Soil biology

This publication contains information to assist growers in understanding how biofumigants work and managing them for optimum efficacy against soilborne diseases.

Biofumigants are a unique type of cover crop that produce compounds with suppression effects on soilborne pathogens, pests and weeds.

This guide also discusses and presents data on a range of agronomic management practices of biofumigant cover crops including pest and diseases, nutrient uptake requirements, irrigation and incorporation methods.

Ahead of Hort Connections 2023, Australian vegetable growers heard how their peers have worked with the Soil Wealth ICP project to improve their productivity, profitability and sustainability in field trials to boost soil and plant health at the Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar (AVIS) in Adelaide on Monday 5 June.

Mulgowie Farming Company is back on board to host a Soil Wealth ICP vegetable demonstration site in the Lockyer Valley. Find out how the site will test the use of organic nitrogen sources as a sustainable and cost-effective solution to meet a crop's nitrogen needs.

In this edition: Event wrap-ups on the Soil Biology Masterclass and Chinese grower's field day, seasonal climate outlook for August to October 2023, upcoming events and webinars, new demonstration sites confirmed for Victoria and new resources including veg field ID guides, on-farm waste resources and managing carbon on vegetable farms.

Soil biology, with its vast complexity and diversity across regions, delivers many key functions to soil. Understanding how soil biology can be nurtured to best support healthy crops is important.

The Soil Wealth ICP and PotatoLink teams recently held a masterclass in Gatton, Queensland to provide growers, agronomists and others in the industry an opportunity to examine the theoretical and practical aspects of managing soil biology in vegetable and potato production. Read more in our wrap-up.

The Soil Wealth ICP team joined Greater Sydney Local Land Services (LLS) at a field day at Richmond Lowlands, NSW in June with a focus on farm practices that can help or hinder soil health and integrated pest management (IPM). The event, held in conjunction with the Chinese Grower Group's Annual General Meeting, brought together 50 enthusiastic participants. Read more in our article.

The Soil Wealth ICP team has been busy setting up a new network of demonstration sites around the country for the next five years. This will include 10 vegetable sites, aligned with VegNET regions, and four melon sites.

We’re excited to share an update on two confirmed vegetable demonstration sites in Victoria’s south-east and Gippsland: Skye (Butler Market Gardens) and Tarwin (Schreurs & Sons).

Hort Connections 2023 special edition: Soil Wealth ICP panel session at the Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar (AVIS), weed management technology set to be showcased in Queensland, rapid spread of DBM insecticide resistance, Trade Show highlights, Soil Wealth ICP collaborators celebrated at the Horticulture Awards for Excellence and upcoming events.

In this edition: Veg and melon growers to benefit from Soil Wealth ICP Phase 2, Soil Biology Masterclass registrations, Vic veg innovation days showcases Soil Wealth ICP cover crop trial, Bathurst growers prepare for winter cover crops, upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news from VIC and new resources from VicVID 2023, Biological Products Database updates, and plant sampling for nutrient analysis webinar recording.

Soil Wealth ICP team member Doris Blaesing attended the Nutrien Ag Solutions South-East Agronomy Conference in Melbourne to present on soil borne disease management in vegetable crops. Doris spoke on the importance of soil health in managing soil borne diseases, and the practices that growers can use to promote healthier soils and avoid disease risks.

In this edition: See our cover crop trial at VicVID, Soil Biology Masterclass registrations, using soil health to manage soil borne disease risk,upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news from NSW, resources on Phase 2 achievements and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

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.

Mulgowie Farming Company is an Australian owned and operated vegetable grower and packer.

In collaboration with Soil Wealth ICP, Mulgowie trialled strip-tillage combined with their existing cover cropping practices at their Maffra farm, 220km east of Melbourne.

Their primary goal was to use strip-tillage to improve soil health characteristics like water infiltration and water holding capacity, to improve crop health and yield, reduce costs and ultimately improve profitability.

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.

The Three Ryans in Manjimup, Western Australia, first became involved with the Soil Wealth ICP project in 2019 with the goal of improving their soil health by trying cover cropping combined with strip-tillage.

Fast forward three years and, despite some hurdles along the way, the Ryans have adopted the use of cover crops and strip-till more permanently in their operations.

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.

A demonstration site trial was held at Thorndon Park Produce on the Adelaide Plains, South Australia to showcase how the use of compost in commercial vegetable production can improve soil health, reduce the effect of saline irrigation water and decrease the use of inputs.

The compost treatments were found to improve soil health and marketable yield, while better managing salinity issues and reducing inputs such as water, fertiliser and labour costs. Thorndon Park Produce has since expanded its use of compost, trialling pelletised
compost and biological products.

The demonstration site trial identified salinity as a key issue facing vegetable growers in the Adelaide Plains region and facilitated resources to help growers manage the issue, as well as connections for industry members supporting the trial.

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.

In this edition: How to look after your soils for veg production, upcoming events and webinars, precision ag trial case study from Koo Wee Rup, Top 5 resources in 2022 and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

In this edition: Stay in control of diamondback moth, insights into soil health and soil biology, upcoming events and webinars, NSW demo site finger weeder trial, resources on Rhizoctonia Solani, soil microbiology and soil testing and interpretation, plus meet the Soil Wealth ICP team

In this edition: Share your thoughts on Soil Wealth ICP Phase 2, upcoming events and webinars, WA and SA field walk wrap-ups, resources on area wide management of lettuce viruses and irrigation management and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

On 27 June, a group of growers and industry members attended an inaugural field walk at the Soil Wealth ICP demonstration site in the Northern Territory.

Hosted by grower Jeremy Trembath in Katherine, the demonstration site has focused on improving soil health and building soil resilience to weather events, particularly during the wet season, to prevent erosion and to protect soils.

To achieve this, Jeremy has used cover crops and reduced tillage in preparation for his sweet corn cash crop, and has utilised an integrated approach to pest, disease and weed management.

In this edition: Precision agriculture in vegetable production resources, a new approach to release beneficials, an updated snapshot of soil carbon, upcoming events and webinars, Top End field walk showcases soil health improvements and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

In this edition: Update from Hort Connections 2022, entomology and IPM short courses, upcoming events and webinars, insights from demonstration site growers at the Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar, biological products resources, onion diseases webinar recording and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

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.

Underperforming agricultural soils cost Australian farmers billions of dollars in lost revenue each year – but the good news is that all is not yet lost for our soils.

This Partnership Network article explains how the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (better known as the Soil CRC) is researching ways to build productive agricultural soils in Australia, including some exciting projects that will benefit vegetable and potato growers.

In this edition: Integrated weed management manual for vegetable growers, biostimulants market to boom by 2026, upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news, improving phosphorus uptake efficiency in potatoes, strip-till resources and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

This case study examines the role of phosphorus availability and uptake in a potato crop throughout the growing season. It shares the results of a trial in north-west Tasmania of a new liquid phosphorus fertiliser applied to processing potatoes in P-fixing soils.

In this edition: The importance of soil biodiversity, supporting Tassie researchers, upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news from New South Wales, cover crop resources and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

Andrew and Zurri Braham have grown capsicums under greenhouse on their farm in Virginia, South Australia, since 2006.

Through a demonstration site trial, the Soil Wealth ICP project is working with Braham Produce to showcase some of their work on using organic amendments, biofumigation and other soil health management practices in a protected cropping production system.

In this edition: The link between IPM and soil health, nominate a soil health champion, upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news from South Australia, IPM grower resources and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

The Soil Wealth ICP team developed this podcast as part of The Carbon Series: An introduction to carbon farming and soil carbon management in the Australian vegetable industry.

Hear more about Mulgowie Farming Company's journey to develop carbon neutral sweet corn in Queensland, which was certified by Carbon Friendly.

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.

In this edition: Announcement of our 2022 focus topics, carbon management on vegetable farms webinar recording, upcoming events and webinars, demonstration site news from Western Australia and Victoria, new resources on sorghum cover crops, managing soil-borne diseases in vegetable crops and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

Day 2 of the Soil Biology Masterclass provided an opportunity for grower Andrew Braham to share his story of boosting soil biology and developing healthy soils for his capsicum crops in South Australia.

Day 2 of the Soil Biology Master Class featured a panel discussion on soil biology with Kelvin Montagu.

Interest is growing around biochar as both a soil amendment and to increase carbon sequestration to soil.

This fact sheet explores what biochar is, how it can be used in vegetable production, what to consider if using biochar, and where you can get it.

Farming in the Northern Territory is notoriously challenging: it takes resilience and perseverance to battle the weather and soils.

The Soil Wealth ICP team is working with Jeremy Trembath to establish a new demonstration site on his farm in the Northern Territory. The site aims to build greater resilience to heavy weather events and soil erosion using cover crops, strip-til, soil biology inputs and non-chemical weed control.

While taking soil samples at our Koo Wee Rup demonstration site in Victoria recently, Soil Wealth ICP team member Carl Larsen recorded a short video about the key things to keep in mind to ensure you collect a quality soil sample for testing.

Soil Wealth ICP team member Pieter van Nieuwenhuyse delves into the use of biological products in Australian vegetable production.

In this edition: Soil Biology Masterclass videos, demonstration site news from the Northern Territory and Victoria, a fact sheet on the potential of biochar in vegetable production and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

Plant pathologist Dr Len Tesoriero joins the Soil Wealth ICP team presents on soil-borne disease suppression in vegetable crops.

Dr Shane Powell from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture joins the Soil Wealth ICP team to share her expertise on soil fumigation and its effects on soil biological communities.

Soil Wealth ICP team member Doris Blaesing discusses soil biology and its links to soil structure in vegetable crops.

With a strong focus on innovation and sustainable farming practices, Mulgowie Farming Company has teamed up with Soil Wealth ICP to take their soil management to the next level.

Soil Wealth ICP team members Kelvin Montagu and Marc Hinderager discuss nitrogen availability in vegetable crops and its impact on soil biology.

In this edition: Virtual shed walk showcasing microwave weed technology, demonstration site news from Queensland and Victoria, new resources from the Soil Biology in Vegetable Production Masterclass, a go-to guide on nutrition management resources and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

Soil Wealth ICP team member Carl Larsen braved the windy weather at our Koo Wee Rup demonstration site in Victoria to bring growers a short update on how things were progressing at the site.

Soil Wealth ICP team members Kelvin Montagu and Marc Hinderager look into breakdown of organic matter, agrochemicals and impact on soil biology.

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.

Soil pH has a profound effect on nutrient availability to plants and microorganisms, and thus soil and plant health.

This fact sheet shares the results of a field trial in north-west Tasmania using several treatments to raise pH in an acidic soil and a cost benefit analysis.

In this edition: Soil Biology in Vegetable Production webinar recording, demonstration site news from Cowra, NSW, new resources on potential changes to integrated crop protection, pest management resources and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

In this global scan we look at some of the changes affecting the integrated crop protection tools available to vegetable growers by examining what is happening elsewhere, globally and in other sectors.

In this edition: soil your undies challenge, catch up on the Potato R&D Forum 2021, demo site trial report from Richmond, Tasmania, using drones to generate farm insights, updated Biological Products Database and meet the Soil Wealth ICP team.

There are many things we can take for granted, and in vegetable and potato production this can be as simple as nutrition and its impact on a crop from a plant physiology perspective.

However, growers and advisers armed with a deep knowledge of nutrition and its practical application in a crop are better placed to ensure that crop achieves peak production. We spoke to our Partnership Network member Stoller Australia to find out more.

From 2018-2021, a demonstration site trial at Harvest Farms in Richmond, Tasmania explored the impact of organic soil amendments on baby leaf crop quality and yield.

Potential benefits were observed from the compost in relation to nutrients (e.g. phosphorus and potassium availability), soil carbon levels and soil moisture holding capacity. However, results should be viewed with care given the trial was not fully replicated.

Catch up on Day 1 of the Australian Potato R&D Forum 2021, which focused on pest management. Speakers and topics included:
• Season update from the regions: What have been the key pest and disease issues?
• Management of soil constraints in the potato industry: Ben Fleay/Greg Hall (Precision Agriculture)
• Tamarixia triozae, a small parasitoid with a big future: How has Tamarixia helped New Zealand manage TPP? Dr Sally Anderson (Market Access Solutionz)
• New smartphone technologies for pathogen detection: Professor Jean Ristaino (North Carolina State University) (GRDC Video)
• iMapPESTS and emerging insect threats for the potato industry: Callum Fletcher and Shakira Johnson (AUSVEG)
• Overview of new crop protection products: Tim Belleville (E.E. Muir & Sons)
• How will new technology and products help us manage pests and soil health? (Panel session)

Catch up on Day 2 of the Australian Potato R&D Forum 2021, which focused on soil health and disease management. Speakers and topics included:
• Promoting soil health: How can cover crops and soil amendments improve your soil health and yield? Julie Finnigan (Serve-Ag)
• PREDICTA Pt: How can you identify risks before they become a problem? Michael Rettke (SARDI)
• Update on ‘Investigating soil pH and nutrition as possible factors influencing pink rot in potatoes’: Dr Robert Tegg (TIA)
• Simplot Ag R&D disease-related projects overview: Dr Audrey Leo (Simplot)
• Update on ‘Mechanisms and manipulation of resistance to powdery scab in potato roots’: Professor Calum Wilson (TIA)
• Options and approaches for managing soil borne disease and promoting plant health (Panel session)

Our demonstration site in Richmond, southern Tasmania, is hosted by Harvest Farms. In 2018, a trial was established to examine the costs and benefits of quality compost as an organic soil amendment on spinach babyleaf crop yield and quality.

Find out the soil pathogen DNA results from 2020 (year 3 of the trial) in this update. Keep an eye out for a full report on the trial results which will be released shortly.

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.

It’s rare to come across someone who is as passionate about soil health as Peter Wadewitz.

The founder and Managing Director of Peats Soil & Garden Supplies has dedicated the last 45 years to supplying compost, mulches and recycled organic resources to the horticulture, landscape and garden supplies industries in South Australia and interstate. The business operates on four sites across South Australia and recently expanded its presence to Darwin, South Africa and Qatar.

For Peter, it all starts with talking to growers about healthy soils, building organic matter and strengthening soil structure to produce a better crop.

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.

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.

A video on how FOGO compost is made and why it is beneficial and safe to use in horticulture

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.

The vegetable industry has a growing interest in soil health and beneficial soil microbes, including mycorrhizal fungi. While there is a need for practices that help to boost the beneficial fungi in Australian vegetable crops, getting the benefits under commercial field conditions is not easy.

This case study examines why and how vegetable growers can boost beneficial mycorrhizal fungi in their crops. It also shares the results from a trial which looked at the potential of cover crops, together with commercial mycorrhizal inoculants and reduced soil tillage, to increase the beneficial fungi in vegetable crops.

In this edition: Information on fall armyworm and serpentine leafminer, demonstration site news from NSW and new resources on oxalis, volunteer potatoes and winter cover crops.

Grower Kim Ngov has sown another cover crop trial on his intense vegetable farm near the southwest outskirts of Sydney (Wedderburn NSW). This time Kim is focused on using cover crops to build soil health, control weeds and eliminate single-use plastic mulch.

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.

iSQAPER has built an app for mobile devices which provides location-specific soil quality information and sustainable land use management options.

A multi-actor approach underpins the development of SQAPP - the app has been developed, tested, evaluated and improved by farmers, scientists, practitioners, agricultural service providers and policy makers.

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.

A healthy soil is productive, sustainable and profitable. But what exactly does 'soil health' mean for vegetable growers?

This fact sheet shares some top tips for vegetable growers when it comes to defining soil health.

Nematodes are used as biological indicators of soil health because the number and types present in a soil reflect changes in the microbes they consume, and the soil’s physical and chemical environment.

This fact sheet from Soil Quality provides a good overview of why nematodes are good biological indicators.

Vegetable growers in Australia can now access a comprehensive online resource to improve all aspects of soil health on-farm and increase the efficiency and profitability of their businesses.

The Good Soil Guide is a free online encyclopaedia specifically designed for growers and industry to use in the field. The resource was developed in the United Kingdom as a collaboration between Yorkshire Water, Yorkshire supply chain consultancy Future Food Solutions and soil scientist Neil Fuller.

In this edition: Focus topics announced for Soil Wealth ICP in 2021, demonstration site news from Richmond, Tasmania and new resources on foliar diseases, nutgrass, integrated weed management and pathogen DNA testing.

This fact sheet provides guidance on the importance of monitoring soilborne diseases, pathogens that can be tested, method for pathogen testing and tips for understanding and managing soilborne disease risks.

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.

Cover crops, typically grown during the wet season in the north of the Northern Territory (NT), are an essential part of best practice management where poor soil structure can be further eroded by heavy rainfall.

A demonstration site trial on cover crops for cucurbit growers was developed in 2020 at the Katherine Research Station. This article outlines more information about what was involved in the trial, the initial results and potential next steps.

An increased awareness of the impact of some long-standing farming practices and community expectations, combined with a greater interest and understanding of alternative systems and products has contributed to the evolution of sustainable vegetable production in Australia.

According to Soil Wealth ICP Partnership Network member and Sustainable Farming Solutions General Manager Steven David, while progress has been made in Australian organic production in particular, there is still room for expansion.

Soil health is closely linked to soil microbiology. This fact sheet outlines information on a broad group of soil microbes including fungi, bacteria and pseudomonas, and explains how different levels, numbers and ratios of these microbes can impact the overall health of your soil and crops.

The Portelli family has been growing vegetables in the north-western Sydney suburb of Maroota, NSW, for two generations. The farm is situated on a sandy loam that is characterised by low organic matter and low cation-exchange capacity.

The incorporation of recycled organic compost into the Portellis’ cropping schedule yielded a significant improvement in crop performance.

Recycled organics are compostable organic materials, including garden organics, food waste, residual wood and timber. Recycled organics compost is derived from shredding and stockpiling these green wastes for up to six months before being screened to remove contaminants and create a compost high in organic matter, essential nutrients and beneficial bacteria.

Compost made from recycled organics is an effective, long-term soil conditioner against drought. Recycled organics will improve the water use efficiency of a farm by capturing more water and holding it for longer.

Over time, an increase in organic matter will improve water holding capacity, soil structure, soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Recycled organics applied to the soil surface will also reduce soil crusting and improve water infiltration.



This project is supported by the NSW Environment Protection Authority as part of Waste Less, Recycle More, funded from the waste levy.

Recycled organics are compostable organic materials, including garden organics, food waste, residual wood and timber. Compost made from recycled organics is derived from shredding and stockpiling these green materials for up to six months before being screened to remove contaminants and create a compost high in organic matter, essential nutrients and beneficial bacteria.

There have been noticeable benefits to soil structure from the precision ag trial focusing on variable rate nutrition over the past 2.5 years at our Koo Wee Rup demo site in Victoria. Check out a short video and some photos from our latest visit to the site.

In this edition: Have your say on Soil Wealth ICP, demonstration site news from Gingin, Western Australia and a new guide to useful project resources.

In this edition: Vegetable Crop Nutrition Masterclass an online success, demonstration site news from Sydney Basin and Cowra, NSW, and new resources on pink rot in potatoes.

Liam Southam-Rogers (AHR) runs through the economic outcomes of two demonstration trails established for the project. Mulyan Farms at Cowra, NSW realised a strong economic payoff for using compost made from recycled organics. Wavertree Farms at Somersby, NSW also showed a profitable return with the use of recycled organics.

Soil biology is a complex, dynamic and broad field. This podcast will introduce you to the concept of why biology is important to soil fertility and maximising crop production.

In this edition: Get effective R&D support in a remote setting, demonstration site news from Victoria and Bathurst, NSW, and new resources on managing salinity in potato and vegetable production.

Dr Kelvin Montagu summarises the potential role of cover crops in managing mycorrhizal fungi in vegetable production.

The webinar covers:

- Why mycorrhizal fungi
- Do Australian vegetable crops have mycorrhizal fungi – a survey of 50 vegetable crops
- Levels of mycorrhizae in vegetable growing soil
- Trials adding inoculant to cover crops
- Trials adding inoculant to cover crops and vegetable crops (leeks/corn)
- The webinar presents the work undertaken in the Optimising Cover Crops for the Australian

As the use of biological crop products increases in the Australian vegetable industry, it is essential that growers have a clear understanding of soil biology and how these products can work effectively. This includes the role of mycorrhizae and how it can impact the quality and yield of a crop.

In this edition: Have your say on agvet chemicals review, demonstration site news from Bathurst, NSW and Tasmania, and new resources on nutrition management support.

Join Dr Kelvin Montagu (AHR) and Dr Shane Powell (University of Tasmania) for a webinar on the impacts of cover crops on soil biology where we consider the questions:
• How diverse are biological communities in vegetable soils?
• Do we see differences between sites (Tasmania to Queensland)?
• Do cover crops impact on the microbial communities?
• How do soil properties and management impact on the microbial community?
• What impact do biofumigants have on the soil microbial community?

Most good crop management practices begin with the soil. Enhancing natural populations of beneficial soil organisms can aid in the growth and establishment of crops, as well as improve soil health and sustainability.

Sodicity is different to salinity, but it can still have a negative impact on soil structure and crop growth.

This fact sheet explains what sodicity is and how it differs to salinity; how to identify sodicity in soils and its impact on soil and crops, as well as management options.

Earthworms are known to be an indicator of healthy soil function, with the ability to improve soil structure and fertility as well as promote root and plant growth.

Soil sampling and testing is usually done prior to planting a crop; specific in-crop testing can be useful e.g. testing for available nitrate and ammonium.

A soil test report is only as good as the care taken in sampling. Tools and equipment should be cleaned prior to collecting each sample. Completing labels and writing on bags or containers before going out to the field can save some time and confusion.

Read this fact sheet for guidance on how to take soil samples correctly and obtain reliable information on the nutrient status of your soil.

Recycled organics (compost) is a commercially viable source of composted organic matter that does not contain animal manures, and is now being used successfully on vegetable farms in NSW.

Rob Niccol from Australian Native Landscapes and Dr Kelvin Montagu from AHR discuss the value proposition of recycled organics and explain how the compost can be successfully integrated into vegetable farming in Australia.

This project is supported by the NSW Environment Protection Authority as part of Waste Less, Recycle More, funded from the waste levy.

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

Labile carbon is the carbon most readily available as a carbon and energy source to microorganisms.

Read this fact sheet to find out more about labile carbon and its use as a 'leading indicator' of soil health, as well as undertaking your own labile carbon field test to see for yourself.

The Soils Network of Knowledge (SNoK) faciliatated a webinar on replicated small plot field experiments with Steve Morris from NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Watch this webianr to find out more about the complexities of field research design and the logical case for undertaking field research in a structured manner.

This guide summarises useful information developed by the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) Phase 1 projects from 2014-2017, and where to find it. These resources are relevant to all major vegetable growing regions in Australia. The resources developed includes fact sheets (51), case studies (12), videos and apps (36), e-newsletters (32 editions), as well as demonstration site information. The main topics covered by these resources include crop management, pest and disease management, and soil, nutrition and compost.

All the resources in this guide can be found on this project website.

Six years ago, Rob Hinrichsen and his team at Kalfresh decided to focus on four key practices – controlled traffic, cover crops, soil biology and compost – to improve the soil health across their farms. The main drivers were to improve crop yield and quality, as well as the sustainability of the business.

Rob’s emphasis on softer tillage, boosting organic matter with compost and cover crops has helped the soil recover and support a healthy population of beneficial soil organisms. Rob supplements the naturally occurring biology by using specific beneficial organisms to improve the robustness of his farming system.

This case study provides insights into some of the main changes involving controlled traffic, cover crops and compost at the Kalfresh demonstration site in Queensland.

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.

Learn more about soil biological, chemical and physical fertility, as well as access the Soils are Alive tool - the complete soil health reference for farmers, consultants and researchers.

This presentation provides a great overview of the role of phosphorus in soil biology by Dr Cassandra Schefe, from Monash University and Schefe Consulting.

Members of the Soil Wealth and ICP team were recently interviewed for the Potatoes Australia magazine. The key message? Many of the soil health and plant protection practices relevant to vegetables, also apply to potatoes.

Click through to read the article.

The Vegetable SOILpak manual was developed by NSW Department of Primary Industries to provide soil information relevant to irrigated vegetable production in New South Wales. The manual aims to provide decision support for landholders and advisers, helping to maintain or improve productivity over both the short and long term.

Read this excellent summary of some common tools for managing soil health in cropping/mixed enterprises in Tasmania. Generally, the more tools you can use, the better!

This poster was prepared by Adrian James, NRM North, with contributions by Bill Cotching, Doris Blaesing, Greg Gibson and John McPhee.

The farm walk on cover crops by Kelvin Montagu was streamed by Good Fruit and Vegetables and can be viewied here.

Hear from Rob Hinrichsen of Kalfresh in QLD about using controlled traffic in commercial vegetable production systems.

This video captures Rob's experiences with the technology achieving 'growing zones' and 'driving zones', the benefits of reduced tillage down from 11-12 passes to 2-3 passes, the costs of transitioning the cultivation system, as well as how the business piloted the technology before making the big change.

The Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection projects provide R&D extension services, products and communication on improved soil management and plant health to the Australian vegetable industry.

From 2014 to 2017, RMCG and AHR have delivered the projects for Horticulture Innovation Australia. Phase 1 of the projects have now been completed. So, what’s been achieved?

The purpose of this guide is to help growers and agronomists interpret conventional ‘chemical’ soil tests and identify soil chemical constraints for commercial vegetable production in Australia.

This resource can be used to guide site specific decisions on nutrition management. It does NOT provide prescriptive information on how much of a certain nutrient or fertiliser to apply to various vegetable crops. A recipe approach is not recommended because results in crop performance would be unreliable.

A soil test, combined with a visual soil assessment, and knowledge about paddock history and production plans, provides a sound basis for a nutrition program. A conventional soil test can provide some information about biological and physical soil properties. While a complete soil condition assessment covers physical, biological and chemical soil properties of the topsoil and subsoil.

Soil health refers to the fitness of the soil to achieve its potential, within natural or managed limitations, and be productive under
the intended land use. Healthy soils have physical, chemical and biological properties that sustain biological functioning, maintain environmental quality and promote plant, animal and human health.

This practical fact sheet outlines the importance of healthy soil, its characteristics and how to get there, as well as the main soil health issues and potential solutions.

The Soils in Schools program started in 2015, the UN declared International Year of Soils. It is an initiative of Soil Science Australia.

This programs vision is to communicate and educate school children on the relevance of soils in everyday life and to encourage a wider interest in our soil resources.

Maintaining or increasing soil carbon makes good sense – for the environment and for soil productivity. While climate scientists talk about soil carbon, you will know it better as soil organic matter. And the productivity benefits of soil organic matter are legendary:

• Providing a slow release supply of nutrients
• Improving cation exchange capacity and nutrient- holding ability
• Buffering against soil acidity
• Improving soil structure and aggregate stability
• Improving soil water holding capacity
• Reducing erosion risk.

This fact sheet summaries the opportunities and management options for mitigating or sequestering soil carbon in vegetable soils.

A healthy topsoil is a great asset to have, as this layer of soil contains the highest concentration of organic matter, micro-organisms, nutrients and biological activity. Lost topsoil can’t be replaced in a human’s lifespan. Therefore erosion, probably the biggest culprit in the loss of topsoil, should be effectively managed.

This fact sheet provides essential information on managing soil erosion, including reducing the impact of wind and water. The easy to read publication also guides decision-making on managing your irrigation system, controlling run-off water, covering exposed soil areas, improving soil structure and increasing cohesion between soil particles.

Vegetable pathologist, Dr Len Tesoriero and AHRs Dr Kelvin Montagu, recently presented a highly successful webinar on how to manage the soil borne disease Pythium in vegetable crops.

The webinar was recorded, and is now available as a YouTube video. You can click on the link below to watch the full Webinar. You can also download the presentation and follow the link to an ICP factsheet on how to manage soil borne disease in vegetable crops.

The Soil Wealth and ICP project team set up a “cover crop” trial there as a real farm demonstration to help growers adopt sustainable practices, and, importantly, improve their bottom line. The trial, near Cowra, in the Central West region of NSW.

All the cover crops resulted in higher yields than the fallow control. The highest yields in this trial were obtained with clover (+48%) and field peas (+36%), but ryegrass alone and compost were also effective in increasing yields compared to bare fallow.

Hear from Tasmanian lettuce grower Colin Houston about the exciting demonstrations being run on his new farm aimed at improving profitability and sustainability.

Vegetable growers and advisors discuss how attending a master class has changed the way they manage soilborne diseases and influenced their business.

Part 2 of 5 of a Green Crops and Biofumigation seminar presented by Dale Gies from High Performance Seeds Inc, Washington, USA. Seminar hosted by Serve-Ag Tasmania, February 2015 and broadcast by Soil Wealth.

A summary of the importance of soil, soil science and good soil management from a Victorian perspective.

Missed the Bulmer Farm Walk on 21 May 2015? Catch up on reduced tillage options in vegetables in this video from Jeanette Servers of Good Fruit & Vegetable.

Part 1 of 5 of a Green Crops and Biofumigation seminar presented by Dale Gies from High Performance Seeds Inc, Washington, USA. Seminar hosted by Serve-Ag Tasmania, February 2015 and broadcast by Soil Wealth.

This book is a practical guide to ecological soil management that provides background information as well as details of soil-improving practices. It is meant to give the reader an appreciation of the importance of soil health and to suggest ecologically sound practices that help to develop and maintain healthy soils.

This book by Gary Zimmer, a farmer in the United States, provides support for farmers who would like to reduce chemical inputs and use natural processes within their farming systems.

This publication from ATTRA (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service) in the United States provides information on improving disease suppression within soil.

This guide provides a context for soil health by looking at soil ecosystems and how they function, providing simple descriptions of soil organisms likely to be found, guiding understanding of what may be good or bad populations of organisms, and outlining a range of management practices likely to impact both positively and negatively on soil ecosystem function.

Biofumigation is the use of specialised cover crops, which are grown, mulched and incorporated into the soil prior to cropping. High biomass, especially roots, can provide the traditional benefits of green manure crops, and if done right, naturally occurring compounds from the biofumigant plants can suppress soil-borne pests, diseases and weeds.

Sole reliance on fumigants like Metham Sodium often changes soil conditions and reduces inherent disease suppressive soil properties, reinforcing continued reliance on fumigation to deal with soilborne diseases, pests and weeds.

This website contains a series of documents to guide you through the successful prodution of lettuce.

This website contains a series of documents to guide you through the successful prodution of Brassica crops.

A reduced till system on this Cowra vegetable farm delivered soil, cost and crop benefits.

NSW farmers, Ed and James Fagan explain how they developed a reduced tillage vegetable farming operation in Cowra, NSW.

Want to get an good overview of soil biology, then this video is a good place to start.

Cadmium is a widespread, naturally occurring, element that is present in soils, rocks, waters, plants and animals. It is crucial to limit our long-term exposure to cadmium, as it can accumulate in humans and high levels can affect human health.

This article originally published in Vegenotes, provides an insight into managing cadmium in vegetable production.