Current Projects

Facey Group is working with Murdoch University to determine perennial and annual pasture/forage legume options for shaping rhizosphere processes to improve soil function, and ultimately improve grain yields on low fertility white sand soils.

Facey Group is evaluating four trial sites over the 2021-2022 summer to better understand how various cover crop species can benefit soil health, moisture and function, compared to summer fallow. In 2022, impacts on the growth and yield of subsequent winter crops will be investigated.

This project will evaluate a range of commonly available approaches to increasing the fertility of the ‘gutless’ soils in the medium and high rainfall zone of WA. This project will apply a combination of organic amendments and amelioration methods, to determine the grain yield benefit over three years. The return on investment for each approach will be evaluated to guide growers on the most profitable approach to improving poor productivity soils.

Following on from the research Facey Group growers were involved in in 2018 with the crop establishment survey, there is now a more defined objective from the national project group for 2020/2021 that’s going to focus on Canola seeder set ups, with the aim to establish guidelines for optimum sowing recommendations that are tailored to be more seasonal and machine specific.

This project aims to quantify the value of lime applications by different incorporation methods and compare the economic and agronomic returns of each. This trial also includes an application of a rapidly acidifying Elemental Sulphur to demonstrate how soils and crops will perform 10-years into the future if no action is taken to maintain pH levels. The trial also aims to analyse the interactions between each incorporation technique and its effects on ameliorating other crop constraints.

The objective of this trial is to demonstrate that growing canola followed by a high value legume can lead to an effective and profitable double break crop sequence. The contribution of an early sowing date versus a traditional sowing date to increase the profitability of these crops will also be evaluated. The project will determine the economic value of a double break crop sequence incorporating a high value legume, and the impact of this rotation on the grain yield and profitability of these crops will also be evaluated.

The Canola wetter project aims to investigate the use of wetting agents, applied directly to canola seed, to understand the impact it has on crop establishment and end of season yield in water repellent soils.

This project aims to demonstrate and validate the implementation of integrated weed management strategies to control barley grass in low rainfall zone farming systems.