Media
Podcast
In Western Australia’s South West agricultural zone there are 3 million hectares of lateritic gravels or ironstone gravel soils. These are sandy soils that have a cemented laterite surface or caprock.
Many growers are using contractors with specialised machinery that rips and pulverises this top-layer, making sowing easier and improving the likelihood of good crop establishment. What is also needed for developing crops is good nutrition and lateritic soils bind-up phosphorus, an essential nutrient for young plants. With GRDC investment, on-farm trials are underway to test for nutrient levels in these soils and develop nutrient packages for crop management.
Series
Sowing crops into cemented lateritic gravels is a real challenge and more and more grain growers, especially in Western Australia, are renovating paddocks by breaking up and pulverising these hard capped soils. It's a costly business and that's not the only challenge for growers. Once renovated the next stage is to determine nutrient management and in the first of 3 videos you'll be taken through what to consider
Case
Ben led a case study highlighted by GRDC Ground Cover, showcasing the transformative impact of reefination on Scott Young's farm in Cuballing, Western Australia. The study revealed that previously underperforming areas became economically advantageous, emphasizing the effectiveness of reefination in improving agricultural productivity.
Articles
Discover ABC news article about West Australia's historic 2021 grain harvest, yielding 21 million tonnes at $8 billion. Ben applauds the exceptional season, showcasing remarkable yields and robust prices. Explore farmers' success stories and navigate challenges, including rising fertiliser costs shaping the future landscape. Join us in the heart of this extraordinary agricultural journey in our media coverage.
