'Ripper Gauge' Demonstration Sites in the Western Region

OUTCOME

Growers in each port zone will use the demonstration sites to increase knowledge and adoption of deep ripping and controlled traffic farming used for alleviating non-wetting soils, compaction and waterlogging on their particular soil types and farming systems.

OUTPUTS

1. ‘Ripper Gauge’ sites

Establishment of demonstration (Ripper Gauge) sites in each port zone. These sites will complement other research sites managed by DPIRD in DAW00242. 4 sites will be established on 4 of the major soil types in each port zone.

Some treatments to include in the ‘Ripper Gauge’ sites are (but not limited to):

• Deep working seeding points

• Deep ripping

• Inversion ploughing

• Rotary spading

• Delving

• No de-compaction treatments

• Grower practice.

These demonstration sites are demonstration ‘Ripper Gauge’ sites, with measurements to be conducted:

• Basic soil tests prior to the break of season each year

• Penetrometer tests (prior to treatment and prior to the break of season each year)

• Greenseeker® NDVI over sites to determine crop growth and density differences

• Harvest yield results

• Annual and end of project economic analysis.

2. Annual Report delivered by 28 February 2019 and 2020

3. Final Report delivered to GRDC by February 2021.