Lessons from 2023 and tips for 2024

While the south had a much better season than the north, most areas experienced a dry, late winter-spring that tested crop performance.

While many factors go into growing the best crop possible for a given season, in most years - but not all - stored subsoil moisture is a critical factor.

Research across the nation has been undertaken and commonly led by CSIRO, and involving state agencies like NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI).

The research, including high and low rainfall areas, light and heavy soils, has shown on average yield gain for cereals from efficient stored fallow moisture is at least one tonne per hectare.

In 2023, that sub soil moisture was typically critical and probably worth well more than 1t/ha.

Research has shown that in dry finishing conditions each one millimetre of stored soil moisture can be worth 35 kilograms per hectare extra grain yield.

Extra yield from stored soil water is at least equally important for other crops including canola, chickpeas, lupins and field peas.

If forecasts are anything to go by (doubtful), this could be another year of below average rainfall with stored fallow moisture again vital.

Stored fallow moisture is also commonly critical for dual purpose or grazing only crops with 2023 a good example.

Using our own property as a case study, rainfall over the April to end of October 2023 was only 20 per cent of our average.

While normal winter grazing of dual purpose crops is around 25 dry sheep equivalents per hectare it was around 15 but without stored subsoil moisture would have been next to nothing.

Another important part of cropping in typically dry and often warm springs is sowing varieties in the earlier part of their ideal sowing window.

While this does have a higher risk of frost damage, for many areas of a property this can be worth considerable higher yield most years.

Soil fertility is also a major issue.

Compared to a few years ago, most farmers today achieve higher crop yields and this means greater export off the property of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.

For example, a 7t/ha wheat crop removes around 140kg nitrogen and 21kg phosphorus.

It is important to soil test, including deep soil tests, as well as monitor nutrient removals each year to avoid serious nutrient rundown.

Planning ahead for pasture upgrade programs is not only a lesson from 2023, but also is an issue most years.

For example, soil testing paddocks early - like now if not already done - is important for assessing fertiliser needs and assessing what species and varieties can or should be added to pastures this coming autumn.

Last year with a very dry, late winter to mid-spring was a real test for different species and varieties.

Serradella was a real standout for us on lighter, medium-textured soils.

It survived, flowered, set seed and provided useful feed when the season broke in early November.

In contrast, early-maturing sub clover flowered and set a bit of seed but completely died off before rain fell in November.

Biserrula also tended to hang on longer than clovers or medics.

If you have soils that are a bit to very acidic, are light to medium in texture, it is worth considering adding serradella or biserrula.

If adding a new winter legume to native grass, tropical grass or temperate perennial grasses, ensure their appropriate rhizobia bacteria are added with them, or they will almost certainly fail.

Rhizobia added via Alosca pellets, while a bit expensive, is the safest way to ensure their successful introduction.

Early ordering of Alosca pellets is important.

For example, strain AM for many, but not all, medics, strain C for sub clover, balansa, bladder, arrow-leaf, rose and gland clover, strain E for woolly pod vetch, strain S for serradella and strain WSM1497 for biserrula.

Next week: New generation legumes big pasture role.