Growing pulses is a passion for Josh Telfer. Together with his father, three brothers and cousin, Josh farms 5500 hectares at Ungarra on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.

They grow wheat, barley, canola, faba beans, lentils, vetch and vetch-based pastures alongside a 1500-head Merino and first-cross ewe flock.

Pulses make up about 20 to 30 per cent of the rotation, with price, improved varieties and agronomy and the benefits to following crops through nitrogen fixation the main attractions for the Telfers to grow them.

Lupins were a regular in the cropping rotation before faba beans, lentils and vetch took their place, with Josh citing the "yield ceiling" of lupins as a deciding factor.

Addressing soil constraints

Up to 70 per cent of the Telfers' country is acidic, although pH ranges from four to 8.5.

Soil acidity has caused problems with getting pulse crops to adequately nodulate and fix nitrogen in the past. However, Josh says "aggressively liming" and "aggressively inoculating" have helped combat this issue.

"With the help of Kym I'Anson and his Veris pH mapping machine, we have done a lot of mapping to identify acidic areas of the farm and then used variable-rate technology to target lime on those problem areas," he says.

"In addition to this, we have also been using high rates of inoculant on seeds sown for both grain and legume pastures.

"With pulses more frequent in the rotation, liming and consistently inoculating - including more recently with higher application rates - has helped to build background levels of rhizobium in the soil and over the years we have noticed nodulation is gradually improving.

"We have some very acidic soil with pH down to nearly four, but by doubling inoculant rates and liming we are at least getting some nodulation on those areas, whereas 10 years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of finding any nodules in those areas.

Putting extra nitrogen to good use

Depending on the situation, the Telfers often plant canola following a pulse crop to best capture and utilise the fixed nitrogen.

This strategy also has benefits in weed control, Josh says.

"It means we have a dobule-break and can rotate chemistry," he says.

"This is helping to slow the onset of herbicide resistance."

Inoculating for success

The Telfers opt for peat inoculant, which is applied to the seed using a mixing unit specially built by Josh's brother.

The mixer is made up of a set of pumps that circulate water and inject the inoculant solution into the auger as the truck is being filled.

It allows for large batches of seed to be inoculated, while keeping the water rate to a minimum. This makes it more user-friendly and less labour-intensive, Josh says.

Josh attended the GRDC's "Boosting on-farm nitrogen fixation in pulses" workshop, held at Cummins in June, as he is always keen to hear researchers present on a topic he is particularly passionate about.

"I came away from the workshop with confirmation that a lot of techniques we are already using have set us on the right path," Josh says.

"Liming, doubling inoculant rates and building background rhizobium levels are things we have been working on for quite a few years now, so it was pleasing to hear we are on the right track.

"I am particularly excited by the acid-tolerant rhizobia which is being developed and tested. If that turns out to be a one-for-one replacement with what we are currently doing, then we will definitely use it.

"Until then, we will continue to address soil acidity issues through liming and doubling rates of inoculant when we sow pulses on acidic areas of our property, while also continuing to monitor nodulation and how the pulse crops are performing."

More information: Josh Telfer, 0458 709 585, jtelferoz@gmail.com