Adapting technology and best practice
Project title: Beach Sand to Black Clay - Adapting technology & best practice for Homebush farming conditions.
Group name: Homebush Innovative Farmers Group.
The project aims to adapt latest technology & best practice to suit the soil types found in the Homebush/Sunnyside district, and evaluate the cost and benefit of adopting these technologies and practices.
- The project will refine & assess planting systems to address a number of issues.
- The project will establish & monitor variety trials in conjunction with BSES & MAPS.
- The project will conduct a Cost - Benefit Analysis on the adoption of available technology & best practice.
- The project will develop & assess grub control options for dual row & wide row crops (in conjunction with Peter Samson's SRDC project)
- The project will refine Soybean planting methods
- The project will refine nitrogen applications to plantcane after soybean crops.
- The project will increase the grower's capacity to produce robust and sustainable cane crops.
- The research, trials, and evaluations conducted in this project will help the growers adapt new technologies & farming practices to a very variable farming environment.
- The groups skills & knowledge will be developed through participation in the planning, design, establishment and evaluation of the trials & trial results.
- Additionally, the group will participate in a number of other capacity building activities such as seminars/workshops, regular shed meetings & farm walks, GIVE days, training as needed.
- The group will also work closely with other grower groups in the industry to share information & resources.
Contact person: Tony Bugeja 49632914
Facts sheets
Bugeja planter - Bonel planter modified to plant 1.8m row spacings, and uses a Dicky John monitor to specify planting rates
Bugeja spray rig - modified so it can spray 1.5m and 1.8m row spacings