This year will be the first year of a new project managed by by the University of Adelaide and funded by GRDC looking at different crop sequencing and rotation systems.

The project aims to look at how management decisions such as crop rotation diversity and intensity, sequencing and crop end use influence profitability and sustainability of farming systems.

This will be achieved by looking at three areas:

1. agronomy and field trials,
2. biophysical modelling,
3. and economic evaluation.

Southern Farming Systems role in this project is in the agronomy and field trials, which consist of 4 core trial sites and 5 satellite sites located across western Victoria and SE South Australia. Of these, SFS will host two core sites at Streatham and a satellite site at Warrembine.

Trials will be run for four years and evaluate up to 15 different systems looking at crop rotations with varying diversity, intensity, end use, sequences, and tactical treatments such as nitrogen management and time of sowing. They will be made up of a baseline system (canola-wheat), alternative systems (higher or lower risk) and new, yet to emerge systems.

Examples of these include:

• Inclusion of pulse for double break
• Single- and double-year pasture phases
• Inclusion of vetch for hay and/or brown manuring
• Companion cropping/mixed species phases
• Summer pulses or cover crops

The trials will be included at Agrifocus and other crop walks throughout the season so watch this space for updates as the first year of the project kicks off!

For more information contact:

Audrey Gripper E: agripper@sfs.org.au M:0436 479 484

Image: Canola and Field Pea companion crop

Source: A Gripper, SFS