Navigating the wealth of soil health information and identification of opportunities (PT16003)

What was it all about?

This project, which ran from mid-2017 to mid-2018, reviewed the current state of knowledge of factors that influence soil health in potato growing. It produced grower-friendly resources to allow soil health information and R&D to be better utilised on-farm – allowing potato growers to boost understand what constitutes a healthy and productive soil and how to best improve soil health.

If the soil is more robust and resilient it may allow for shorter rotation times between potato crops generating greater returns.

Work undertaken included…

• Making a critical review of the scientific literature on soil health
• Identifying any significant gaps in knowledge
• Recommending future research to address those gaps
• Searching for any industry-ready information
• Creating extension materials about ways to improve soil health.

The literature review covered over 220 references on the different aspects of soil health (physical, chemical and biological), how to measure them, and how they can be influenced by management practices. At the end of the project, resources based on the findings were produced and the researchers made recommendations for further research avenues,

ACT NOW

Download this fact sheet on improving soil heath and management produced by the project. 

The below soil health information videos featuring potato growers were also produced…

• Using cover crops
• Seasonal controlled traffic for improving soil health
• Looking after soil health (Leigh Elphinstone)
• Looking after soil health (Hamish Henke)
• Soil health in a challenging environment

You can also read more about the outcomes of the project on p10 of the June/July 2018 edition of the levy-funded Potatoes Australia magazine.