DOTTED throughout far south-western Victoria are ancient peat swamps that are traditionally not regarded as the most productive farmland due to their propensity to get waterlogged over the long, wet and cold southern winter.
However, one Hamilton district farmer is utilizing the subsoil moisture that sits just below the surface of the peat soils to grow a summer crop of corn this year.
South-west Victoria is far from Australia’s heartland of corn production but Chris Cameron believes he will be able to generate invaluable feed from the peat swamps on his property.
Water hungry corn struggles in dryland situations in southern Australia, with hot and dry summers, but the constant moisture in the peat swamp that causes such a headache when trying to grow winter crop will be a boon for thirsty corn plants.
A peat area of approximately 19 hectares has been designated for the initial crop because of its ability to provide moisture through the summer period.
It is also adjacent to a proposed bunker so they will be able to cart the corn silage quickly and efficiently at harvest.
This particular paddock is normally very wet during the winter months but is an ideal option for summer cropping, with moisture lying just under the surface.
“The plants just needs to get their roots down six inches and they will have moisture all summer,” Mr Cameron said.
Mr Cameron runs 5500 ewes and 400 breeding cows and decided to look at corn for the first time this season.
He said a dairy farmer friend had grown corn under dryland conditions a few years back and he was confident it would work as a crop on the property.
Mr Cameron decided on a Pioneer hybrid corn variety, P9400, and has enlisted the help of the seed giant’s agronomists, Steven Dukalskis, to help grow the unfamiliar crop.
“I’ve done everything Steven suggested and it has worked out well,” Mr Cameron said.
“There hasn’t been a lot of corn grown in this area so it is handy to get some good advice.”
The variety was chosen as a short season variety that will allow Mr Cameron to grow the crop before the region’s relatively short summer ends and the autumn break arrives.
Corn planted in early November is expected to be harvested in March, with the plan to fill the existing bunker and make another to store the corn silage.
“We are aiming at 18 tonnes per hectare, dry matter, so we should have good tonnages of corn silage at harvest,” Mr Cameron said.
A relatively high sowing rate of 70,000 seeds per hectare has been recommended because of the ability to access water through the peat soil, meaning there should not be water access limitations.
Silage from the first harvest is likely to be stored, initially, for almost 12 months or left indefinitely as a reserve for when the seasons turn dry.
“We will do it for a bit of drought cover and if it works we will grow it every second year,” Mr Cameron said.