WELCOME TO THE
WINTER 2019 EDITION OF
THE ESTIMATED RETURN PER HECTARE – FOR THE FARMER – ESTIMATED THROUGH TRIALS OF LOW LOSS CHOPPER DRUMS IN NSW, LAST SEASON.
PAGE 16
$225
THE YIELD GAIN (TONNES/
HECTARE) OBSERVED BY TONY BUGEJA WHEN COMPARING THE CANE UNDER HIS CENTRE PIVOT COMPARED TO WATER WINCHES AT THE CORNERS (Q240
APLANT CANE). PAGE 20
42
THE IMPROVEMENT IN CCS THROUGH PROPER TOPPING OF CANE AT HARVEST.
PAGE 14
0.6
Welcome to the Winter 2019 edition of CaneConnection. With the harvest getting underway, we have taken the opportunity to check in with some of the recent activity in improving harvesting efficiency through the SRA adoption team.
On page 14, you can read more on some of the stats on topping in relation to CCS and yield. We also visit the Woodburn Cane Harvesting Cooperative at Broadwater in NSW to look at trials they conducted in 2018 that compared low-loss after market chopper drums with conventional chopper drums.
Through that work, they have now decided to put the drums on both of their harvesters, which is being helped by an incentive through Sunshine Sugar to encourage adoption of this technology.
We also once again talk farming systems and soil health. This includes several growers involved in Project Uplift run by MSF Sugar, where the program is helping growers improve productivity and sustainability by adopting an improved farming system. We also talk with Mackay grower Ray Abela about a new precision air seeder that he is building, and Tweed grower Robert Quirk about his involvement in one of the projects within the Soil Health Program.
In this edition we also provide an update on yellow canopy syndrome, ratoon stunting disease, and enhanced efficiency fertilisers.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Pfeffer
Executive Manager, Communications
ISSN 2203-1111 (Print) ISSN 2203-112X (Online) © Copyright 2019 by Sugar Research Australia Limited. All rights reserved. No part of CaneConnection (this publication), may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Sugar Research Australia Limited. Sugar Research Australia Limited acknowledges and thanks its funding providers, including levy payers (sugarcane growers and millers), the Commonwealth Government, and the Queensland Government (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries). Disclaimer: In this disclaimer a reference to ‘SRA’, ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’ means Sugar Research Australia Limited and our directors, officers, agents and employees. Although we do our very best to present information that is correct and accurate, we make no warranties, guarantees or representations about the suitability, reliability, currency or accuracy of the information we present in this publication, for any purposes. Subject to any terms implied by law and which cannot be excluded, we accept no responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by you as a result of the use of, or reliance on, any materials and information appearing in this publication. You, the user, accept sole responsibility and risk associated with the use and results of the information appearing in this publication, and you agree that we will not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including through negligence) arising out of, or in connection with the use of this publication. We recommend that you contact our staff before acting on any information provided in this publication. Warning: Our tests, inspections and recommendations should not be relied on without further, independent inquiries. They may not be accurate, complete or applicable for your particular needs for many reasons, including (for example) SRA being unaware of other matters relevant to individual crops, the analysis of unrepresentative samples or the influence of environmental, managerial or other factors on production.
THE NUMBER OF YEARS FOR THE PAYBACK FOR ONE CASE STUDY SITE WHERE THE USE OF MICRO-GRIDS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY WERE INVESTIGATED AS PART OF AN SRA-FUNDED PROJECT. PAGE 18
10
THE RANGE OF POTENTIAL YIELD LOSS, AS A PERCENTAGE, FROM RATOON STUNTING DISEASE (RSD).
PAGE 12
5-60
(Cover page) SRA Adoption Officer Veronica Chapman in the field with the yellow canopy syndrome testing kit with Bundaberg Sugar Services Field Officer, Mike Turner.
Design: Catherine Jorissen, SRA.
Caneconnection is a registered trademark.
CONTENTS
3 BY THE NUMBERS
3 GET CLICKING AND WIN WITH SUGAR SNAPS
4 PEANUT VENTURE IMPROVES FARMING SYSTEM
6 NEW KIT TO HELP IDENTIFY YELLOW CANOPY SYNDROME 8 EEF60 – 60 FIELD TRIALS, REPEATED
OVER THREE YEARS
10 NEW LEGUME PLANTER TO HELP IMPROVE FARMING SYSTEM 12 NEW APPROACH TO IMPROVE RSD
DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT 14 TOPPING: NOT JUST FOR ICE-CREAM 15 NEW STAFF TO BOOST SRA
ADOPTION CAPACITY
16 SIDE-BY-SIDE TRIAL EXAMINES AFTER-MARKET CHOPPER SYSTEMS 18 IRRIGATORS MOVE TOWARDS PROFIT
AND SUSTAINABILITY 20 CENTRE PIVOT INVESTMENT
DELIVERING YIELD & COST SAVINGS 22 CONTROLLED TRAFFIC HELPING
IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH
24 MIXED SPECIES FALLOWS BEING PUT TO THE TEST
26 FROM UNKNOWN TO KNOWN – NEWLY IDENTIFIED SUGARCANE FUNGI
27 COMPACTION: WHAT’S IT DOING TO YOUR ROOTS?
28 POSITIVE PRACTICE CHANGE DOMINO EFFECT
30 SUGAR PLAYS IMPORTANT PART OF DIVERSITY MIX
32 TOTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT
BUDDING SUGARCANE INDUSTRY PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE INVITED TO SHARE THEIR BEST PICTURES AS PART OF A NEW COMPETITION SHOWCASING THE BEAUTY OF THE AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE INDUSTRY.
Both amateur and professional photographers are encouraged to submit their sugarcane industry photographs to the ‘Sugar Snaps’
competition, where they will have the chance to win prizes and see their work published in a 2020 shed calendar.
The purpose of this competition is to highlight pictures that illustrate the hard work, beauty, landscape and the contribution of the Australian sugarcane industry.
The 2020 shed calendar will be produced as part of a series of ‘RP161’ Nutrient Management projects which are currently being delivered in the Burdekin, Mackay Whitsunday and the Herbert regions.
The RP161 Nutrient Management projects are delivered by Farmacist, Mackay Area Productivity Services, and Herbert Cane Productivity Services Limited (HCPSL) and funded by the Queensland Government Reef Water Quality Program and Australian Government Reef Trust.
Entries close September 27, 2019. To submit your entry and for more information visit,
sugarresearch.com.au/sra-information/sugar-snaps/
GET CLICKING AND WIN WITH
BY THE NUMBERS
2 3
CaneCONNECTION /Winter 2019 CaneCONNECTION /Winter 2019
