WATERLOGGING. Some of us, south of Hamilton - suffer in sodden paddocks most years. It’s an ongoing issue but one that we have difficulty controlling. 

Short of adding drains or laser grading paddocks for run off, there is little we can do when mother nature is over generous with her rainfall.

Southern Farming Systems (SFS) held an information morning on August 22 on Waterlogging, Sowing Spring Crops and Pastures with SFS research and extension officer, Cameron Bar presenting an update on the climatic conditions so far this year.

Large rainfall in April and May made it difficult with Autumn pastures leading to some crop failures. Last year’s rainfall around Hamilton was very similar to the average.

This year the rain has fallen earlier with June receiving 102ml which is not far off the all-time record - which was 113ml back in June 2003. 

Waterlogging of soil has made it extremely difficult if not impossible for some farmers south of Hamilton to access their paddocks. Stock movements have been kept to a minimum.

So far, August has seen less than average rainfall - but the soil profile remains damp/wet to around a metre.

So, what can we control?

We can control what we sow. We choose a crop that fits in with our end goal - whether that is to harvest grain, legumes or fodder crops.

How do we choose what to sow?

We should choose varieties of crop that are compatible with the growing conditions we have and are expecting - comparing crop varieties at trial sites and gathering data on persistence, early or late maturing, yield etc.

The group discussion focused around when farmers are going to be able to access their paddocks for sowing - if that becomes an issue with continued delay; then do you change the variety of seed for something that matures earlier to fit with a similar to normal harvest time? Or, do you wait it out and hope for favourable conditions to harvest later? 

The discussion around the application of urea was interesting.

It is very difficult to get and currently with existing pastures sitting in waterlogged soils, the conditions are anaerobic for the plant roots, which inhibits the uptake of any nutritional supplements - so it’s not cost effective.

Greta Duff presented the three-year Spring Chickpea Trial results.

The Autumn sown chickpeas performed poorly while the Spring sown chickpeas yielded considerably better. Two different types of chickpea were trialed - Desi (smaller and slightly pinched appearance) and Kabuli (more rounded and larger) - yields are dependent on temperature to set flowers - so if there is not enough sunlight they will form empty flowers and not yield.

Chickpeas were found to be very sensitive to soil pH – preferring a pH of 6 and responding best in a sandy loam soil.

Establishment time is critical. The crop could generally tolerate patches of higher rainfall if the plant is well established - obviously some varieties performed better than others with ‘The Captain’ coming out well ahead of other varieties tested.

Please bear in mind, that the chickpea trials are in the early stages of data recording - so, although the information recorded at this point is very valuable, more data will need to be recorded to analyse if chickpeas will be a financially viable crop in these areas when compared to other grain/legume crops.

Agriculture Victoria’s Penny Riffkin presented on alternative legume and waterlogging trials.

When the roots of the plant are under-water, they are unable to take nutrient and oxygen in. The plant suffers but adding urea at this time will have minimal effect as the plant is unable to access it.

Canola is particularly affected by waterlogging - as are all crops - the big difference is in the stage of plant establishment or growth when the waterlogging occurs.

Alternative legumes trialed were soya beans - many varieties were trialed and there is a big range of maturity times.

Soil temperature is critical to germination rates and thus dictated sowing times. All the data gathered in these trials will eventually lead to genetically more resilient and more climatically suitable varieties being available.

We all want varieties of crops - whether that is grain, legume or fodder crops that will give us a more reliable yield in our conditions and soil types that we have minimal control over.

Great biomass - while great for fodder varieties does not always yield a desired outcome for grain harvest - like the chickpeas that flower with empty heads.

There is some interest in Industrial Hemp. There are multiple uses for the fibre, particularly in the construction and alternative plastic industry - but this in the early stages of development.

Jessie Wettenhall covered forage Brassica trials at Rokewood.

The ‘Sub Zero’ a quick maturing variety plot, was preferentially eaten out by the sheep in the first grazing. Some seed used in the trial is not commercially available yet. Trial plots were sprayed five times with insecticides - some with a withhold of only two weeks - but can we afford to spray a paddock five times, does that make the forage Brassica unviable?

SFS facilitator, Michelle McClure said feedback from farmers was crucial to the direction the trials take.

“We are here to try to help with planning crops and crop rotations,” she said.

“The data collected from the trials continue to inform farmers to help with future decision making.”

All the information relayed was of great interest - it created great discussion amongst the group attending.

At the end of the day - choices of what to crop will always be dictated by cost to sow, cost to maintain (insecticide and fungicides/herbicides) and the likelihood of good yields and good sale price.

Therein lies the gamble - we only have limited control.