This page shows the articles in of GroundCover.
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Calculating the nitrogen benefit from legume crops
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-03-02T09:00:00+11:00Declining soil organic nitrogen and recent increases in nitrogen fertiliser prices have focused attention on the potential value of legume crops as a nitrogen source. The value of legume nitrogen benefits can be significant at over $200 per hectare when urea prices are $1200 per tonne.
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Solving the mysteries of plant protein composition
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-03-01T09:00:00+11:00A new study is looking at the impact of nitrogen application timing, not just on total grain protein in wheat, but also on protein composition. Nitrogen recycling in the leaves and grain and genetic variation in current varieties may also play a role in final protein composition.
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Learning to machine better nitrogen decisions
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-28T09:00:00+11:00Field trials have demonstrated that a machine learning model can make better nitrogen fertiliser recommendations than agronomic models, but, surprisingly, the one critical element of success was the on-farm trial strips that enabled the model to get the range of data it needed to calibrate itself.
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Fertiliser decisions are critical after a big season
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-27T09:00:00+11:00For growers lucky enough to have reaped the rewards of good conditions in 2022, nitrogen supply can be a limiting factor going into the next season. It is important to ‘take a look under the hood’ and make sure the nutritional engine in each paddock has everything it needs to hum to perfection in 2023.
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Weighing nitrogen fertiliser options in an uncertain future
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-26T09:00:00+11:00Estimating in-season nitrogen demand based on estimated target yield is highly dependent on seasonal influences. A spreadsheet using simple nitrogen budgeting enables a potential rate to be evaluated against each possible seasonal outcome to better demonstrate the relative risk and reward.
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Nitrogen price remains secondary to yield and protein targets
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-25T09:00:00+11:00Recent nitrogen price hikes have focused debate on input costs. But calculations show that agronomically recommended fertiliser rates can still be profitable even when urea prices triple. Replacing depleted soil nitrogen stores is also vitally important, particularly after high-yielding seasons.
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Advanced genetic techniques target protein and yield
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-24T09:00:00+11:00Genetic material targeting the elusive combination of improved wheat yield and grain protein content has been identified using advanced analysis of plant traits. The genes, which control multiple processes within the plant, will be made available to Australian breeding companies.
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Liming a risky partner for sulfate of ammonia
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-22T09:00:00+11:00Anecdotal evidence suggests that the practice of applying sulfate of ammonia in close succession to surface lime is a risk for ammonia volatilisation. The practice is common enough in Western Australia to raise concerns and research is underway to quantify the risks.
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Getting a firm grip on nitrogen losses
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-21T09:00:00+11:00Denitrification and volatilisation are the two main gaseous loss pathways for nitrogen from cropping systems, but there are still many gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms and importance of these losses across Australian grain growing regions.
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National study into nitrogen losses
Supplement: Nitrogen, March-April 2023 - 2023-02-20T09:00:00+11:00Growers spend around $1.1 billion on nitrogen fertiliser each year, yet 25 to 70 per cent of applied nitrogen can be lost from the system. A national investment aims to plug the gaps in our understanding of nitrogen loss pathways in Australian cropping systems.