Welcome to the Rice Extension CIA Focus Site at Justin Sutherland's in Coleambally!
The CIA Focus Site was established in the spring of 2023, and two similar paddocks underwent various management practices.
𝗖𝗬𝟮𝟱 𝗞𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗢𝗙𝗙
Critical Decisions from the CIA Focus Site Reference Group Meeting - 4th September 2024
4th Year Rice: The group has decided to continue rice cultivation into the 4th year out of a 5-year rotation.
Paddock Preparations: South Paddock: The CY24 beds will be tilled using a speed tiller. Pros: This method effectively knocks out hard wheel tracks and improves soot coverage for better chemical application. Cons: The process is time intensive. North Paddock: The CY24 flat land will be converted to beds and will feature automation for enhanced efficiency.
Sowing Date: All rice sowing is scheduled to be completed by the end of the first week of October, specifically by the 5th.
Fertiliser Application: A decision was made to apply Granulock Z at 200kg/ha for optimal growth.
Weed Management: The team agreed on using a knockdown with a 3-way mix, followed by applying Agixa to manage weeds effectively.
Collaboration & Peer Review: Growers involved in the reference group say that "the decision-making process is great because it involves a discussion with growers in your area." "The collaboration and peer review gives a new perspective that one grower may not have considered."
Closing out the CY24 season.
The CIA reference group, with its excellent attendance and in-depth discussions about CY24 production & economic performance, has significantly influenced potential improvements for the upcoming CY25 season. The farm owner and reference group members deliberated these practices to meet the target yield.
The subsequent diagram illustrates the sequence of events for STANDARD and FOCUS paddocks during CY24.
The aim is to reach PI by early January and a yield target of 13t/ha.
The primary differences between the paddocks included soil amelioration (VR lime), bed layouts, and the application of AGIXA via drone in the FOCUS paddock. These decisions were predominantly discussed in Reference Group meetings throughout the season. Regarding production and economic performance, both paddocks faced challenges, with an average yield of 10.3 t/ha (variability across bottom bays pulled the average down) and grain moisture differences due to different harvest conditions (before and after rain). Despite these challenges, the gross margins were in line with farmer expectations.
