An informative new podcast series and workshop webinar recording are providing practical insights into boosting nitrogen fixation in pulses for growers and advisers.

The GRDC 'Boosting On-Farm Nitrogen Fixation in Pulses' podcasts and webinar cover some of the essential information to consider when inoculating pulse crops with rhizobia.

The podcasts are split into four informative instalments, with the first covering pre-sowing inoculation of pulses.

In-season nodulation assessment guidelines are the feature of a second podcast.

A third podcast outlines the impact of acid soils on nodulation.

Tips for best practice dry sowing when inoculating are the feature of the fourth installment.

Also available is a recording from an online pulse workshop held recently to replace a previously planned workshop series across South Australia and Victoria. It provides a more detailed, guided talk about best practice pulse growing.

During the webinar and podcasts, researchers Liz Farquharson and Ross Ballard, from Primary Industries and Regions South Australia's research division, the SA Research and Development Institute (SARDI), highlight the nitrogen fixation benefits from growing pulses.

They also discuss tactics that can help growers optimise the nodulation of pulse crops.

Mr Ballard says the podcast series and webinar complement existing GRDC inoculation resources and guide the listener through key factors that can affect the success of the process.

"Inoculation and pre-sowing preparation can set you up to fix a lot of nitrogen in a good season if you make the right decisions," he says.

"However, there are some key considerations around inoculation, including dry sowing and acid soils, that we're able to explain and expand on in these podcasts.

"In-season nodulation assessment is also important to understand if inoculation was successful and we talk the listener through how and when to make a nodulation assessment."

GRDC Research Code: 9176601

More Information: Bridget Penna, AgCommunicators, 0429 676 413