Increasing yield and N efficiency

The 2014/15 year saw BioAg’s Soil & Seed undergoing trials by Rice Research Australia’s research farm at Jerilderie NSW, where it produced a response in terms of yield, and especially in nitrogen use efficiency.

The trial found that the treatments using Soil & Seed were able to take up larger quantities of nitrogen, to the extent that, at panicle initiation, there was no need for top dressing of urea. For deep-water rice crops, this means a 44% reduction in nitrogen use, and for shallow-water crops, a 34% reduction.

In dollar terms, the Soil & Seed treatment cost $60/ha compared to the control top dressing application that cost $78.50/ha. A saving using the Soil & Seed program of $18.50/ha. In addition, the Soil & Seed treatment resulted in an additional 500kg/ha yield increase. At todays prices, that is an additional $220 in yield increases for each hectare of rice grown.

In total, the grower would be $238.50/ha better off using the Soil & Seed based program.

Trial aim

To see if BioAg can increase yield and gross margins of rice compared to the standard farmer practice of commercially grown rice in Southern NSW.

Method

The replicated trial compared standard fertiliser practice with a rice nutrition program that included Soil & Seed.

Conclusion – Nitrogen use efficiencies – a recurring theme

The Rice Research Australia trial is not the first where BioAg programs have delivered reductions in inputs such as nitrogen.

Trials conducted by AgriCenter International using BioAg’s liquid microbial fermented cultures on corn, cotton and soybean over two years averaged 22% yield increases. These results included replications using 15% less nitrogen than the standard district practice.

A case study on an NZ Dairy monitor farm resulted in a 90% reduction over 3-years in applied nitrogen following the introduction of a BioAg program.