{"id":8235,"date":"2023-07-06T01:02:28","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T01:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/nature-refuge-workshops-copy-copy-2\/"},"modified":"2023-07-14T05:21:12","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T05:21:12","slug":"fertiliser-sweet-spot-paul-marbelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/fertiliser-sweet-spot-paul-marbelli\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding the \u2018sweet spot\u2019 for fertiliser"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/rt4canerow.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]REPEATED TENDER CANE PROGRAM[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]FINDING THE ‘SWEET SPOT’ FOR FERTILISER[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1673847051407{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1689312068165{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Thirty-eight growers from Mareeba to Ingham have trialled changes to their cane-growing practices across 10,000 hectares of land to find the ‘sweet spot’ for productivity and sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n

Changes have ranged from using enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertiliser and applying fertiliser at variable rates to improving soil health through compost production, mill mud application and planting legumes fallow crops. They have also included upgrading soil and yield mapping to better understand each cane block.<\/p>\n

The Wet Tropics Reef Trust IV Repeated Tender program is funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Terrain NRM in partnership with Cairns Canegrowers, Herbert Cane Productivity Services and Tully Canegrowers.<\/p>\n

Hear from Ingham grower Paul Marbelli:<\/p>\n

Paul Marbelli \u2013 Ingham<\/strong><\/p>\n

Third-generation cane farmer Paul Marbelli describes the last three years as a \u2018learning curve\u2019. But he says they\u2019ve led to cost-savings and a much better understanding of what his soil needs across 200 hectares of diverse cane blocks.<\/p>\n

The Ingham grower reduced his inorganic nitrogen use to an average of 135 kilos per hectare over plant and ratoon cane with the \u201cpeace of mind\u201d that the Wet Tropics Reef Trust IV Repeated Tenders program was a financial buffer if he\u2019d dropped too far for his land and the seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably reduced it a little too much,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cNow I know how low I can go before starting to lose production when conditions are not as favourable, I\u2019m back around the 140 mark and following soil tests and the Six Easy Steps nutrient management program to the letter.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project also helped him to move into variable rate fertiliser application. \u201cGetting a rate control system fitted means we know more accurately how much fertiliser we are placing, so we can be more confident in reducing nitrogen.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, the Marbellis have focused more on their mill mud application.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur farms are close to the mill so we\u2019ve used a lot of mill by-products over the years. But previously we haven\u2019t reduced our fertiliser rates where we\u2019re using mill mud. Now we\u2019ve got more confidence to do that. With fertiliser prices doubling, there is plenty of incentive. There are huge cost savings in finding the balance between minimising impacts on the environment and maintaining a productive farming business.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Marbelli family\u2019s farms have creeks crossing through them that flow to the Herbert River. There are wetlands and sediment ponds on most of their properties.[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1688606010272{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1688606331908{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\u201cMost growers understand that water quality is a big issue,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cOur most coastal farm is about four kilometres from the ocean. It\u2019s part of our job to reduce impact where we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helping to reduce financial risks\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Trevor Parker says the Repeated Tenders program has helped growers to reduce the financial risk of determining optimal inorganic nitrogen application rates and, as a result, many farmers have made permanent changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the tropics, with our variable rainfall from season to season, timing fertiliser application and improving fertiliser efficiency to minimise nitrogen losses is a big challenge for the industry,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinancial support provided through the Repeated Tenders program gave growers the confidence to work out their sweet spot for nitrogen application and this has resulted in a collective reduction of 1000 tonnes, which is a good cost saving.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome found they\u2019d gone down too far in terms of its effect on yield, but then they readjusted to rates that were still below their old rates. Others experienced no yield changes. And some growers are now reporting yield increases.<\/p>\n

Matching fertiliser use more closely with crop needs<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been all about working with cane growers to match fertiliser use more closely with crop requirements, leading to the same or better yield and profitability results. A good thing about the program was that growers could choose what actions to take. They also had support from extension officers beyond their cane blocks – in things like improving record-keeping, becoming a BMP-accredited grower if they weren\u2019t already and developing a customised nutrient management plan.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/what-we-do\/biodiversity\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1682557110792{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

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