Regional nutrition workshops kick off in Moorine Rock

AROUND 40 growers and advisors gathered in Moorine Rock last week for the first regional soil and plant nutrition workshop supported by SoilsWest and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

The Far East Agricultural Research (FEAR) Group hosted the session as part of their group crop updates event, which featured presentations from Bridget Watkins (SoilsWest), Jenni Clausen (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), Brendan Brown (CSIRO), Amanda Abou Rjeily (Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association) and Ben McGillivray (NM5 Agronomy).

Ms Watkins, the South-West WA Regional Soil Coordinator based at Murdoch University, spoke about managing nutrient removal, understanding soil test parameters and some common soil constraints.

Complementing Ms Watkins’ presentation, Ms Clausen focused on lime strategies and decision making, and the use of tools to support them, such as iLime.

Ms Watkins said grower awareness of crop nutrient removal from last year’s harvest would be critical when preparing fertiliser budgets and application in 2026.

“With the great harvest results many farmers in that area had last year, they now have a good opportunity to consider the status of soil nutrition in preparation for the coming season,” she said.

“Soil testing is a valuable tool in determining opportunities for targeted application and management strategies for efficient use of inputs.”

FEAR Group’s Erin Pope said growers in attendance would benefit from the session and materials provided.

“I look forward to hearing even more about Bridget’s ideas for accessible and cost-effective strategies for farmers, especially when it comes to them monitoring and managing trends from their soil test results,” she said.