2015 IPM MasterClass Fluid Tour

USA and BRAZIL 

Including the Fluid Forum

February 2015
(12 to 14 days)

Owen McCarron will again lead the 2015 IPM MasterClass Fluid Tour to the USA and this year taking in Brazil. The Fluid Forum, in Scottsdale, Arizona, remains a focal point of the Tour as we introduce you to a network of growers, researchers and advisor's with leading practice and knowledge in crop nutrition and fluid fertilisers.

LEADING KNOWLEDGE NEXT PRACTICE
The tour takes in fluid fertiliser production facilities, meeting with innovative growers across the USA to discuss fluid fertiliser programs, and with further instruction from leading crop nutrition researchers in application and crop management. Proposed destinations in this tour include Kansas, Texas, and a very limited access tour to a new destination in Brazil.

LEADING RESEARCHERS
The program of visits is designed to improve skill and knowledge of growers, advisers and retailers incorporating fluid fertilisers in the production of crops and agronomy recommendations. Including the 2015 Fluid Forum, you will have the opportunity to discuss the latest research, developments and applications of using fluids in crop nutrition. This tour is a must if you use or are considering the use of fluid fertilisers and want to be at the leading edge of crop nutrition.

LEADING EDGE
For further information and Expression of Interest please contact:
Owen McCarron on 0419 006 100, owen.mccarron@connexusglobal.com
Darren Cribbes on 0400 600 556, darren @connexusglobal.com

From Owen McCarron:
Since 2009, many keen farmers, advisers and retailers have travelled with me to learn first hand about the use and application of fluid fertilisers in soils and crop management. As an integral part of the Tour we attend the Fluid Forum, an international conference specific to the use of liquid fertilisers in soils and crop management.

The tour is designed to rapidly increase farmers and advisers knowledge and skills in liquid nutrition bringing these advantages directly to their own operations and business’s.

In February 2015, I will again lead a group with proposed site visits to Kansas, California, Texas and Washington. As we become aware of important research and practice, destinations may alter prior to departure from Australia. We will visit various crops and soils types, and meet highly regarded researchers and farmers to discuss the very latest knowledge and its applicability to your operation.

I invite you to seriously consider attending with our group and I look forward to discussing details and your attendance.

N-RICH Strip, is there More?

Continuing to refine local nutrient recommendations is an ongoing task that growers and advisors undertake. An N-Rich strip used to visualise this is a simple and precise application of additional N to the crop enabling assessment of rates of application and consideration of value of further applications, and timing of those applications.

Meeting with a skilled colleague last week who puts considerable effort into test strips, we discussed the use of N, K and N+K Rich strips. In that district, crops are very K responsive hence the additional K-Rich Strips. The strips show continued responsiveness to K and further rate trials will assist in pinpointing crop requirements.

Pasture N - RICH ment

Reviewing the soil analysis results, micronutrients are generally low. In these mildly acid soils, pH 5.5 (water), we would expect the micronutrients to be generally available, however removal over time may not have been replaced.

The next steps are to consider applications of blends of micronutrients, and further individual micronutrients.

Assessment will require more detail, with whole plant tissue analysis suggested at specific growth stages, to measure and correlate application timing. Whole plant tissue analysis is an under utilised tool.

The same tissue analysis of harvested grain is also a very accurate means to measure nutrient removal. Correlated with yield, this further validates rates of nutrient application.

LANDCARE PRACTICE - AGROECOLOGY

Last month I discussed tree planting riparian buffers. I want to extend that topic to what I believe is the future of agriculture, both urban and more broadly, Agroecology.

Agroecology, is the bringing together of number of science disciplines to better understand the whole of eco-system. From a land manager’s perspective, many ecosystem values can be gained utilising the natural advantage of the whole system.

As a simple example, using our established Riparian Buffers and windbreaks, the next step is to consider the understory plantings to re-establish insect habitat.

We read daily about the peril of our bees and outbreaks of disease in crops. There are many more beneficial insects than pests and encouraging these beneficials is a big advantage:

Pollinator insects provide pollination services to about 80% of our food crops, and consider the many crops, vegetables, flowers, and fruit gardens we have in our region.

Insectariums, by encouraging a range of flowering plants to provide food for insects throughout the year, beneficial insects can provide a major role in insect pest reduction. Many wineries are already utilising insectariums.

This is not limited to riparian buffers or windbreaks, what about low growing ground covers along cropping paddock fence lines? Topic for another day.

Further reading: Fritjof Capra, 1997, The Web of Life, Harper Collins.

Get involved with local Landcare:

Darren Cribbes

http://northcentral.landcarevic.net.au/bald_hills_creswick