Sowing strategies to improve productivity on sandy mallee soils

Trials in the Mallee have highlighted the benefits of strong early crop establishment and nutrition, particularly on sands. Non-wetting (or water repellent) sands have presented additional challenges. Global Positional System (GPS) guided seeding is increasingly common and presents the opportunity for strategic placement of seed in relation to last season’s crop rows. Trials have been established at Karoonda and Loxton to examine when and where on-row (or near-on-row) seeding may have benefits over inter-row seeding in stubble-retained systems.