Fertiliser – soil and crop nutrition – decisions are not always difficult?
Owen McCarron IPM MasterClass

With the likelihood of good yields in 2010/11 and substantial nutrient removal off the farm what needs to be done and who do you listen to for fertiliser advice for 2011? 

Over the next few editions of the VNTFA journal I will challenge the readers and provoke thought and discussion about these issues as well as: 

• Macro elements – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur
• Trace elements – zinc, copper, manganese, other
• Liquid (fluid) and or granular forms
• Nutrient forms
• Conventional and or organic/biological fertilisers
• Analytical tools – soil, plant or grain testing

Recent research into analytical testing and its real value by Professor Patrick Brown of UC Davis in California is enlightening and challenging the approach to crop nutrition input decision of farmers and recommendations from advisers. 

If you would like the complete article visit www.ipmmasterclass.com and register for access to the knowledge base

conNEXUS global

USA Fluid Fertiliser Education Tour

17th February - 1st March, 2011

conNEXUS global hosts the 2011 USA Fluid Fertiliser Education Tour incorporating Fluid Forum, Scottsdale AZ.

The tour will take in fluid fertiliser production facilities, innovative growers deploying fluid programs and instructions from leading crop nutrition Researchers in application and crop management.

The program has been designed to improve skill and knowledge of growers, Advisers and retailers incorporating fluid (liquid) fertilisers in the production of crops or Agronomy recommendations. Including the 2011 Fluid Forum you will have the opportunity to hear the latest research and developments in crop nutrition.  This tour is a must if you are using or considering the use of fluid fertilisers or want to learn more about crop nutrition.

For detailed information on the 2011 tour click on this link USA Crop Nutrition Tour Feb 2011

Please do not hesitate to call me at anytime if you have any questions or would like to discuss the tour further.

Owen McCarron 0419006100

OUTLOOK 2011 CONFERENCE – CANBERRA: tUES 1 & WED 2 MARCH 2011

For insight and understanding of Australia’s economic outlook across the agriculture, natural resources, trade, commodity and climate sectors, the annual national Outlook conference is the premier event for industry.  Over two days, 20 sessions and more than 70 speakers, Outlook provides unrivalled access to economic data, international and nationally recognised speakers, and is attended by industry decision makers.

At Outlook, ABARES releases year ahead and five year forecasts for Australia’s major export commodities with the key commodity sessions debating sector trends. Forecasts are available in the March edition of the quarterly Australian commodities publication.  Outlook 2011 is on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March in Canberra, the 41^st conference for the bureau.

For further information please contact the Marketing & Events Manager or visit the Summit Website.

IPM MasterClass Nutrition Series

Victorian Liquid Fertiliser Forum

1^st February 2011

Horsham, Victoria

Keynote Speaker – Professor Mike McLaughlin Adelaide University and CSIRO

The Victorian Liquid Fertiliser Forum is an education resource connecting research, on farm application, and knowledge of liquid fertiliser and crop nutrition.

The 2011 Victorian Liquid Fertiliser Forum will be held on the 1^st February 2011, at Sylvania Park, 808 East Rd, Wimmera (Horsham), Victoria

 

Keynote address

Prof. Mike McLaughlin of Adelaide University and CSIRO, world renowned soil scientist, will open the Forum with a keynote presentation.  Mike will discuss the future of crop nutrition in Australia and sustainable farming as well as the value of fluid fertiliser in Australian production systems.  

Key instructors

Participants will hear from leading Australian researchers into liquid fertilisers.  Included are presentations on the roles and functions of critical crop nutrients; a 10 year grower case study and how growers and advisers are working through the decision to put into practice the use of liquid fertilisers. 

• Therese McBeath Ph D,  Adelaide University – Liquid Phosphorus – Soil, Foliar, Chemistry and Formulation selection
• Bob Holloway Ph D, retired - Review & Vision - Liquid Fertiliser Research in Australia
• Andrew Longmire farmer Salmon Gums WA – Liquid P – A 10 year case study
• David Pfeiffer Synergy Consulting WA – Liquid Nitrogen - The business decision to change
• Glenn McDonald Ph D, Adelaide University – Plant Physiology - How nutrients work Zinc, Manganese and Copper

Education Value

Significant information will be provided through the Forum to allow growers to consider using or conducting on-farm trials to evaluate liquid fertilisers for their farming operation prior to the 2011 cropping season.

Location and Times

Sylvania Park, 808 East Rd, Wimmera (Horsham), Victoria

Date:               1^st February 2011

Registration:     9AM

Finish:               3.30PM

VNTFA Members           $75 ex GST

Non VNTF Members     $95 ex GST

To register click Event Registration - VLFF0211

Is IPM really working?

No, not yet.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is not a new approach to an old problem. IPM has been practiced since agriculture began. Observation of what was occurring in the crop and the environment, and the farmer trying to modify the environment to support a reduction in whatever risk is present.  Quite sophisticated really, observation and modification, development of knowledge, and more observation.

IPM appears to have taken on a simpler view in recent years, being dominated by insect pests as the primary theme of IPM and its implementation. I don’t agree with this simplification and I argue for a broader platform to be presented, taking into account the complete system, of crop and specific varieties, local environment, soils, plants, weather and climate, growth stage, landscape and cultural practices to include only a few aspects.  IPM cannot be well served by reductionist science or economic rationalists. Real IPM will only flourish when a more complex systems approach is developed and growers are skilled to actively participate in contributing to knowledge delivered into the system. I call this Real IPM.

Yes, the science needs to continue, and there is a wonderful array of sophisticated and relevant research occurring internationally. But only a few thinkers are connecting all the pieces of the puzzle together.

I will note the writing of Fritjof Capra, The Web Of Life. Not an agricultural treatise by any measure, but a whole of biology message well suited to farmers wanting to change their thinking on farm management. Real IPM isn’t about a balance of chemical and cultural practices, its about the living system, and the very small changes that can be utilised to modify an environment to exclude a pest. Real IPM is landscape scale, not an insect on a leaf scale.

We have presented the Nutrient Series as part of the IPM MasterClass, and guests have asked what nutrition has got to do with IPM. Is the answer  . . . lots . . . adequate? If a plant is deficient in a nutrient it is already losing productivity as it cannot function to its biological potential. It is more vulnerable to insect, disease and weather stresses. I include nutrition in Real IPM as an inexpensive, easily managed component of the farming and crop system. Aspects mentioned above are similar.

Whilst working internationally, I had significant problems with a number of species of white grub producing beetles. Observation and other knowledge tools helped me find it was a common flowering hibiscus that was providing habitat for these pests. By replacing the hibiscus with indigenous plants, reduction of beetles was immediate, to levels below economic damage thresholds. Similar research is occurring at the landscape level here in Australia. It is occurring in soil health also. Let’s work to seeing these aspects added into the mix for Real IPM.

Darren Cribbes