issue 162 january february 2023
This page shows the articles in issue 162 january february 2023 of GroundCover. As articles are developed and published online, the list below will grow until all articles are available.
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Erosion project looks at new sandy soil strategies
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 12 Dec 2022Exposed sandy soils are at greater risk of erosion, especially during low-rainfall years, but a new research project has found it is possible to both prevent and repair blowouts, even in a decile-one year. A survey carried out as part of the project found erosion was more likely to occur in the second or third year of dry conditions and cost growers an average of $80,000 each.
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Levelling paddocks after mechanical soil amelioration
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 12 Dec 2022Mechanical soil amelioration can make paddocks uneven and in need of re-levelling for better seeding, more comfortable driving and easier harvesting. There are dedicated paddock levellers or grading machines but other equipment can work too, depending on the paddock condition.
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Good travel hygiene can reduce exotic grain pest threats
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 08 Dec 2022Visiting rural properties or grain industry sites could increase the risk of an exotic disease or pest entering and becoming established in Australia. International travellers arriving in Australia can significantly reduce the risk they pose by taking some basic precautions.
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Fixing acidity puts yield on the fast track
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 07 Dec 2022One farming family has invested in lime and deep tillage to fix their acid subsurface soils
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Knowledge shared to safely recover bogged machinery
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 06 Dec 2022Almost 600 growers gathered in New South Wales recently to share knowledge and experience on extracting bogged farm equipment safely
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Victorian forum puts safety in focus
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 03 Dec 2022Birchip Cropping Group held a forum recently with input from safety experts, growers, recovery gear suppliers and machinery dealers about what to consider when equipment is bogged
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Gauging yield uplift critical when contemplating soil amelioration
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 29 Nov 2022Whether or not soil amelioration will give a good return on investment largely depends on the yield boost. Grain value and amelioration costs are relatively easy to source or calculate. There are several ways growers can gauge yield uplift.
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Permanent tramlines in CTF systems need maintenance
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 26 Nov 2022Tramlines need renovating to fill in ruts and to keep the tramlines more even with the rest of the paddock. Various machines exist to do the job. Whatever machine and method are chosen, the tramlines need to be rolled or followed on with a compression wheel to make a firm surface.
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Mechanical soil amelioration affects pest, weed distribution
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 22 Nov 2022Researchers are investigating how mechanical soil amelioration affects the distribution, populations and long-term survival of nematode pests and fungal pathogens, and how both amelioration and soil-borne pests interact with weeds. Research at sites near Darkan and Yerecoin in Western Australia studied how certain pests and pathogens responded to mechanical soil amelioration.
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Investment in diagnostics pays dividends for grain growers
Issue 162, January-February 2023 - 14 Nov 2022The Australian Government and plant-based research and development corporations, including GRDC, have joined forces to develop an all-plant R&D project to train more scientists and develop faster, more-efficient methods of detecting and diagnosing exotic threats. The ‘Boosting Diagnostic Capacity for Plant Production Industries’ project focuses on diagnostics for high priority exotic pests and diseases.