- Author CRCNA
- Publish date 18 July 2024
- Type Fact sheet
- Documents
- Cotton Grains Cattle program
- Agriculture
- Beef
- Broadacre cropping
Summary
‘Supporting sustainable diversification of Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) cropping systems’ is one of six projects in the Cotton, Grains, Cattle (CGC) program. This project is focused on integrating complimentary cotton-grain-cattle farming systems to supply cattle and cropping markets – each with reliable and high-value returns to growers. The project is also building agronomy knowledge, expanding local farming capacity through extension activities and AgTech adoptions, and sharing data for informed decision making. The region is well placed to develop, with water security, deep and well-structured soils, combined with sunshine and warm temperatures that provide ideal growing conditions, particularly for crops such as cotton and maize. Grain and fodder crops can be used to intensify nearby beef production, with several cattle stations in close proximity of the ORIA, and established pulses like chickpea and mungbean providing a disease break and additional nutrients when rotating crops. If efficiency increased by 30% , the local industry could grow upwards of $6 million per annum over the next 15 years.
Projects
Cotton Grain Cattle program: Supporting sustainable diversification of ORIA cropping systems
Research in Western Australia’s Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) has demonstrated opportunities to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of irrigated cropping systems through crop diversification and improved agronomic practices. Delivered through the CRCNA’s Cotton, Grains and Cattle Program, the project investigated the integration of chickpea and mungbean rotations into cotton production, more efficient nitrogen fertiliser management and innovative approaches to weed control. Field trials demonstrated that legume rotations can improve soil nitrogen availability, while optimising nitrogen fertiliser application timing increased cotton lint yields by approximately 3.5 bales per hectare in one trial. The research also explored precision, non-chemical weed management technologies to support more sustainable production systems. The findings provide growers with practical evidence to inform cropping decisions, improve resource-use efficiency and manage production risks. They also contribute to the knowledge base supporting continued agricultural investment, diversification and development in the East Kimberley.