HiRES (High Rainfall, Rotations, Economics, Sustainability)

Output 1:

By 2025, and annually thereafter gather field data for sustainability and profitability assessment of different farming system scenarios suited to the HRZ of WA.

Small plot field trials will be designed to evaluate a range of potential rotational sequences of crop production (including rotations with a legume phase) and their time of sowing, in combination with appropriate crop fertilisation (particularly focussing on canola nutrition) and integrated disease management strategies. Provision has been made for an extended trial design phase given the additional complexity of evaluating the integrated disease management strategies in the project.

Trial design will include data collection necessary to assess both the sustainability and profitability of the various systems. The IDM strategies will include:

• Rotating varieties in the sequences evaluated

• Rotating crops in the sequences evaluated

• Stubble management strategies

• Managing green bridge

• Optimising plant health and nutrition

• Evaluating time of sowing impact

• Rotating and mixing fungicide modes of action

This design phase, subsequent trial implementation and execution is reliant on a multi-disciplinary approach that combines farming systems, agronomic and plant pathology expertise. The design phase will include a thorough determination of the type of data that will be needed to evaluate longer term profitability and sustainability of the rotational treatments that are assessed. A small management committee comprised of researchers involved in the project and external consulting agronomists will function for the duration of the project. Digital communication and field days will be included in the project to ensure adequate extension of knowledge gained. Trial site selection should be such that the risk of a complete loss of results in a given season, due to transient waterlogging, is mitigated. The fully phased field trials are anticipated to run for four winter cropping seasons.

Output 2:

By 2029, an assessment of the yield and sustainability impacts of the combinations of crop sequence, crop nutrition, and integrated disease management (IDM) strategies that were evaluated.

Annual yield results obtained from the combinations of crop type sequencing, nutrition and IDM strategies will be assessed in terms of their sustainability impact using the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) as a basis. This will include not only assessing the GHG emission impact of rotational systems assessed but also carefully evaluating the impact of disease control approaches.

Output 3:

By 2029, modelled medium to long term assessment of profitability and sustainability of crop production systems evaluated.

Modelling studies undertaken for various locations within the HRZ of WA using the small plot data gathered during the project to explore the impacts of environmental variability and implications for medium to long term profitability and sustainability of rotational sequences examined.

The modelling output will be used to assess both the profitability and sustainability of systems evaluated. These results will be extended to growers through multiple digital channels to enable them to make informed production decisions based on results obtained from sound statistical analysis.