Equipment and machinery

RMCG and AHR have delivered the Soil Wealth ICP project to the Australian vegetable industry on behalf of Hort Innovation. Phase 2 of the project (2017-2022) has now been completed.

Watch this video to find out the highlights from Phase 2 including grower engagement, training and events, demonstration sites, communication products and resources, and progress towards industry outcomes.

In this edition: Tips to correctly identify veg insects, guidance on handling fresh produce exposed to floodwaters, upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news from WA, resources on reduced till and strip-till for vegetable and potato growers and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

This guide summarises and provides easy access to useful resources developed by the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection project from December 2017 to February 2023.

In this edition: Nutrition and food security starts with healthy soils, upcoming events and webinars, compost trial case study from the Adelaide Plains, understanding spatial variability in potato crops, resources for spray equipment and application, controlled traffic farming podcast and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

In this episode of InfoVeg TV, produced by AUSVEG, project leads Carl Larsen from RMCG and Gordon Rogers from Applied Horticultural Research provide an overview of Soil Wealth ICP Phase 2 and what it aims to achieve for the Australian vegetable industry.

In this InfoVeg Radio podcast, produced by AUSVEG, project leads Carl Larsen from RMCG and Gordon Rogers from Applied Horticultural Research provide an overview of Soil Wealth ICP Phase 2 and what it aims to achieve for the Australian vegetable industry.

A finger weeder is a tool that allows growers to deal with weeds in the areas of the inter-row where other cultivation and sprays might miss them. It uses hard or soft rubber “fingers” that can be adjusted depending on the size of weeds and conditions.

The Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar, held ahead of Hort Connections 2022 in Brisbane, attracted a room full of growers on Monday 6 June.

Presentations included a grower panel from the Soil Wealth ICP project which discussed the cutting-edge practices and technologies that are key to improving productivity, profitability and sustainability in the Australian vegetable industry.

Soil Wealth ICP team members Dr Gordon Rogers and Carl Larsen facilitated the discussion with growers who currently or previously hosted demonstration sites as part of the project. The growers shared why they became involved in Soil Wealth ICP, the areas of soil management and plant health that their demonstration sites focused on, as well as the challenges they have faced and what’s next for their farms.

This four-part Carbon Series from the Soil Wealth ICP project breaks down the practicalities of carbon farming for vegetable growers and looks more closely at soil carbon management.

Part 1 provides an overview of carbon farming and its relevance to Australian vegetable growers.

This four-part Carbon Series from the Soil Wealth ICP project breaks down the practicalities of carbon farming for vegetable growers and looks more closely at soil carbon management.

Part 2 delves into soil carbon and carbon sequestration.

This four-part Carbon Series from the Soil Wealth ICP project breaks down the practicalities of carbon farming for vegetable growers and looks more closely at soil carbon management.

Part 3 discusses carbon emissions in vegetable production.

This four-part Carbon Series from the Soil Wealth ICP project breaks down the practicalities of carbon farming for vegetable growers and looks more closely at soil carbon management.

Part 4 takes you through carbon accounting and the Emissions Reduction Fund.

After 30 years of growing vegetables in southern Queensland, Rob Hinrichsen is well placed to assess the impact of soil health on his farming operation.

Rob founded vegetable production and packing company Kalfresh with his father in the Fassifern Valley, with the operation having expanded considerably over the years to supply produce year-round.

The passion Rob brings for growing healthy, tasty, nutrient-rich food centres around healthy soils.

Soil Wealth ICP team member Kelvin Montagu looks at the linkage between key soil functions and soil biology, and the interactions between plant roots and soil biology.

Watch how microwave technology is being developed to assist with integrated crop protection.

Watch this recorded webinar to learn all you need to know about the legal requirements for drone operators and how drones can help you manage daily challenges including weed control, presented by John Coulombe from Drone Training Solutions.

In this edition: new weed management guides for growers, an update on Australia's agvet regulatory system review, upcoming events and webinars, demo site news from Tassie, a new guide on preventing leaf and stem diseases and more.

In this edition: Soil Wealth ICP on show at Hort Connections 2021, global scan and review of remote sensing, webinar recording on soil organic matter, biology and mineralisation and a Partnership Network Profile on Peats Soil & Garden Supplies.

Kelvin Montagu visits the John Deere booth at Hort Connections 2021 in Brisbane to find out new innovations in precision agriculture.

Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyse speaks to Growave at Hort Connections 2021 in Brisbane to find out more about an innovative weed management solution using microwave technology.

AHR’s Marc Hinderager and Soilpack Services’ Ian Packer are teaming up to deliver a webinar on soil organic matter, soil biology and the challenges and complexity of estimating mineralisation rates in soils.

In this edition: choosing the right lime product to manage soil acidification, EGVID2020 celebrated at industry awards, videos available from our Victorian demo sites and new resources on boosting mycorrhizal fungi in vegetable crops.

There are many factors that contribute to strong environmental stewardship in the vegetable industry, and improving soil management and plant health is an important component of business sustainability. But when it comes to finding evidence of the strengths and gaps of your growing operation, it can be difficult to know where to start.

This article from our Partnership Network member EnviroVeg explains how the program can help growers identify these opportunities and take action to ensure their vegetable growing business is environmentally responsible.

In this edition: The future of integrated weed management technologies, demonstration site news from NSW and Victoria, new resources on healthy soils, blackleg in potato and drone regulations podcast.

Integrated Weed Management (IWM) is vital for getting on top of weed problems in vegetable production, or for keeping the farm relatively weed-free. IWM involves combining all appropriate weed control options in a coordinated, supportive and flexible way.

This webinar will look into the future of IWM and how innovations can benefit the vegetable industry.

In this podcast, John Coulombe, Head of Training and Development at Complete AUV and the Virtual Drone Academy, provides valuable information and sound advice regarding the rules, regulations and responsibilities for those using drones in the horticultural industry.

John has spent over eight years working in horticulture and, since branching out into drone training and consulting, has worked for the Australian Defence Force, Burnett Mary Regional Group, Growcom and MLA, among other businesses and individuals. For further details go to the website: https://dronetrainingsolutions.com.au/

Being part of a grower group has many benefits. It helps to be on the forefront of new developments in vegetable production and talk to other growers to share successes, challenges and support each other with new ideas.

A group of young growers have joined the Warren Improvement Group in Western Australia to provide a fresh focus on improving vegetable production in the Manjimup region. This case study explains more.

In this edition: Good Soils Guide, seasonal outlook for February to April, demonstration site news from Manjimup, Western Australia and Werribee South, Victoria, and new resources on choosing cover crops, organic soil amendments and spray rig calibration.

Wet and warm weather continues in 2021. Most vegetable regions are likely to see warmer and wetter than average conditions.

There are various ways to reduce erosion, including reducing how much water runs off and the speed of that flow.

This fact sheet provides information on a trial conducted at Forthside Vegetable Research Station at Forth in north western Tasmania, which compared three treatments with a control (no treatment) to reduce the amount of water moving down a hillslope.

Integrated weed management (IWM) is vital for getting on top of weed problems in vegetable production. It involves combining all appropriate weed control options in a coordinated, supportive and flexible way. A key outcome of effective IWM in vegetable production is the reduction of the weed seed bank (the number of viable weed seeds present in the soil) to ensure that the weed burden is minimised.

Patience was indeed a virtue for Tasmania’s agriculture industry after the 2020 Precision Ag Expo successfully went ahead on Monday 2 November at Hagley Farm School, following a six-month delay.

Doris Blaesing from the Soil Wealth ICP team was also on hand to share information on the project’s activities, resources and outputs with attendees.

In this edition: 2020 Precision Ag Expo wrap-up, demonstration site findings from Katherine, Northern Territory and Koo Wee Rup, Victoria, and new resources including a soil microbiology fact sheet and advantages of Sunn hemp in veg production video.

This case study explains how the irrigation tool, IrriSAT, combined with soil moisture monitoring, provided important information to the grower about crop water requirements and actual soil moisture levels. This enabled him to manage his crop irrigation to maximise yield and quality.

This NSW case study has shown that IrriSAT satellite images, used to monitor irrigation, can also help potato growers identify soil and irrigation problems across the pivot. Fixing the problems identified in this case study would have increased yield and revenue by between $7,600 and $10,800 under this half pivot.

Practical use of IrriSAT satellite imaging, weather data, and soil moisture sensors.

Irrigation decision making is one of the most significant factors affecting potato yield and quality. Join Dr. Kelvin Montagu and Marc Hinderager from the Soil Wealth / ICP project team discuss the new approaches to managing potato irrigation.

Learn about using the IrriSAT technology which combines evapotranspiration (ETo) and satellite imaging, and how to link this with data from direct soil moisture sensors, to help you schedule irrigation.

Marc and Kelvin discuss a recent case study conducted near Cowra, NSW to illustrate how the methods can work for potatoes.

A Bathurst pumpkin grower, working with the Soil Wealth team is breaking new ground by using cover crops and strip-tillage to make his irrigation water go further.

Greenhouse cucumbers can be one of the most productive of all crops. However, this productivity relies on accurate control of irrigation, plant nutrition and the growing environment, as well as effective management of pests and diseases. Only healthy plants can produce a high quality, marketable and profitable crop.

This manual provides basic guidance on growing greenhouse cucumbers. The focus is on modern, controlled environment production. However, much of the included information is relevant to all cucumber growers and, indeed, greenhouse producers more generally.

Most new technology for controlling weeds will be a positive step forward for soil health and the environment, and will play an important role in our fight against herbicide resistant weeds.

Watch this interactive session to hear from leading industry experts on some of the most interesting and practical advances in weed management.

Cover crops + roller crimper + strip-tillage have proven a winning combination for a partnership between
Mulyan Farms’ Ed Fagan and AHR’s Marc Hinderager from the Soil Wealth ICP project.

Lyndon Orpwood from Simplot Australia (Bathurst, NSW) explains how strip-tillage has improved moisture retention and field productivity. The benefits include stubble retention, greater efficiency and reduced diesel usage.

Ed Fagan (Cowra, NSW) explains how strip-tillage and cover cropping compliment each other for a successful cucumber crop.

When was the last time you checked your spray rig? Correct calibration can save you time, money and increase the effective application of chemicals and reduce risk to the environment and your staff.

This practical and useful poster can be displayed in the chemical storage area and spray rig shed on your farm as an important reminder for you and your employees.

Print off a copy or request one in the post today!

Hear from industry experts on how strip-till will save you fuel and time, increase soil organic matter, reduce erosion and compaction, and how fertilisers can be banded at multiple depths.

The Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection case study demo site in north west Tasmania is Harvest Moon. This fact sheet showcases one of the practices employed at Harvest Moon, the ripper mulcher, which is used to manage the risk of soil erosion.

Vegetable cropping can leave topsoil vulnerable to significant erosion, and the ripper mulchers are free for Tasmanian growers to borrow and use.

Dr Kelvin Montagu demonstrates the erosion control benefits of strip-tillage in vegetable production.

Jeff McSpedden from Bathurst explains how strip tillage has improved the productivity of sweet corn on hist farm.

Choosing when to spray based on the prevailing wind speed is important for effectively applying chemicals and managing risk. This practical and useful poster can be displayed in the chemical storage area and spray rig shed on your farm as an important reminder for you and your employees.

Print off a copy or request one in the post today!

The ripper mulcher is unique machine invented and built in Tasmania by Bill Cotching to control erosion on sloping ground under cultivation.

When is the best time to spray during summer? What will maximise the effectiveness of the chemical and reduce off-target risk? Nufarm have developed this easy to follow poster to guide when to spray in summer and the key considerations around time of day.

And remember - always follow label instructions.

Looking to reduce establishment costs, improve your soil and save some time? Then have a look at strip-till this year.

Read this article to find out more about the benefits of stip-till, improvements to soil health, challenges, and what growers are saying after using stip-till.

Strip-till is a system of cultivation that works strips of soil where the crop will be planted or sown and leaves most of the soil covered and undisturbed.

Read this fact sheet to find out more about the benefits and challenges of strip-till, as well practical considerations out in the paddock.

The Soil Wealth ICP team sat down with InfoVeg TV to chat about the project and its aim to communicate information about soil management and plant health to Australian vegetable growers to help the industry grow sustainably using healthy soils.