at the Dunkeld trial site that will increase
farmer knowledge and skills in stubble management systems.
The project began in 2007 under the guidance of CSIRO soil
scientist, Dr Clive Kirkby to investigate the impacts of various stubble
management practices on nutrient leakage and build-up of soil organic
matter.
A four hectare trial site was established featuring four
plots of standing stubble, four of incorporated stubble and four common
practice stubble.
This latest round of funding will see the project go off the
trial site and out into the paddocks.
SFS Hamilton members, Rob Roache and David Robertson have
provided one paddock each that will be used as an on-farm demonstration
site. These paddocks will feature the incorporation practice and no-till
approach on a broadacre scale.
Soil cores down to 60cm were collected from both paddocks in
late August and will be dried and analysed for total carbon, nitrogen,
phosphorus and sulphur. The demonstration paddocks will replicate all
treatments undertaken at the trial site including the application of
additional phosphorus and sulphur post-harvest to assess effects on stubble
decomposition and soil organic matter levels.
click on image to enlarge
SFS trainee research agronomist, Mark Steele and Hamilton
Branch committee member, Steve Holden collecting soil samples from a
demonstration paddock as part of continued funding for the Hamilton Branch
stubble project.
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