Investment

There have been many trials already done in the past in the Esperance Port Zone investigating summer cropping. However, with the increase in soil amelioration work in the region, growers are further interested in exploring options for using summer crops as a break crop (weed control) and to increase profitability in the higher rainfall areas. The high decile years can result in the biggest financial losses to cropping enterprises that have low lying areas exhibiting shallow duplex soil types along the coastal sandplain for around 150km to the east and west of the Esperance town site. Areas further inland also suffer from waterlogging where they are low-lying and form ponds in paddocks.
Therefore, the SEPWA trials committee is just as interested in the benefits of weed control by using summer crops. A summer crop may reduce the issue of waterlogging in mildly wet years, but generally the consensus among most growers on the committee was that it only impacted around 20cm of the soil profile and was often more trouble than it was worth. However, growers who also have livestock may find more financial benefit and this will also be documented as part of the project.