Making use of the crop nutrition information available to you

Background

As part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) More Profit from Crop Nutrition (MPCN) extension and training for the southern region project (BWD00021), BCG, in conjunction with other grower groups has been hosting nutrition events across the southern region since 2012.

Many key nutrition areas are being investigated through the MPCN initiative, however there are a few immediate resources available to advisers to help with understanding nutrition and giving such advice.

Useful resources

• eXtension Aus – Crop Nutrition: Connecting the lab and the paddock in crop nutrition. Providing updates on the latest research, and articles focussing on strategic management of crop nutrition in the current season. @AuCropNutrition
• Extension Aus
• BFDC – Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping: Fertiliser decisions made by grain growers should all start with, and rely on, knowledge of the fertility status of paddocks. These decisions need to account for the nutrient requirements of plants for growth, nutrient availability in soils, and nutrient losses that can occur during crop growth (e.g. de-nitrification or erosion)
• The Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia (BFDC) provides the fertiliser industry, agency staff and agribusiness advisors with knowledge and resources to improve nutrient recommendations for optimising crop production. BFDC is recognised by the Fertiliser Industry Federation of Australia as the best available data for supporting the decision tools that fertiliser industry members use to formulate recommendations
• BFDC is supported by the GRDC and is led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries. NSW DPI is offering face-to-face training on using this database
• GRDC Nutrition Technical workshops
• Nutrition technical workshops are being held by AgCommunicators as part of the GRDC’s technical workshop projects. Multiple MPCN projects are being presented at these workshops. The upcoming workshops are on nitrogen cycling and trace element management and are being held in Bendigo, Ouyen and Murray Bridge
• MPCN – Extension and training for the Southern region
• Events and workshops will continue to be carried out by BCG and details of these events will be available on the BCG website, or will be promoted directly within the area that the event will be held with the help of local grower groups and advisors. This project will also be contributing to crop nutrition publications and extend timely articles and communications in various cropping publications throughout the region. For further information contact BCG (details below).