Tactics to grow quality legume and pulse crops that boost profits, soil nitrogen levels and benefit future crops will be the focus of a series of free-of-charge technical workshops in South Australia and Victoria next month.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Boosting On Farm Nitrogen Fixation in Pulses pre-sowing workshops will feature leading researchers and cover topics including inoculation, nodulation and nitrogen fixation of crops such as chickpeas, lupins, lentils and faba beans.
Growers who attend will also take part in an interactive session to learn how to conduct nodulation assessments using supplied plant samples. The workshops will also explain the new DNA soil testing service PREDICTA® rNod which will help growers identify the need to inoculate pea, bean, lentil and vetch crops based on levels of suitable rhizobia in the soil. This test is available to South Australian and Victorian growers via PREDICTA® B accredited agronomists in 2021 and will be launched to growers nationally in 2022.
Researchers with Department of Primary Industries and Regions research division, South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Liz Farquharson and Ross Ballard, together with independent consultant Maarten Ryder, will discuss best practice inoculation methods, dry sowing and acid tolerance challenges and ways to optimise nodulation.
Each workshop will also feature a region-specific presentation from a local adviser on optimising pulse crop production covering chemical inputs, disease management, fertiliser, soil types and constraints.
The workshops will be held in the following locations:
- Clare – Thursday, March 4, 12-3pm at Clare Country Club (SA)
- Adelaide – Friday, March 5, 12-3pm at University of Adelaide Waite Campus, Urrbrae (SA)
- Murchison – Tuesday, March 9, 9am-12.30pm at Murchison East Hotel (Victoria)
- Pyramid Hill – Wednesday, March 10, 9-11.30am at Pyramid Hill Memorial Hall (Victoria)
- Lake Bolac – Thursday, March 11, 9-11.30am at Lake Bolac Football Club (Victoria).
All participants will receive copies of Inoculating Legumes: A Practical Guide and Inoculating Legumes: The Back Pocket Guide.
