SOUTHERN Soils’ Graeme McCarthy (left) and Neville Simcock are pushing for a more holistic approach to producing a crop.
Rather than focusing on heavy rates of synthetic fertilsers, Mr Simcock, based at Mount Gambier, SA, said the idea was to improve both soil health and by extension, plant biology.
“We are becoming too reliant on the fertiliser and chemical cycle, and our plants aren’t actually that healthy, which is why we need all these products to grow a crop.”
He said by improving microbial activity, there could be better plant uptake of nutrients, which, in turn, can assist the plant to photosynthesis better which will aid growth.
“It’s a symbiotic relationship between plants and the soil fungi and if both are healthy, it is good for both the soil and the plant.”
Mr Simcock said Southern Soils had a range of products, many of which were inoculated with fungi.
“For instance, we have a phosphate product made from rock phosphate which is then treated with fungi at our Mount Gambier plant.”
He said Southern Soils produced around 8000 tonnes of microbially treated fertiliser a year.
Some of the products are applied at similar rates to conventional fertilisers, while some trace elements are applied by the kilogram a hectare, according to what is required.
Mr Simcock said farmers should look at other ways to grow a crop.
He said various dubious products and methodology meant farmers were sometimes unwilling to look at different nutrition strategies.
Mr McCarthy said he did not regard Southern Soils’ ethos as an ‘alternative’ method.
“We have a sustainable approach that will allow growers to keep growing a crop without relying on heavy rates of chemical and fertilisers to do so.”
Mr Simcock said Southern Soils looked to provide a better bottom line for growers.
“People get a bit worried when they hear about a focus on soil health, they say, and rightly, they are worried about growing a crop.
“The thing I’d like people to realise is that having a healthy soil is crucial to growing a good crop for less.
“Our products and philosophies are not silver bullets, but they will help rejuvenate the soil and get farmers out of the chemical and fertiliser treadmill.”