Improved crop establishment through technological innovation

Robert Pocock, Lampata Poll Merinos

Background
The project is trialling innovative precision seeding technology which uses a steerable drawbar and customised seed boot to precisely place the seed in the moisture zone alongside the previous year’s stubble row, while minimising stubble disturbance or blockage, thereby minimising soil erosion. The technology is a significant improvement on “current” ‘guidance technologies used by farmers which only ‘steer’ the tractor. This technology has only recently been developed and there is scope for broad adoption within the Mallee region.

The project directly addresses the need within the low rainfall, non-wetting, sandy soil cropping systems of the SA Mallee for alternative seeding technologies which allow for maximum farm business profitability and environmental sustainability.