Department of Agriculture and Food soil experts are hosting a tour for growers next month to showcase soil management research being undertaken across the southern part of the state.
The department, with support of Grains Research and Development Corporation and SoilsWest, is running the ‘Looking deeper into soils’ tour which begins in Perth on July 24.
The four-day tour includes areas around Wickepin, Tambellup, Ravensthorpe, Esperance and Corrigin. Two, three and four day tour options are available.
Department soil research officer Glenn McDonald, who is co-ordinating the tour, said it would provide a great opportunity for growers and agribusiness consultants to hear from other growers as well as soil experts from the department and CSIRO.
“Tour members will view a wide range of soil amelioration options on different soil types addressing management issues including frost interaction with ploughing, water repellence, deep ripping and deep delving, on-row versus off-row seeding and return on investment of lime,” Mr McDonald said.
“Soil amelioration options can be expensive. Hearing from growers, seeing what they are doing first hand and discussing gains and improvements they are having will be invaluable for those attending.
“The effects of soil constraints can be enhanced in dry years, so visiting sites where soil amelioration options have been trialled in dry conditions will highlight the gains of managing these constraints and what options might give best return on investment.”
Mr McDonald said growers would be able to take the information learnt and apply it on their own farm, which could include trying a new approach to improving their soil management.
“The tour also allows growers and consultants the opportunity to see work being done outside of their local areas, and to build new contact networks for sharing of knowledge,” he said.
Joining the tour will be the department’s soils team David Hall, Glen Riethmuller, Steve Davies, Chris Gazey, Craig Scanlan, Jeremy Lemon and Ross Brennan.
The cost is $120 per day including all meals, accommodation and travel by coach.
More information on the program, locations, costs and how to register is available from agric.wa.gov.au under the events tab or searching for ‘soil tour’.
Registrations close on 14 July. Places are limited so get in early.
For further information contact department research officer Glenn McDonald on 9892 8524 or glenn.mcdonald@agric.wa.gov.au
Media contacts: Jodie Thomson/Katrina Bowers, media liaison, +61 (0)8 9368 3937