THE University of Western Australia has entered a research and development partnership with Ausplow Farming Systems to improve crop yields and machine performance.
Ausplow will test various configurations of its DBS D260-36 matched to a 6000 litre drawbar mounted airseeder for seeding in the wide-ranging landscapes at UWA Farm Ridgefield, the university’s 1600 hectare farm near Pingelly.
Andrew Guzzomi, UWA School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Agriculture, is leading the partnership with Ausplow Farming System’s engineering manager Carl Vance.
Dr Guzzomi said the partnership was a major step forward in the transformation of Ridgefield into a farm of the future, the mission of the UWA Future Farm 2050 Project.
“Some of the landscape at UWA Farm Ridgefield is challenging in terms of soil type, obstacles and paddock shape so working in partnership with Ausplow will help optimise seeding practices,” he said.
“The move toward smaller, more flexible tractor-machine combinations will permit UWA Farm Ridgefield to crop landscapes that at present are inaccessible.”
Future Farm 2050 Project leader Graeme Martin, UWA School of Agriculture and Environment and Institute of Agriculture, said the need to feed 50 per cent more people than today’s population heading towards 2050 meant global food production would increasingly rely on cropping marginal land.
“The combination of modern seeding practices and a massive program for bringing weeds under control is critical for our vision for the ‘ecological cropping’ enterprise of the Future Farm 2050 Project,” Professor Martin said.
UWA Farm Ridgefield will provide detailed feedback to Ausplow Farming Systems on machine performance and crop yields.
