Farmer Collaboration – Neville Adams

Agronomy Solutions is running South Australian Grain Industry Trust funded-trials across the state investigating the relationship between time of sowing and phosphorus rates.

Three field sites are being monitored over the next two years on the Yorke Peninsula and western Mid-North where soils have traditionally been recognised as lacking in P availability. These field trials follow on from initial glasshouse trials on P requirements and crop responses in 2016.

Research is in its early stages, however interim biomass estimates (through NDVI) are showing that the research sites are quite P deficient and responses to increases in P vary with sowing time.

One trial site location is based on the property of grain grower Neville Adams at Brinkworth, SA.

Neville knows his property has areas of low P availability and is welcoming the opportunity to work with Agronomy Solutions director Sean Mason to implement what is learned from the trials.

“We have been targeting areas of low P on my property for years now as I would like to try to solve the problem or at least lessen the impact of yield loss on our crops,” he says.

“There is also a problem with existing P being tied up and inaccessible in our alkaline soils.

“Sean has been very helpful in sharing his trial observations and other tips to help us manage these situations.

“We’re able to use the information from the trials and Sean is able to use our property, it is a great partnership.”

While working with Agronomy Solutions, Neville has been able to examine satellite images and yield data to identify areas for improvement, which have been confirmed to be low in P through soil testing.

“We are now trialling our own P rate applications based on the highest economical P rate Sean has identified in his trial,” Neville says.

“We’ve also tried chicken litter and MAP on a broad scale and testing will be conducted this year to see if it’s been of some benefit to increase yields in those paddocks.”