WITH sustainability and profitability at the forefront of any primary producer’s mind, determining how you can boost your soil biology to improve productivity and reduce costs could be the difference between success and failure.
A group of experts in soil health and agriculture will offer the latest in soil health science and how it can affect you as a producer, at the NQ Dry Tropics’ Soil Health Symposium, at the Ayr PCYC on Thursday, May 21, 2015.
Diana O’Donnell, NQ Dry Tropics Project Officer said they were excited to offer this opportunity for Burdekin graziers and farmers to access cutting edge soil health researchers who are working directly with landholders to determine how they can boost their soil biology to increase profitability .
“Throughout the day we will address how to practically apply this knowledge, and primary producers will be able to plan to adjust management strategies to improve soil health,” Ms O’Donnell said.
One of the key speakers will be Dr Ashley Martin, who focuses on delivering scientific, research-based information in a clear way that helps landholders to make practical decisions that improve soil health and productivity.
“As the Managing Director of Microbiology Laboratories Australia, I am dedicated to empowering farmers, agronomists, natural resource managers, fertiliser manufacturers and researchers to make better, more informed decisions about the management of soil, compost, plants, water and fertilisers, “ Dr Martin said.
He will be focusing on the role of soil microbes on farm, soil-plant-microbe relationships and the relationships of nutrients, structure and microbes in soil health.
Senior Soil Microbiologist Dr Nikki Seymour will also present on the correlation between soil health and profitability. She has over 27 years’ experience researching key issues relating to soil biological interactions with crop nutrition and/or crop disease in the northern grain-growing region of Australia.
“I have a particular interest in using beneficial microorganisms to improve broad-acre crop production, and have worked in both sugarcane and grazing,” Dr Seymour said.
Ms O’Donnell added that identifying the impacts of cropping management on soil microbial populations and understanding the biological suppression of plant diseases can have a significant positive impact on crop production.
As a lecturer in Microbiology at the Central Queensland University, Dr Sandrine Makeila will be bringing current research in soil microbial health, quantifying soil microbes and determining how populations are influenced by management practices.
Dr Makeila also brings experience in water, air, and soil quality testing and has expertise in microbiology, plant and soil health, grassland ecology and natural antimicrobials, making her a valuable asset to primary producers when seeking a whole-of-system approach to management.
Dedicated to educating the broader community of the benefits that farmers and the graziers add to the health of the planet, Mick Alexander combines an academic approach with practical application to get the most beneficial solutions on their family grazing enterprise in conversion to organics and rotational grazing.
“Skills including soil analysis (minerals and microbes), grazing management, dung beetles and carbon farming have been critical to our management strategies,” Mr Alexander said.
Mick brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, having delivered training to more than 4,000 landholders from Queensland and New South Wales over the past five years.
For more information, or to register, contact Diana O’Donnell on 07 4724 3A544 or email diana.odonnell@nqdrytropics.com.au.
The workshop commences at 9.00 am on 21 May at the Ayr PCYC and includes smoko and lunch. Catering cannot be guaranteed without prior registration.