Close to 150 growers, consultants, researchers and industry representatives from around the upper Eyre Peninsula were at the annual Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC) field day last week.
Heavy rain on the day didn't dampen spirits, with 17mm rainfall received. The enthusiastic crowd toured the MAC and research farm, hearing the latest on current low rainfall research and taking the opportunity to learn from fellow growers and advisers.
This year the program included a wide variety of topics, including trends in temperature and rainfall on the Eyre Peninsula, placement of phosphorus fertilisers, sandy and calcareous soils, herbicide and grass weed management, rotational grain legumes, weed management in pulses, AgTech, virtual fencing and mixed annual pasture legumes.
Guest speakers included SARDI's Dr Nigel Wilhelm, Science Leader, Farming Systems presenting on fertiliser placement and calcareous soils research trials; Dr Gupta Vadakutta from CSIRO speaking on nitrogen, microbial activity and rhizoctonia in calcareous soils; Dr Peter Hayman, Science Leader, Climate Applications presenting the latest climate models for the Eyre Peninsula, and Professor Chris Preston from the University of Adelaide, who is an authority on weed management.
Cereal production areas of the Eyre Peninsula generate on average between 40% to 45% of South Australia's wheat, and the MAC research focuses on development of innovative, best practice farm management for the region's low rainfall environment.
It is operated by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the research division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).