Terrain NRM will be bringing innovative soil technology to the Wet Tropics region thanks to a new project through funding from the TNQ Drought Hub.
Agronomist Sally Fields said Terrain would create a demonstration site for the Soilkee Renovator on an Atherton Tablelands farm, and would thoroughly assess the seed planter's potential to improve pasture quality, fertility and resilience in the Wet Tropics.
She said project staff would also work closely with Victorian farmer Niels Olsen, who invented the Soilkee Renovator.
The specialist seed planter mulches strips of pasture and can sow a diverse mix of seasonal seeds and seed sizes with minimal paddock disturbance, creating a mass of plant roots for a range of benefits from increasing soil fertility and improving pasture to storing carbon at depth.
"This project is all about activating regenerative soil functions and fertility, increasing the soil's water-holding capacity and building stable soil carbon in pasture while eliminating the paddock downtime that's traditionally associated with pasture renovation,'' Ms Fields said.
"Precision planting of winter annuals into tropical grasses increases diversity and resilience in slow-growing periods.
"It also allows for slower rotation of cattle and gives graziers more options for stock movements and carrying capacity during the cooler months.
"And it can help to develop healthy soils, improving their capacity to retain moisture and activating the nutrient cycle."
The project includes monitoring to assess soil health and fertility, vegetation diversity and erosion control.
Terrain NRM plans to plant a demonstration site next April.
The Wet Tropics region's natural resource management organisation secured a share of $350,000 in funding from the Tropical North Queensland Drought Resilience Grant Scheme, designed to boost the agricultural sector's resilience against drought and climate variability.
Other projects look at bare soil rehabilitation (James Cook University), silvopastural systems (Gulf Savannah NRM) and satellite-based water analysis for drought planning (Southern Gulf NRM).
This grants scheme is supported by the TNQ Drought Hub, through funding from the Australian government's Future Drought Fund.
