Information
The Cane Growers Quarterly Bulletin - Normal Cultivation plus Bean
Level 1 General Description
Purpose
This trial was set out to evaluate different practices which may reduce erosion without affecting crop yield.
Method
Four different cultivation practices were trialled to determine the difference in soil loss. The 4 different mangament practices evaluated were as follows:
- Normal cultivation was conducted and then Caloona pea was broadcast and lightly disced in. This was done in an attempt to produce a dense mat of vegetation cover in the interspace.
- This trial consisted of a light grubbing with mid mounted equipment only once prior to fertiliser placement. This is the normal cultivation technique for sloping blocks on the farm the trials were carried out on.
- Trash was raked and burnt and interspaces were rotary hoed. Fertiliser was then applied beneath the ground.
- Trash blanket trial burnt and left the tops of the leaves on the ground where they fell from the harvester. The soil was not cultivated in any way. The fertiliser was dropped on top of the cane stool using a chain driven fertiliser.
The trial was conducted at the Goondi mill area during September 1980. Pegs were hammered into adjacent drills and readings were taken across the space in between to enable a cross section profile.
Bin weights were taken after the harvest in 1980 and 1981.
Key Findings
There were significant differences in soil loss among the management practices trialed. The trash blanket was most effective at reducing soil loss.