Communities in Transition
for Queensland Communities
Indigenous Artist - Roel Wijnants | https://flic.kr/p/PYTzL
Lychees - CSIRO - Science Image - 2309
Lichen & street scene - Quest Media
Improving soil fertility and structure
Quick Links
Alliances
Composting
Applications of manures
Application of biosolids
Application of biofertilisers
Application of biochar
Cover crops
Crop rotation
Alliances
Centre for Recycling of Organic Waste and Nutrients, University of Queensland
The Centre for Recycling of Organic Waste and Nutrients (CROWN) was established in late 2017 as part of the University’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, enabled by seed funding from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science. The establishment of CROWN was prompted by the push to reduce and divert organic waste from landfill into agriculture and horticulture, the drive to find ways of value adding animal manures and reducing nitrogen losses in the manure supply chain, and the desire to improve resource use efficiency, maintain agricultural productivity, reduce negative environmental impacts and move towards a circular economy for organics.
Projects:
Utilising organic residues on Moreton Bay Islands for environmental, community and economic gain
Assessing the benefits of urban derived compost and custom blended fertiliser in intensive horticulture
Developing the Circular Economy for Organics on the Sunshine Coast
Next generation fertilizer project endorsed by industry and government, 2018, University of Queensland
A UQ School of Agriculture and Food Sciences PHD student will investigate repurposing organic wastes such as livestock manure, biosolids and cotton gin trash as economically and environmentally efficient alternatives to commercial fertilizers.
Composting
Australian Organics Recycling Association Resources
Markets
Compost directory
Composting Products
Biochar or Compost?
General
Compost 101
Composting Process
Compost Characteristics
Guide your Compost Application
Organic growing and the role of compost
Safe compost for fruit and vegetables A guide for the supply of recycled organics to fresh produce growers
Using compost safely A guide for the use of recycled organics in horticulture
Vegetables
Compost and Commercial Vegetable Production
Cost Benefit Trial of Using Compost in Vegetable Growing
Applying your compost – planning and preparation
Compost and Managing Salinity on the Northern Adelaide Plains
Board acre -
How can compost benefit my crop?
Compost - adding value for pasture production
Orchards -
Compost for solving soil problems - Pear and Apple
Compost for orchard establishment - Pear and Apple
Compost for solving soil problems - Pear and Apple
Compost in citrus
Developing an IPM system for citrus thrips with production and environmental benefits - Citus
Vineyards -
Compost for Managing Salinity
Compost for Vineyard Renovation
Compost for Vineyard Establishment
Compost and Nutrients
Compost and Straw Mulches
Organic Matter for Water Saving
What is compost worth? Using compost in Australian vegetable systems , Horticulture Innovation Australia
Compost for Vegetable Growers: What is Compost? , Vic Department of Primary Industries
Compost for Vegetable Growers: Why Use Compost?, Vic Department of Primary Industries
Compost for Vegetable Growers: Getting Started, Vic Department of Primary Industries
Compost for Vegetable Growers: Choosing a Supplier, Vic Department of Primary Industries
Compost for Vegetable Growers: Using Compost, Vic Department of Primary Industries
Compost use in agriculture, 2016, Organic Farm Systems
Case studies
Three Vital Practice Changes at Rob Hinrichsen’s Kalfresh, Qld, Hort Innovation
Six years ago, Rob Hinrichsen and his team at Kalfresh decided to focus on four key practices – controlled traffic, cover crops, soil biology and compost – to improve the soil health across their farms. This case study provides insights into some of the main changes involving controlled traffic, cover crops and compost at the Kalfresh demonstration site in Queensland.
Milgadara - Putting life back into soil with humus compost, Young, NSW, Soils for Life
Development and application of humus compost, Focus on soil structure, biology and mineral balance, Legume under-sowing of crops, Restored soil health, Increased wool staple strength and lambing percentages of up to 150%, Increased crop yields with reduced inputs; pest and disease free, Established compost business with client base of over 2000
Australian Organics Recycling Association Resources Case studies
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Vineyards
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Horticulture
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Organic farms
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Vegetable Production
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Dairy - Broadacre crops
Chicken Litter As Fertiliser For Broadacre Grain Crops, Grains Research and Development Corporation
Findings of research projects examining the use of chicken litter as a broadacre crop fertiliser in South Australia. The project aimed to address frequently asked questions posed by broadacre users of chicken litter, and provide practical information on its use. Findings from the projects have been used to develop this guide for grain producers considering chicken litter as an alternative fertiliser.
The effect of custom made composts on the performance of a carrot crop and soil health, Hort Innovation
A large-scale compost trial was conducted with Center West Export (CWE) and C-Wise in the Gingin area of Western Australia (WA). The focus was on disease suppression, mainly cavity spot, and maintaining organic carbon and structure in intensively cropped, sandy soils.
Soil and plant health benefits from using compost: A long-term case study on Baldivis Farms, WA, Hort Innovation
This case study provides a unique long-term grower perspective on using compost on a commercial vegetable farm.
Media
2017
Recycled organic compost a boon to beef grazing pastures, Farm Online National
2018
Murgon producer Jason Reimers uses unused pig waste to create high yielding compost, Queensland Country Life
How one family uses biodynamic farming to rejuvenate weathered Australian soil, ABC News
Legislation amended to allow farmers to legally manufacture organic composts on-farms, The Weekly Times
QFF welcomes farm compost exemption, Queensland Farmers Federation
Application of manure
Manure management on small properties, WA Government
Utilisation of manure, compost and effluent in Beef cattle feedlots: waste management and utilisation, Meat and Livestock Association
Use of Poultry Litter, Manure and Feed in Livestock Systems, Vic Government
Getting the best value from manure nutrients, Pork Australia
Business case for investment in subsoil modification in the high rainfall zone of South west Victoria, Southern Farming Systems
Subsoil manuring is a practice that involves the incorporation of high rates of a fertile organic amendment into the subsoil layer in order to overcome soil constraints to production. A decade of research on hostile soils in the southern high rainfall zone has verified that this technology is capable of significantly and semi-permanently improving soil chemical, physical and biological properties and significantly increasing plant yields and biomass production.
Case studies
Improving soil health using compost manure, Darling Downs, Qld Cotton Info
Cotton grower, John Cameron, has been using composted feedlot manure for many years and believes this organic soil amendment plays an important role in maintaining the long term sustainability and profitability of his farming operation.
Freckle Farm, Pioneer Valley, N Qld
Freckle Farm in (265ha) vision is for a sustainable, local food production system which does not rely on artificial inputs, and aids in the recovery of the environment and the local community. They have introduced cattle, pigs and chickens over the past six years to start the process of regenerating the landscape and repairing the soils. All of the animals graze on our natural pastures, spreading manure and incorporating organic matter into the soil.Field Days held throughout the year.
Trials and Demonstrations Update, Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Incorporated
Blending agroforestry, poultry manure and biochar to develop fertiliser and soil carbon for broadacre farms – Living Farm Results Report
Media
Could organic compost help save the Great Barrier Reef?, AgrInnovators
Chicken manure to boost Wheatbelt crops, Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Incorporated
Application of biosolids
Biosolids Snapshot, 2012, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
General beneficial use approval for Biosolids, 2016, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
This general beneficial use approval (BUA) states the conditions for using biosolids for certain beneficial uses. It supports the vision of Queensland’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Productivity Strategy (2014-2024), for Queensland to become a national leader in avoiding unnecessary consumption and waste generation by adopting innovative resource recovery approaches and managing all products and materials as valuable and finite resources.
Case studies
Pasture Productivity using Biosolids on a Light Sandy Soil Mornington Peninsula ,2017, Western Port Catchment Landcare Network
Three-year demonstration trial to assess how the use of biosolids could improve the fertility, soil structure, and hence pasture production on a Mornington Peninsula property with a sandy textured soil.
Demonstrating sustainability of recurrent biosolids applications in the Port Philip and Western Port Region Bald Hill Farm - Pakenham, 2018, Western Port Catchment Landcare Network
Western Port Catchment Landcare Network (WPCLN), in collaboration with South East Water and Cleanaway, set up a long-term demonstration site at Bald Hill Farm (Dryland paddock) near Pakenham (Figure 1) in 2015 to evaluate potential nutrient and trace metal build up in soils due to repeated biosolid application into agricultural lands.
Biosolids in a real farm situation, AWA
Media
Treated sewage product biosolids gives Darling Downs cropping land valuable boost, ABC News
Rocket fuel: Sydney solids the country's golden manure, Sydney Morning Herald
How human waste is helping Aussie farmers get the best out of their land, ABC News
Biosolids: Sydney sewage turned organic fertiliser improves NSW drought-hit soil, ABC News
Applications of biofertilisers
Case studies
Clover Estate - Turning sand into fertile soil, Mount Gambier, SA, Soils for Life
Soil treatments were applied with the objective of addressing mineral balance, improve soil biological processes and overall soil fertility specific to paddock soil test results. The key ingredients are residue-digesting fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.The minerals included a carbon, humic base to stimulate soil biological processes and organic matter building activity. The resulting brew is applied to the paddocks yearly at 50 litres a hectare. In addition to soil building programs, a range of bio-fertilisers, such as foliar and fertigated (application through an irrigation system) mineral, microbial, kelp, fish, humic and fulvic fertilisers have been applied over the past 15 years. Leaf tests are taken to identify lacking nutrition, enabling application of nutrients to address imbalance in plants.
Stock output increased by 33%, 25% reduction in irrigation used per animal weight produced, Infertile sand converted into fertile dark soils showing organic matter down to 60cm.
Sugar cane biofertilizer transitional program
Incremental synthetic nitrogen reduction: 140 unitsa to 70 units: Yields - 70 (2014) to 90 t/Ha (2016) - all nutrients manufactured and applied on farm.
Citrus production using mashums method
The 'MasHumus method empowers farmers by teaching them how to make and use their own inputs e.g. phosphito - A water-soluble form of phosphorus that is suitable for plant intake, Biofertiliser - A microbial brew made from locally sourced materials, which fertilises plants with a full range of biologically active minerals, Soluble lime sulphur - A plant and soil friendly application for preventing fungal infections and pest infestations, Microbes - Beneficial organisms made on-farm for increased plant nutrition and protection., Chromatography - A cheap (less than $3 per test) and easy way to make a qualitative assessment of soil, compost, crop or biofertiliser.
Media
Macadamia nut industry developing harvest case studies to help lift productivity, ABC News
North Queensland farmers brew their own biofertiliser, NQ Dry Tropics
Biochar
Biochar is charcoal used as a soil amendment made from biomass via pyrolysis
The Australia New Zealand Biochar Conference 2017 Conference Proceedings, 2017
The papers and summaries in this proceedings benchmark the current state of play of the Australia New Zealand biochar industry in 2017 from the perspective of scientists, manufacturers, marketers and end users.
Biochar or Compost? Australian Organics Recycling Association
Both biochar and compost have high contents of stable carbon components and can be incorporated into the soil to improve soil health. However, there are some major differences between the two products as biochar and compost are made in different ways and in many cases have different effects on the soil when incorporated.
Case studies
Chandala Poultry – Power from poultry waste Energy Farmers Australia
Chandala Poultry from Gingin, Western Australia is designing a system that will recover the energy from the chicken litter (manure and bedding) that the farm produces and use it to meet the farms onsite requirements (Biochar)
Rainbow Bee Eater converts wheat straw to gas fuel, Biomas Producer
New technology that converts wheat straw and other agricultural residues to high quality gas and biochar through the process of pyrolysis (heating with low oxygen levels).
Trials and Demonstrations Update, Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Incorporated
Blending agroforestry, poultry manure and biochar to develop fertiliser and soil carbon for broadacre farms – Living Farm Results Report
Cover crops & polyculture cropping
Growing of beneficial plants during these times of rest or in combination with the primary crop rather than planting the same monocrop in one location year after year.
Growers share their cover cropping strategies, CottonInfo
In 2018, the CottonInfo REOs went on farm with cotton growers across their valleys to investigate how they include cover crops in their farming systems, and the benefits they get from doing so.
Koo Wee Rup Demonstration Site: Practice Change, Vic, Hort Innovation
This case study provides an overview and lessons learnt from trialling different cover crops at the demonstration site in Cora Lynn, Victoria.
Mt Barker Demonstration Site: Practice Change, SA, Hort Innovation
This case study presents insights and lessons from trialling different cover crops and IPM at the Eastbrook Vegetable Farms demonstration site in Mt Barker in South Australia.
Crop rotation
Smart rotations: farming systems for the future, Ted Wolfe and Peter Cregan, Charles Sturt University
A brief history of research on crop and pasture rotations, an outline of the potential benefits from pasture-crop and crop-crop combinations, a consideration of both pasture leys and crop sequences, an assessment of on-farm practices in relation to scientific research findings, and comments on the strategic and tactical options for the future.
Case studies
Inveraray Downs - Higher quality food through regenerated soils and reduced inputs, Spring Ridge, NSW
Changing crop rotation to better support soil biology, Changing from inorganic to organic fertilisers, Application of compost fertiliser to increase soil organic matter, Integrating grazing with cropping, Regeneration of soil and nutrient dynamics, Improved crop quality, increased weight and more even yields across the property, Reduced input costs, Additional revenue from compost sale and cattle agistment.
Media
Crop rotation – a vital component of organic farming, Permaculture Research Institute
