Grain growers have the opportunity to build their understanding of soils through integrated workshops offered by the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA).
The ‘Get to know your soils deeper’ workshops will be held at Esperance on 27 June, Corrigin (30 June), Ravensthorpe (1 July), Lake Grace (2 July) and Katanning (3 July).
DAFWA research officer Fran Hoyle said the workshops aimed to boost understanding of the interactions between different soil constraints and soil productivity, which significantly impacted yield potential.
“Soil acidity, soil organic matter, crop nutrition and water repellence have an interacting effect on crop yield potential,” Dr Hoyle said.
“By understanding the interactions in soil, growers can make better decisions about how to prioritise management decisions, maximise the productive capacity of their soils and improve their bottom line.”
Dr Hoyle said soil management was a complex issue given the management of one soil constraint was likely to affect other aspects of soil function.
“For example, water repellence is a common constraint in sandy soils which can be managed through soil inversion,” she said.
“However, soil inversion can also result in changes to soil pH, soil organic carbon stocks and nutrient availability to depth. As such, there’s a need to integrate the discussion on soil constraints and address the broader issues growers face in soil management.”
The workshops, facilitated by independent consultant Wayne Pluske, will include DAFWA researchers covering the topics of soil acidity, soil organic matter, crop nutrition and water repellence.
For further information on the workshops and to register visit: agric.wa.gov.au/soil-acidity/get-know-your-soils-deeper or call Liam Ryan, DAFWA on + 61 (8) 9690 2081.
Source: DAFWA
