Riverine Plains Blog

Key Messages

• stored soil moisture can be important for establishment and yield in dry seasons
• stubble management technique can impact plant available water
• managing high stubble loads begins at harvest and helps prevent issues at sowing
  

Key messages:

• fodder demand and pricing will be impacted by predicted warmer and drier conditions and declining livestock prices over the coming months
• producing quality fodder depends on the timing of cutting and the interval to baling or ensiling
• take into account the stock class to which fodder will be fed and the timing of it; this will ensure that the fodder is harvested at a time that maximises quality and/or quantity

Key Messages:

• Carbon is present in the soil in many different forms.
• Including a pasture phase and pulses/legumes in the cropping rotation is essential to improve soil organic matter and nitrogen levels, promote microbial activity and ultimately increase soil organic carbon. 
• Evaluating management practices to increase soil carbon is necessary to ensure they are economically viable for a farming business.
• Several environmental factors (rainfall, evaporation, solar radiation, and temperature), as well as soil type, nutrient availability and land management influence maximum soil organic carbon storage capacity 

 

What Is Soil Carbon?

Soil carbon can occur in organic and inorganic forms.

Riverine Plains recently hosted a soil health webinar as part of a project supported by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

While the past few growing seasons have been favourable in terms of pricing and production for most Riverine Plains grain farmers, drought is inevitable, and the next drought or dry time might only be around the corner.