Can systems performance be improved by modifying farming systems in Queensland?

Abstract

Farming systems are currently underperforming in terms of yield, due to challenges that include declines in soil fertility, herbicide resistant weeds and increasing soil pathogens. Farming system changes will have to be made to maintain and improve productivity into the future. In 2015 research began, supported by the Grains Research Development Corporation, with experiments established at seven locations throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales. These experiments will assess the impact of nine farming systems across numerous parameters, including system production and economics, resource use efficiency, pathogen loads/populations, weed populations and soil health. Interim results indicate that differences in cumulative yields and gross margins are mainly driven by crop choice. These results will be tracked over a five to 10 year timeframe, when systems performance will be evaluated against all parameters at the conclusion of the project in 2019. Ideally, the project will continue until 2024 to fully assess the expected long-term differences between the systems in the study.