Retaining soil water in farming systems using strip & disc machinery (2023)
This project was successfully completed in 2024, with results further extended at SARDI farmer meetings in early 2024. A technical report has been finalised and included in the EP Farming Systems Summary 2023. Strong farmer interest and engagement were evident throughout the season, supported by cooperative host farmers, effective trial management, and ag bureau involvement through sticky beak day visits. Demonstration sites provided valuable opportunities for growers to see strip and disc systems in action, particularly with regard to herbicide spray coverage and stubble management; two of the key considerations for adoption in low rainfall zones.
Project challenges included delays in establishing stubble treatments ahead of the 2023 season, limiting the ability to measure summer rainfall benefits, and the dry start that resulted in the Minnipa site being left to medic pasture. Despite these constraints, useful monitoring was still conducted on medic regeneration, grazing impacts, and spray coverage across stubble residues. The demonstrations maintained farmer interest, enabling practical discussions about the risks, benefits, and challenges of strip and disc systems, particularly when compared to their use in higher rainfall zones.
Feedback from crop walk participants highlighted the value of the project for learning and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, with most respondents finding the activities relevant to their needs and helpful in preparing for future drought. 43% percent indicated they were likely to change practices or adopt new technology as a result, though others cited high costs, lack of economic data, or pest risks (e.g. mice) as barriers. A consistent theme was the need for stronger economic analysis and more local trials to inform adoption decisions. The AIR EP Low Rainfall RD&E Committee, Buckleboo Farm Improvement Group, and Minnipa Node’s Advisory Group endorsed the project’s relevance and expressed support for its continuation into 2024.
Read the project technical report here.
Visit AIR EP’s project webpage to learn more.
Retaining soil water in farming systems using strip & disc machinery (2024)
This project, established at Buckleboo on the Upper Eyre Peninsula, set up a grower-led demonstration to compare stripper stubbles (high/long/unrolled) under a disc seeding system with conventional draper stubbles (short/rolled) also sown with discs. The aim was to assess soil moisture retention, lentil growth and yield, and the presence of weeds, pests, and disease under different stubble systems.
In the first season, no difference in soil moisture was observed between unrolled and rolled stripper stubbles, although this may have been influenced by the later-than-ideal timing of stubble treatments (9 May 2024). However, lentil yield results were more promising, with higher yields recorded under high, unrolled stripper stubbles compared with rolled, short draper stubbles. These outcomes were supported by higher NDVI values and taller plant heights in the unrolled stripper stubbles, suggesting benefits to crop performance under the disc sowing system. Interestingly, these results contrasted with findings from a 2023 SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre trial at Cleve, which had shown lower yields under stripper stubbles compared to draper stubbles, highlighting the need for further multi-season testing.
No clear differences were recorded in terms of field mice, snails, weeds, or diseases, indicating that other factors such as paddock history, crop variety, agronomic management, and seasonal conditions are likely to play a more significant role in influencing pest and disease levels.
The demonstration attracted strong local interest, with 50 growers attending the Buckleboo Farm Improvement Group’s annual Sticky Beak Day in September 2024. Attendees toured the site and heard presentations from SARDI researchers Buddhi Chaudary and Amanda Cook, sparking discussion around the potential role of stripper stubbles and disc seeding in improving crop performance and resilience in low-rainfall regions.
This project was completed in 2025. Read the project technical report here.
Visit AIR EP’s project webpage to learn more.
A needs analysis for the barriers to adoption of strip and disc systems on Eyre Peninsula
The strip and disc systems needs analysis project was completed in 2025, with final products delivered in May. Findings were presented at the GRDC Farm Business Update in Port Lincoln in July 2025.
Key achievements include:
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Grower engagement: A workshop at Rudall in February 2024 with 21 participants increased grower awareness of strip and disc systems, featuring expert speakers and peer-to-peer learning.
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Needs analysis: Ag Communicators and Pinion Advisory produced a comprehensive analysis identifying barriers, risks, benefits, and opportunities for adoption, incorporating grower feedback and endorsed by the GRDC RiskWi$e EP Theme Working Group.
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Cost–benefit analysis: Pinion Advisory developed and refined a detailed analysis through workshops and six ARG meetings (44 attendees across growers, advisors, and Viterra representatives), finalising recommendations to guide adoption strategies.
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Extension outputs: A podcast, case study, and media release were produced and published in via AIR EP channels, extending project findings to the broader grower network.
Overall, the project provided a strong evidence base for future research and extension activities, while directly shaping major new funding proposals and informing industry discussions on strip and disc farming systems. Further materials can be accessed here:
Visit AIR EP’s project webpage to learn more.
