HOW CONSULTANTS DIAGNOSE CROP PERFORMANCE……………..
BACKGROUND• CW to WP of NSW• No summer cropping/mixed farms• Spring…………..• This century………………• Keep it simple
Major constraints to production..
• Moisture/weather – winter crops only • Cash flow – last 10 years – now in “Recovery mode”• Farmers attitudes – attitude to risk/skill set (timeliness)• Variable soil type • Stubble cover – pulses, hard setting soils• Diseases – AB, CR, YLS, RLN• Herb resistance/hard to kill weeds• Suitable varieties• Time………..
HOW CONSULTANTS DIAGNOSE CROP PERFORMANCE……………..
• Diagnosis starts before the crop is sown:– Soil testing– Soil moisture levels– Rotational planning– Crop choice – Variety choice – Grower diagnosis!
• Yield – few surprise (except canola)• Quality • Disease loading – CR• GM’s• Comparative analysis (PAM)• Yield maps
HOW CONSULTANTS DIAGNOSE CROP PERFORMANCE – POST HARVEST……………..
Tools used at the moment..
• Most important – time & eyes & coffee!• Shovel• Moisture probe – limited role of WUE at harvest
• Soil testing• Tissue testing • Planning – rotation, nutrition budgets, stubble loads
• GM’s/CA• Skill level
Tools used at the moment..
• Pathology services – not really up to scratch• Local DA’s• Local networks• Local trial results - GOA• No models used• Reading personality types!• Selling skills!
Sowing decision…• Starting moisture• Crop the previous year – any moisture left at depth?
• Disease status – testing• Crop choice :– no canola unless full v chickpeas– Crop mix
• Variety choice – – Which one?– How much stubble will be left?– Which can be sown deep– Which one copes with lower moisture levels?
Tools would like in the future..
• More accurate weather forecasting• Better understanding of canopy management (to
cope with our hot springs, growth regulants)
• More accurate starting soil moisture methods• Simpler/more accurate/cheaper soil tests• Varieties - highest yielding not always the best• PA – will have a role – Cheaper sat/aerial imagery– Greenseeker
• Frost tolerant wheat • World peace………….