2018 Agronomy Community Events

Agronomists and advisers will be treated to the latest insights in plant nutrition when Incitec Pivot Fertilisers hosts two Agronomy Community forums in Brisbane and Melbourne in July.

The forums feature a first-class line-up of speakers who will share their insights into nutrition issues affecting broadacre crops including cotton and sugar cane, as well as pastures in northern and southern Australia.

Now in their eighth year, these forums are unusual because they focus exclusively on plant nutrition.

Charlie Walker, vice president agronomy and innovation with Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, describes the forums as a must for agronomists and advisers looking to improve the productivity of their farmer clients.

Australia’s foremost authority on trace elements in cropping and pastures will lead the speaking program at the Brisbane forum on July 18 and in Melbourne on July 20.

Dr Ross Brennan devoted many years of his career to trace element research and development in Western Australia and wrote extensively about the subject before his recent retirement from the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Delegates will enjoy taking part in what promises to be a lively lunchtime debate about the potential for bio-stimulants.

The debate will be led by Dr Robert Norton who heads Norton Agronomic after a distinguished career in agricultural research and education at the University of Melbourne and the International Plant Nutrition Institute. 

Setting the scene for the debate in Brisbane will be Dr Nikki Seymour, senior soil microbiologist at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Leslie Research Facility, who will focus on the science about these products.

Later in the day, Dr Norton will turn his attention to potassium in an address that asks: “When will our system crash?”.

Other speakers in Brisbane include:

  • Gavin Peck, principal pasture agronomist with QDAF, on the critical role of sulphur and phosphorus for growing better extensive pastures in the north
  • Dr Chris Guppy, associate professor in soil fertility at the University of New England, on getting the best out of sulphur
  • Dr Lindsay Bell from CSIRO on nitrogen in grains, cotton and pastures
  • Professor Bernard Schroeder, who heads strategic projects in farming systems at the University of Southern Queensland, on nitrogen in sugar cane.

The latest research on nitrogen mineralisation and management in pastures and continuous cropping in high and low rainfall zones will feature in Melbourne.

Speakers at this forum include:

  • Dr Helen Suter, senior lecturer in soil science and researcher at the University of Melbourne, on nitrogen mineralisation and its impact on fertiliser efficiency in pastures
  • Dr Susan Orgill, a soils researcher at the NSW Department of Primary Industries at Wagga Wagga who will answer the question: “You want your carbon cake and eat it too?For nitrogen’s sake!”
  • Corinne Celestina, who is looking into the soil microbiology associated with subsoil manuring for ameliorating hostile clay subsoils as part of her PhD at La Trobe University
  • Dr James Hunt, senior lecturer at La Trobe University, on managing nitrogen in continuous cropping in high rainfall zones
  • Dr Therese McBeath, a CSIRO researcher at the Waite campus in Adelaide, on managing nitrogen in low rainfall zones.

Full Brisbane agenda - July 18, 2018:

Time Topic Speaker
9:00am Tea and Coffee
9:25am Welcome - Housekeeping and Safety Charlie Walker - IPF
9:30am Sugarcane Nutrient Management Planning Danielle Skorcaj/Bernard Schroder
10:05am Sulphur Management: Product and Placement Gavin Peck
10:40am Break
10:50am Sulphur mangement: Product and placement Chris Guppy - UNE
11:25am Trace element management Ross Brennan -DAF WA (Ret)
12:05pm Intro to biostimulants and current practices Nikki Seymour
12:40pm Lunch & Debate
1:40pm Potassium: When will our system crash? Dr Rob norton
2:10pm Nitrogen & nutrition Dr Lindsay Bell
2:40pm Nitrogen: Continuing perspectives in time and space Bernard Schroder
3:10pm Seed safety Jim Laycock - IPF
3:40pm FINISH

Register for the Northern Agronomy Community event here.

Full Melbourne agenda - July 20, 2018:

Time Topic Speaker
9:30am Tea and Coffee
9:55am Welcome - Housekeeping and Safety Charlie Walker - IPF
10:00am Trace element management Ross Brennan - DAF WA (Ret)
10:40am Sulphur Management: Product & Placement Chris Guppy - UNE
11:20am Break
11:30am Seed safety Jim Laycock - IPF
12:00pm Nitrogen mineralisation and impacts on fertiliser efficiency pastures Helen Suter - University of Melbourne
12:30pm You want your carbon cake and eat it too? For Nitrogen's sake! Dr Susan Orgill - NSW DPI
1:00pm Lunch & Debate
2:00pm Crops response to subsoil manuring in a high rainfall zone Corinne Celestina - LaTrobe University
2:30pm Nitrogen management in continuous cropping in high rainfall zones James Hunt -LaTrobe University
3:00pm Nitrogen management in continuous cropping in low rainfall zones Dr Theresa McBeath -CSIRO
3:30pm FINISH

Register for the Southern Agronomy Community event here.