NEWS
David Storer runs a mixed broadacre cropping and sheep enterprise in Meckering. He is exploring soil amendment strategies to improve soil function, crop performance and long-term system resilience. David is particularly interested in practical, scalable approaches that can be integrated into existing operations with minimal disruption.
The demonstration is collaborating with Veolia to evaluate the use of compost strips within a cropping paddock to assess their impact on soil health, nutrient availability, water infiltration, plant growth, biomass production and crop yield.
In year 1 (2025) , the Veolia product was spread at application rates of 3,5,10t per ha across 9 plots and incorporated into existing soil prior to David seeding barley. In year 2 (2026), the trial is continuing with lupins instead of barley.
The demonstration included 3 control plots.
Analysis has begun and will continue through soil testing, visual assessments, biomass cuts and yield analysis to determine the agronomic and economic value of compost within a dryland broadacre system. Early growth assessment including SAP tests were also carried out.
There are options to self-fund an extension of the trials allowing ongoing assessment of the Veolia product to validate if its use is successful in increased grain yield, water use efficiency, and profitability in crops.
View the graphs, table, and summary results below for a preview of how 2025’s barley crop responded to varying compost and fertiliser rates. A more detailed report of this trial will be published in early 2027.
Figure 1: 2025 Barley yield at varying compost and fertiliser application rates.
Figure 2: 2025 Barley biomass at flowering stage treated with varying compost and fertiliser application rates.
Table 1: Early root development at varying compost and fertiliser application rates.
Summary of results:
Biomass: at 0% fertiliser, all four treatments produced similar biomass. At 50% fertiliser, Control had the highest biomass, followed by Compost 10t, then Compost 5t, then Compost 3t. At 100% fertiliser, Control biomass dropped while Compost 10t rose, and Compost 5t/3t stayed relatively flat.
Yield: Yields for all treatments were closely grouped at 0% fertiliser. At 50% fertiliser, Control and Compost 10t produced the highest yields, well above Compost 3t and 5t. At 100% fertiliser, Control had the highest yield, Compost 10t next, and Compost 3t/5t were lowest.
Root development: Early observations of root growth at tillering suggested compost alone, or compost combined with a 50% application of fertiliser may promote better root growth than 100% fertiliser alone.
Results across plots could be influenced by a range of factors beyond compost and fertiliser rate alone, including ryegrass or other weed burden inflating biomass without lifting grain yield, natural soil variability across the paddock, uneven compost incorporation, nutrient immobilisation during compost breakdown, differences in moisture infiltration and retention, edge or positional effects between plots, residual fertility from prior paddock use, localised disease or pest pressure, and the limited replication (only single plots per treatment), all of which make it hard to isolate compost’s true effect from background noise.
Figure 3: Lupin plants in 50% fertiliser application plot at 10t, 5t, 3t, and 0t.
