Производитель Darling Downs оценил пользу рапса не для урожая, а для здоровья почвы

This Darling Downs producer started growing canola as an experiment, but said he's found the benefit is not in the canola end product, but rather what it can do for his next rotation. Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news across the nation or signup to continue reading Born and bred on Vunatora - a 1335ha property near Dalby - Kelvin Tyler said he liked experimenting with his crop rotation, and said canola was another test. Mr Tyler began experimenting with the bright yellow-flowered plant last year, and said while the crop had a rough start, he decided to give it another chance this year. "I never do [only] one trial - last year the canola had a bit of a dry start and then a mid frost," he said. "This year's trial is only 78 hectares, [we did] 180 hectares last year - [we've] gone down because of rotation and the weather. "One thing I like about canola is that it has a different growing period, so you can plant it in March or April, and it breaks up the planting back from your bigger crops - wheat and barley - and therefore also breaks up the harvesting schedule... it takes a bit of pressure off the other crops." While historically a part of southern rotations, canola has been gaining popularity in Queensland in recent years, and Mr Tyler said his experimenting involves testing both the canola's success, but also its lasting impacts on his soil health. "Canola has got a big tap root, and I'm doing experiments on what it does to my country," he said. It's not only the profit that's possible, but its impact on different chemical uses, cropping ratios, and how the next crop forms that are attractive. A big draw for Mr Tyler was the potential positive impacts growing canola could have on his wheat and barley rotations. "[Producers down south] reckon they get a better wheat crop following canola, so that's what I'm trusting this year - I'll be doing a test on if there's any difference between the wheat that [grew where the] canola was last year, versus another crop," he said. "[The tests include] whether the crop ... yields better, if I notice any difference in weed populations, different chemicals needed, different spraying - less spraying, hopefully - or if there's any difference in the grade of wheat. "We've had the soils tested pre-planting, and [will have] them tested post, so that will be monitored as well." Despite canola's tap roots, Mr Tyler doesn't predict the benefit will be improving nitrogen levels. "I'm 99 per cent sure it's not going to do anything for my soil, [in terms of] leaving nitrogen or anything behind, because canola likes nitrogen, it's very hungry for nitrogen," he said. "But what I'm hoping is that the tap root breaks up the soil - breaks up the hardpan - and allows moisture down for the next crop... its more about making sure your soil is ready for the next crop." Mr Tyler chose to plant canola again to run a more fair test - describing the previous canola's planting and growing conditions as rough - but said this season isn't going much better. "This canola was planted in mid-March, and never got any rainfall until approximately the second week of May, so it had a very rough start," he said. "We are dryland for everything, not just the canola - and it's quite dry. We're looking for 20 to 25mm right now, we desperately need it." Mr Tyler said he's already noticed benefits from the canola crop. "I did notice last year, wherever I grew canola, I had a very minimal rate of weeds come back for many weeks - probably four to six weeks - which was quite intriguing," he said. "All other country, after wheat, barley and fava beans, I had to spray after the next rain event, [whereas] it was probably two to three rain events before I had to respray any of the canola ground. "I don't know whether or not the mulch bed created a canopy that reduced a lot of regrowth potential, but I think the mulch is good for the soil - it's a two-factor win." From a planting perspective Mr Tyler has noticed differences in the process, finding the precise conditions canola needs are challenging. "I do struggle a little bit with the canola, because it's such a small seed - it's like a millimetre-and-a-half to two millimetres," he said. "It's a balancing act to make sure we've got moisture on the top, but that it's dry enough to carry the planter, and not that wet that you make a mess. "At the same time, you've got to plant it no more than an inch deep, but deep enough that it's in the moisture to get roots down, so it can get going without a shower of rain - you've got to beat it before the moisture disappears." Mr Tyler described this season's strike as patchy, and said that he was continuously learning. "[This year] we had a scenario where we ran out of seed, and we had to get more seed, and of course it's always over a weekend - there was a three or four-day window, by the time we got a couple of bags of seed, and it was a markable difference between the two plants, so that was an unfortunate learning," he said. "I'm in heavier black soils - I'm not 100pc convinced it's the best for canola... last year the canola actually performed a little bit better on less quality soils - I'm still getting my head around that." Mr Tyler said the crop was a couple of months off harvesting. He also said the harvesting process was different - requiring different equipment for the highest yield - but that he hasn't yet justified buying specific equipment for a trial patch. "Because it's such a bushy plant, it can be a bit of a challenge to harvest, if you direct harvest - a lot of people swath it, drop it in a row, and then come back with a windrower," he said. "I don't own a windrower, [but I'm] tossing up - if I continue to do canola, will I get one. "I did direct harvest it last year, and will most likely direct harvest it this year, because it's low. "If I was standing here looking at [the canola above head height], I'd probably be calling in a contractor... but because I've only done two trials, it's not worth it." Mr Tyler said he hadn't noticed a big difference in pests between his usual rotations and his canola, but that growing canola has gained the interest of another airborne insect. "We've got bees here at the moment - not our bees, but a lot of people with bees love canola, due to the high flowering ratio, and pollination," he said. "A lot of people apparently use canola for their bees to strengthen the bees - canola is apparently very good for building their strength up and getting them ready for transport down south." For canola to keep his interest, Mr Tyler said he is looking for a two-stage benefit. "Of course you want to grow the seed and make a profit, [but] I'm only doing smaller trials, [so], one, it's got to cover its costs, and [two], I've got to get a benefit for the next crop," he said. "I did an oil test on my canola last year, and my oil content was borderline - there's no oil refinery locally here so you've got to beat the market and get a good oil content to make it worth the trucking. "I've been talking to a piggery that is doing tests, because canola has a high protein level, and I'd imagine the majority of it last year went to chooks - that's the advantage of canola - if you don't hit the sweet spot on oil, then at least it still does tick a box. "I'll never grow the whole farm [as canola], but I would probably increase acreage a bit."