October 23, 2002

Model farms, using all accepted best management practices, are to be set up across Queensland to help growers of 13,000 hectares of irrigated peanuts bridge a "yield gap" that¹s costing the industry an estimated $38 million a year.

Top farmers and experimental and breeding trial plots have achieved yields of 7 to 8 tonnes a hectare with currently available peanut varieties.

The average is still well below that, although the gap has narrowed from an estimated 33 per cent in 1999 ­ when a coordinated drive to reduce it began ­ to 20 per cent in 2002.

Queensland¹s Department of Primary Industries, the Peanut Company of Australia and consultants Arachis Australia and Kelleher Agriservices are collaborating in a second, three year phase of that coordinated effort.

Queensland¹s Department of Primary Industries, the Peanut Company of Australia and consultants Arachis Australia and Kelleher Agriservices are collaborating in a second, three year phase of that coordinated effort.

Like the earlier research, the new project is supported by growers and the Federal Government through the Grains Research & Development Corporation.

Project leader Greg Mills, who is QDPI¹s principal development extension officer for pulses, says that, while the nominal focus of the renewed research is "yield", best management practice in peanuts also can improve quality premiums by $150 to $200 a tonne.

"Trial work to date clearly indicates a number of factors have been responsible for the yield gap, especially poor management of irrigation and foliar and soil-borne diseases, poor rotations and harvest losses," Mr Mills said.

"Other factors include poor plant stands and ineffective weed control.

"The new project will build on the foundation of its predecessor, which aimed to achieve the genetic potential of existing peanut varieties in high input production systems. The industry was keen to see this approach continue, and particularly for it to be extended to, and adopted by, more peanut growers.

"We intend to add value to technology that came out of the earlier project ­ basic agronomic data, APSIM peanut benchmarking analysis and the application of Whopper Cropper software by farmers and consultants."

Mr Mills said at least six ­ and up to 10 ­ model farms were planned for work with cooperating farmers in the major peanut areas, with the farmers growing commercial scale crops in consultation with advisers from QDPI, PCA and the private consultants.

Sites would be chosen carefully on a range of criteria, ensuring at least half of them were ideal in terms of production potential and cropping history. It was not intended to try to grow the highest yielding crops in paddocks that had never achieved anywhere near potential for reasons relating to inherent productivity and/or agronomic problems.

"Farmers will have a primary involvement in the process, being responsible for production decisions and ultimately gaining knowledge and profitable benefits which can be transposed to other growers," Mr Mills said.

"Farm walks and information days will help create networks and forums to disseminate information during and after the model farm process, while information will also be relayed to growers through newsletters, annual updates and workshops, Aussie Peanut email lists and, most importantly, through regional industry agronomists.

"We¹ve discussed conducting specialist training forums for peanut agronomists who want to provide specialist services and we¹ll make every effort to conduct workshops and field days to inform potential and new peanut growers about successful irrigated peanut production.

"Lessons learned in farmers¹ fields, and relating to local producers and production environments, have consistently delivered the most benefit to growers. "