No-till farming and the search for sustainability in dryland agriculture

Why 95% No-Till Adoption?

Presented in UK in March 2014

Bill Crabtree: Consultant, Morawa farmer, “No-Till Bill”, 29 years no-till work, author, conservationist, Int Ag tour leader (B.Ag.Sci., M.Sci.)

Twitter @NoTillBill www.no-till.com.au

Be encouraged to join Vic no-till, RR sends apologies

Our family farm in 1982

Least tillage improves structure most (Ag Dept - Merredin)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986

Ag

reg

gat

e st

abil

ity

(%) Zero

Direct

Reduced

Multiple

Mud usually sticks to the boot after rain - not anymore after 3 years of no-till

Jim Halford’s 20 years of no-tilled soil

60 years of tillage

3% OM 5% OM 6% OM

Soil biology

6 years with 85% wheat [2008-13] & 12% canolaExported 6.8 t/ha Wheat equivalents at 12% protein

198 kgN/ha

120 kg

126 kg

N Budget: Applied 110 kgN/haRemoved 6.8t = 138 kgN/haUnexplained = 28 kgN/haIncreased soil N of 100 kgN (from 50 to 150 kgN/ha)So 28 + 100 = 128 kgN/haSo 128/7 yrs = 18 kgN/ha/yr = 39 kg urea/ha/yr = $21/ha/yr at $550/t Times 2,800ha $60,060/yrSo far OC unchanged at 0.6%

2011 test

Adoption started due to erosion

• No-Till stopped erosion & softened soils• Darwin said “Earthworm is nature’s plough”• Water use efficiency improved• Farm management became efficient• Precision was more possible• Weed control was easier• It was an exciting revolution• It still is exciting – 20 years later!

Typical row width for wheat

25 cm

Trifluralin bandInter-rowFurrow

Weed seeds

Original surface

AtrazineMetribuzin Simazine

Herbicides applied IAS [Immediately After Sowing]

MetribuzinAtrazine Diuron + Simazine

Herbicides applied IBS [Immediately Before Sowing]

Bill Crabtree – no-till adoption in Australia

Bill Crabtree – no-till adoption in Australia

Bill Crabtree – no-till adoption in Australia

25 cm row spacing

Wet top 1 cm of soil Wet soil in furrow -away from evaporation

Rain drop on dry cut-away soil

Canola is seen in furrows at Meckering 12 hr after 4 mm of rain on dry topsoil.

Original soil

surface

Furrow Furrow

MoistureMoisture often comes up from below with no-till slots only

Wet subsoil from summer or autumn rain

dry soil dry soil

Finishing rainfall in furrow

No-Till brings out the best in soils

• The longer we no-till the better! – it’s like a good marriage!

• A deep richness and confidence develops• Soils become softer, absorbing & more resilient• Intense rain events are captured & converted• Timing improves, controlled traffic is logical• Dry sowing becomes possible/desirable• Biological activity is enhanced• Drought and floods are mitigated

Sow Harvest

Strive for good agronomy

• Excellent weed control & adequate pest control• Right nutrition – Liebergs law of the minimum• Most appropriate varietal choice• Strong disease control• A good start in life (placement/protection)• Excellent timing, assisted by the right;

– staff, machinery, maintenance, preparation, scale,controlled traffic, flexibility

• Ever improving soil quality

2012 dry-late start

Avoid herbicide complacency!

• Must be smart with herbicides• Use robust rates & rotate• Keep weeds off balance (timing, tools, new tech)• The best herbicide is a crop – it works 24/7• Dry sowing gives a jump start & diversity• Use good hygiene (clean seed, edges, timing)• Attack bad areas aggressively• 3 modes of action = resistance killer• EU & USA problems, while Canada is all good!

Main weed control tools in WA

1. chaff carts

2. windrow burning

3. canola in the rotation

4. hybrid canola vigour

5. use of Sakura and Boxer Gold

6. high rates of trifluralin

7. addition of triallate in the mixes

8. crop topping

Main weed control tools cont. 9. swathing

10. delayed sowing of the dirtiest paddocks

11. fallowing in the dry areas

12. weed seeker technology

13. double knock of glyp then SpraySeed

14. dry sowing

15. high seeding rates, split rows

16. Harrington Seed Destructor

Strong 2011 wheat crop – noticed poor areas though (acidity)

South American GM soya & no-tillage! – can canola compete

GM canola in 2011

Do we need GM crop protection technologies to remain competitive?

Use of GM corn in USA has been associated with sustained increases in

yield compared to that in non-GM Europe

Tony Fischer

Greenpeace cofounder

Dr Patrick Moore “The campaign of fear being waged

against GM is based largely on fantasy

and a complete lack of respect for science

and logic.” @EcoSenseNow

“We have recently advanced our knowledge of genetics to a point where we can manipulate life in a manner never intended by nature. We must proceed with the utmost caution in the application of this new technology”

Luther Burbank, noted US geneticist,

“We have recently advanced our knowledge of genetics to a point where we can manipulate life in a manner never intended by nature. We must proceed with the utmost caution in the application of this new technology”

Luther Burbank, noted US geneticist, 1909

ChromosomeChromosome

NucleusNucleus

DNADNA

GeneGene

CellCell

The biology behind GMOs

Teosinte Maize

Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of GeorgiaSlide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia

Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of GeorgiaSlide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia

Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of GeorgiaSlide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia

Wildcabbage

Kale, 500 BC

Cabbage, 100 AD

KohlrabiGermany, 100 AD

Cauliflower1400's Broccoli

Italy, 1500's

Brussel sproutsBelgium, 1700's

Slide courtesy Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia, 2005Slide courtesy Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia, 2005

Institute of Radiation Institute of Radiation BreedingBreedingIbaraki-ken, JAPAN Ibaraki-ken, JAPAN http://http://www.irb.affrc.go.jp/www.irb.affrc.go.jp/

100m 100m radiusradius

89 TBq89 TBqCo-60 Co-60

source at source at the centerthe centerShielding Shielding dike 8m dike 8m

highhigh

Gamma Field Gamma Field for radiation for radiation

breedingbreeding

Golden rice

2,000,000 people die each year from Vitamin A deficiency500,000 kids develop blindness per year caused by Vit A deficiency

Insertion of provitamin A synthesis genes into rice

Golden rice will bedistributed free

Currently still awaiting approval for release

Thanks for the invite