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Welcome to the Rice Extension MIA Focus Site at Patrick Sergi's at Murrami!
The MIA Focus Site was established in the spring of 2023, where two similar paddocks underwent a variety of management practices. ย
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Meeting Overview - Monday 9th September 2024
Introductions and Welcome
- The meeting opened with introductions and a discussion on the upcoming sowing season. Focus site plans for this year aim to assess whole paddock performance, concentrating on profitability, yield, water, and nutrient efficiency. The group will use tools and collaboration to make informed decisions, exploring various aspects such as differences in establishment, PI (panicle initiation), and drainage times.
- The MIA site remains non-automated, while the active enzyme discussion revolved around its role at seed formation or when seeds emerge from the ground.
Grower Updates
Each grower provided updates on:
- Planned Hectares: Overview of hectares planned for rice production this season.
- Ground Preparation: Completed and upcoming preparations, including soil testing, use of ameliorants, and paddock history.
- Sowing Methods: Preferences for drill or aerial sowing.
- Soil Testing: Status of soil tests and findings, such as pH levels and phosphorus (P) content.
- Nutrient Management: Rates and timing of fertilisers like lime, urea, and phosphorus.
- Chemical Usage: Planned herbicides for weed control.
- Water Management: Strategies, including automation and planned flushes.
- Yield Targets: Yield goals, sowing dates, and comparisons between different strategies.
Patrickโs Paddocks: Detailed paddock history with lime applications, pH readings, and yield comparisons. For Paddock 19, they plan to maintain phosphorus levels at an average of 80 and aim for a 15t yield, with careful nutrient management to avoid excessive phosphorus. For Paddock 6, the goal is to reach a 15t yield using lime in low areas to amend the soil and balance nutrient applications.
Group Discussions
Group 1:
- Paddock 19: Target yield is 15t, with panicle initiation (PI) scheduled for early January. They plan to sow on October 15 with a 125kg seed rate. Soil amelioration involves 3t of lime, and water management includes extra flushes for improved nitrogen uptake.
Group 2:
- Paddock 6: The target yield is 15.5t, with PI also set for January 5. Sowing is planned for the first week of October using a 140kg seed rate. They will use variable rate lime and single super phosphate based on soil maps to ensure efficient nutrient distribution.
The group discussions emphasised:
- The importance of balancing phosphorus to avoid tying up other nutrients like zinc.
- The debate over the efficiency of cultivating versus direct drilling.
- Preparation strategies include shallow bedding and rollingย while discussing economic comparisons between water use and tractor operations for paddock prep.
Concluding Thoughts: Growers are keen to push the boundaries with their practices to maximize yield. Their focus remains on meticulous ground preparation, correct nutrient timing, and effective water management to achieve high productivity goals for the upcoming season.
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Closing out the CY24 Seasonย
The MIA Focus Site reference group invited new members to meet to analyse last season's (CY24) production and economic performance.
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, aiming to reach PI by early January and a yield target of 15t/ha.
MIA Focus Site CY24 management timeline
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Regarding production performance, the STANDARD paddock averaged 14.9 t/ha, while the FOCUS paddock yielded 16.09 t/ha.
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In summary, both paddocks exceeded the MIA and regional averages. The grain moisture content was 20.5% for the STANDARD paddock and 19% for the FOCUS paddock. PV Quality was recorded at 8.4 for the STANDARD paddock and 8.0 for the FOCUS paddock.
Water usage was 10 ML for the STANDARD paddock and 11.35 ML for the FOCUS paddock, closely aligning with the rice industryโs target of 1.5 t/ML. Regarding nitrogen efficiency, the higher yield in the FOCUS paddock resulted in greater efficiency at 14.7 kg N/t compared to the STANDARD paddock.
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