NGN - Impact of stripper front and straw length on harvest efficiency, summer weed control, soil moisture retention and pest populations in the Upper Eyre Peninsula

Growers are seeking to better understand which components are key to managing the system and what some of the potential trade-offs might be around transitioning to a strip and disc system in local soils which include large areas of alkaline and sandy soils. It was hypothesised that the use of strip and disc systems (which reduce evaporation), may contribute to significant yield improvements in years with summer and early autumn rain.Growers believed there were opportunities for strip and disc systems to minimise soil disturbance, conserve more soil moisture, improve logistics (particularly speed of operations), and potentially improve yields. However, some of the challenges such as the impact of high stubble on summer spray efficacy, an improved pest habitat for snails, mice, and weeds, extra investment into machinery, differing herbicide options for discs with differing amounts of soil throw and integration of livestock, needed further investigation.