The Irrigation Channel

Flexible Farming Systems: Canola management strategies

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:25:33 +0000

The demonstration compared different management strategies that could assist in preparing for and responding to drought, including:

- Maximise production when irrigation water is available to enable building of cash reserves

- Flexible farming, where we "pull the pin” to use less irrigation water and harvest crops as fodder to enable the building of on farm fodder reserves or its cash sale.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practices Grants Program

Flexible Farming Systems: Barley

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:00:24 +0000

Barley was one of the four crops to be sown as part of this project. 2023 topdressing rates and timings were based on gut feel and the trial was revisited in 2024 but included a topdressing rate calculated on soil nitrogen assessed by soil test results from cores taken to 60cm in mid-June, once the crop was established.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practises Grants Program

Flexible Farming Systems: Wheat

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:00:23 +0000

This project aims to demonstrate flexible farming systems management including agronomic techniques that allow us to react to seasonal forecasting and variability. The goal is to create a flexible irrigated farming system that can react to an un-forecasted poor season by adjusting inputs or targets to deliver the greatest profitability; plan for a forecasted poor season by adopting practices to reduce the risk of failed crops; and when seasons are good, maximise production to allow for the building of cash and fodder reserves. Wheat was one of the four crops to be sown as part of this project. Topdressing rates and timings were based on gut feel and calculations based on soil nitrogen assessed by taking soil cores to 60cm were taken in mid-June, once the crop was established.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practises Grants Program

Flexible Farming Systems: Faba Beans

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:00:25 +0000

Faba beans was one of the four crops to be sown as part of this project. The trial was sown as if it were for grain and samples taken for dry matter and quality assessments from late October onwards when the beans had begun to firm up.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practices Grants Program

Key management practices for the success of dry and early sown crops

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 23:34:02 +0000

The De-Risking the Seeding project aims to increase adoption of key management practices for the success of dry and early sown crops, by investigating key aspects of sowing such as

Variety Selection
Opportunities for long coleoptile wheats
Seed placement / optimising sowing depth
Seeding rates
Fertiliser placement
Pre-emergent herbicide selection and timing
Optimal soil moisture and nutrient levels
The benefits of early groundcover

In this podcast we are speaking with Research Manager from Irrigation Farmers network Damian Jones to learn more about this project in irrigated farm systems and the key messages that growers can use to de-risk the seeding.

The De-Risking the Seeding project is supported by Ag Excellence Alliance Inc, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

More details and results from this project can be found on the IFN website

Top Agronomy Tips for Canola - Damian Jones, Research Manager IFN

Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:10 +0000

The optimising irrigated grains research was a 3 year investment by GRDC. Irrigation Farmers Network in collaboration with FAR Australia developed a research program to evaluate crop specific agronomic management practices in irrigated environments in order to determine their effects on system productivity and profitability.

The research focused on maximising system profitability through:

Understanding the yield potential of irrigated crops
Understanding how to consistently optimise yield for the crops.
Optimising the return on nitrogen through improved nitrogen use efficiency

Today we are speaking with Research Manager from Irrigation Farmers network Damian Jones to learn more about the key messages from this work that growers can use to optimise their Canola crops.

Top Agronomy Tips for High Yielding Faba Beans - Damian Jones, Research Manager Irrigation Farmers Network

Sun, 26 May 2024 22:10:02 +0000

The research focused on maximising system profitability through:

Understanding the yield potential of irrigated crops
Understanding how to consistently optimise yield for the crops.
Optimising the return on nitrogen through improved nitrogen use efficiency

Today we are speaking with Research Manager from Irrigation Farmers network Damian Jones to learn more about the key messages from this work that growers can use to optimise their Faba Bean crops.

Luke Mancini, Origin Grain - Maize Marketing Options for 2024

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 06:13:38 +0000

We spoke to Luke about marketing options for grain maize in 2024 as part of the Optimising Irrigated Grains Project, funded by GRDC

Setting up for fodder crops

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 05:54:05 +0000

This episode is part of the Fodder For The Future project and has been funded by the Federal Government under the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program.

With good water allocation this year many dairy farmers are getting ready to put summer fodder crops in. Over the past 2 years the ICC have been running summer fodder crop trials with Murray Dairy comparing the performance of maize and sorghum under different irrigation strategies, from fully irrigated through to low input, long-interval irrigations designed to stress the plants.

Website: www.irrigatedcroppingcouncil.com.au

High moisture grain storage

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 01:46:01 +0000

With a wet harvest a real possibility this year, we talked to grain storage specialist Chris Warrick. Chris shared his tips for managing high moisture grain and how to prepare your storage effectively.

Plan2Farm - Business planning discussion with Don Stewart

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 08:57:31 +0000

The Plan2Farm Irrigation business planning program is designed to help farmers develop a business plan and build resilient farm businesses in a changing climate with volatile water allocations and markets. Don Stewart is a dairy farmer in the Loddon Campaspe region, he is sharing his story on how he has adapted his business to ensure resilience in tough times.

Optimising Irrigated Grains, Maize Marketing - Adam Robinson

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 02:05:07 +0000

Maize Marketing

We are seeing more maize been sown across the region and one of the key challenges that some growers face is the lack of markets for grain maize. This podcast is to help growers gain some insights into marketing options and to provide information to help them make informed decisions.

Planning for 2021

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 06:46:14 +0000

Is during harvest, one of the most stressful and busy times of the year the best time to be making sound business decisions? This podcast aims to get farmers thinking more strategically about making decisions for next season and beyond. Dr Kate Burke from Think Agri is a highly experienced independent farm consultant with a PhD in agronomy, have a listen to her thoughts and ideas on good planning.

Further Information

Think Agri - Agri Expertise - Think Agri

ICC Field Day Special - Nick Poole

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 07:25:20 +0000

In this special episode of the Irrigation Channel, we feature presentations that were recorded during the ICC Field Day which was held on 24 September 2020.

In this episode, our Executive Officer, Charlie Aves introduces Nick Poole, project leader with FAR Australia. Nick spoke about the GRDC funded project, optimising irrigated grains.

ICC Field Day Special - Damian Jones

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 07:25:30 +0000

In this special episode of the Irrigation Channel, we feature presentations that were recorded during the ICC Field Day which was held on 24 September 2020.

In this episode, our Executive Officer, Charlie Aves, introduces Damian Jones, our Trials Manager, about the irrigated variety trials at Kerang in Victoria.

ICC Field Day Special - Alex Schultz

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 07:25:42 +0000

In this special episode of the Irrigation Channel, we feature presentations that were recorded during the ICC Field Day which was held on 24 September 2020.

In this episode, our Executive Officer, Charlie Aves, chats with Alex Schultz who is a Research Development Officer with NSW Department of Primary Industries with an update on the Smarter irrigation for Profit project.

Due to a small technological issue, the first part of Alex’s presentation was not recorded.

Using water strategically to maximise returns

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 01:29:49 +0000

Each year growers are making decisions about the best way to use their water, winter crops, summer crops, different crop types (varieties) etc. Craig Reynolds from Congupna shares how they best use water in their system to maximise returns and meet their farm goals.

Soil moisture monitoring to help growers make decisions

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 22:43:45 +0000

Dale is an agronomist with the Victorian Department for Jobs, Precincts and Regions (Biosecurity and Agriculture Services Branch). Dale has a wealth of experience and knowledge in soil moisture monitoring systems and data analysis to provide real time relevant information to assist farmers to optimise crop performance.

Further Information

ExtensionAUS Soil Moisture Monitoring Website

AgVic Soil Moisture Monitoring Dashboard

Murray Valley Soil Sensor Network

Weekly Irrigation Requirement Summary

What are the economic considerations when irrigating?

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 03:21:33 +0000

Our guest, Damian Jones, a Trial Manager with the Irrigated Cropping Council (ICC) spoke about the agronomic and economic considerations when irrigating.

Further Information

The gross margins mentioned use the figures of $250/t for wheat and $390/ML for water

Correct Crop Sequencing - Decision Support Tool

To irrigate or not? - Decision Support Tool

Irrigated Cropping Council Website

How do we use data to make irrigation decisions?

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 07:00:18 +0000

Our guest, Alex Schultz, a Research Development Officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries about using data to make irrigation decisions.

For more information:

Soil sensor network

http://murrayvalleysoilmoisture.site/

Irrigation Scheduling - How to poster

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/795573/Winter-cereal-crop-irrigation.pdf

Key stages irrigated wheat poster

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/795574/High-Yield-Irrigated-Wheat.pdf

Sam North - Key constraints to irrigated wheat yields in the southern Murray-Darling basin

http://agronomyaustraliaproceedings.org/images/sampledata/2019/2019ASA_North_Sam_79.pdf

Fisher and Lacy - Lifting yields from 5T/ha to 8t/ha or more

https://grdc.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/142541/grdc-fs-irrigated-wheat-murrumbidgee-lr.pdf.pdf

For Thompson and Chase 1992 “Effects of limited irrigation on growth and yield of Semi-dwarf wheat in southern New South Wales” or for further information please email alex.schultz@dpi.nsw.gov.au