Why 95% No-Till Adoption?
Presented in UK in March 2014
Bill Crabtree: Consultant, Morawa farmer, “No-Till Bill”, 29 years no-till work, author, conservationist, Int Ag tour leader (B.Ag.Sci., M.Sci.)
Twitter @NoTillBill www.no-till.com.au
Be encouraged to join Vic no-till, RR sends apologies
Our family farm in 1982
Least tillage improves structure most (Ag Dept - Merredin)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Ag
reg
gat
e st
abil
ity
(%) Zero
Direct
Reduced
Multiple
Mud usually sticks to the boot after rain - not anymore after 3 years of no-till
Jim Halford’s 20 years of no-tilled soil
60 years of tillage
3% OM 5% OM 6% OM
Soil biology
6 years with 85% wheat [2008-13] & 12% canolaExported 6.8 t/ha Wheat equivalents at 12% protein
198 kgN/ha
120 kg
126 kg
N Budget: Applied 110 kgN/haRemoved 6.8t = 138 kgN/haUnexplained = 28 kgN/haIncreased soil N of 100 kgN (from 50 to 150 kgN/ha)So 28 + 100 = 128 kgN/haSo 128/7 yrs = 18 kgN/ha/yr = 39 kg urea/ha/yr = $21/ha/yr at $550/t Times 2,800ha $60,060/yrSo far OC unchanged at 0.6%
2011 test
Adoption started due to erosion
• No-Till stopped erosion & softened soils• Darwin said “Earthworm is nature’s plough”• Water use efficiency improved• Farm management became efficient• Precision was more possible• Weed control was easier• It was an exciting revolution• It still is exciting – 20 years later!
Typical row width for wheat
25 cm
Trifluralin bandInter-rowFurrow
Weed seeds
Original surface
AtrazineMetribuzin Simazine
Herbicides applied IAS [Immediately After Sowing]
MetribuzinAtrazine Diuron + Simazine
Herbicides applied IBS [Immediately Before Sowing]
Bill Crabtree – no-till adoption in Australia
Bill Crabtree – no-till adoption in Australia
Bill Crabtree – no-till adoption in Australia
25 cm row spacing
Wet top 1 cm of soil Wet soil in furrow -away from evaporation
Rain drop on dry cut-away soil
Canola is seen in furrows at Meckering 12 hr after 4 mm of rain on dry topsoil.
Original soil
surface
Furrow Furrow
MoistureMoisture often comes up from below with no-till slots only
Wet subsoil from summer or autumn rain
dry soil dry soil
Finishing rainfall in furrow
No-Till brings out the best in soils
• The longer we no-till the better! – it’s like a good marriage!
• A deep richness and confidence develops• Soils become softer, absorbing & more resilient• Intense rain events are captured & converted• Timing improves, controlled traffic is logical• Dry sowing becomes possible/desirable• Biological activity is enhanced• Drought and floods are mitigated
Sow Harvest
Strive for good agronomy
• Excellent weed control & adequate pest control• Right nutrition – Liebergs law of the minimum• Most appropriate varietal choice• Strong disease control• A good start in life (placement/protection)• Excellent timing, assisted by the right;
– staff, machinery, maintenance, preparation, scale,controlled traffic, flexibility
• Ever improving soil quality
2012 dry-late start
Avoid herbicide complacency!
• Must be smart with herbicides• Use robust rates & rotate• Keep weeds off balance (timing, tools, new tech)• The best herbicide is a crop – it works 24/7• Dry sowing gives a jump start & diversity• Use good hygiene (clean seed, edges, timing)• Attack bad areas aggressively• 3 modes of action = resistance killer• EU & USA problems, while Canada is all good!
Main weed control tools in WA
1. chaff carts
2. windrow burning
3. canola in the rotation
4. hybrid canola vigour
5. use of Sakura and Boxer Gold
6. high rates of trifluralin
7. addition of triallate in the mixes
8. crop topping
Main weed control tools cont. 9. swathing
10. delayed sowing of the dirtiest paddocks
11. fallowing in the dry areas
12. weed seeker technology
13. double knock of glyp then SpraySeed
14. dry sowing
15. high seeding rates, split rows
16. Harrington Seed Destructor
Strong 2011 wheat crop – noticed poor areas though (acidity)
South American GM soya & no-tillage! – can canola compete
GM canola in 2011
Do we need GM crop protection technologies to remain competitive?
Use of GM corn in USA has been associated with sustained increases in
yield compared to that in non-GM Europe
Tony Fischer
Greenpeace cofounder
Dr Patrick Moore “The campaign of fear being waged
against GM is based largely on fantasy
and a complete lack of respect for science
and logic.” @EcoSenseNow
“We have recently advanced our knowledge of genetics to a point where we can manipulate life in a manner never intended by nature. We must proceed with the utmost caution in the application of this new technology”
Luther Burbank, noted US geneticist,
“We have recently advanced our knowledge of genetics to a point where we can manipulate life in a manner never intended by nature. We must proceed with the utmost caution in the application of this new technology”
Luther Burbank, noted US geneticist, 1909
ChromosomeChromosome
NucleusNucleus
DNADNA
GeneGene
CellCell
The biology behind GMOs
Teosinte Maize
Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of GeorgiaSlide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia
Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of GeorgiaSlide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia
Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of GeorgiaSlide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia
Wildcabbage
Kale, 500 BC
Cabbage, 100 AD
KohlrabiGermany, 100 AD
Cauliflower1400's Broccoli
Italy, 1500's
Brussel sproutsBelgium, 1700's
Slide courtesy Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia, 2005Slide courtesy Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia, 2005
Institute of Radiation Institute of Radiation BreedingBreedingIbaraki-ken, JAPAN Ibaraki-ken, JAPAN http://http://www.irb.affrc.go.jp/www.irb.affrc.go.jp/
100m 100m radiusradius
89 TBq89 TBqCo-60 Co-60
source at source at the centerthe centerShielding Shielding dike 8m dike 8m
highhigh
Gamma Field Gamma Field for radiation for radiation
breedingbreeding
Golden rice
2,000,000 people die each year from Vitamin A deficiency500,000 kids develop blindness per year caused by Vit A deficiency
Insertion of provitamin A synthesis genes into rice
Golden rice will bedistributed free
Currently still awaiting approval for release
Thanks for the invite
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