Out and about with the Soil CRC: Event highlights

By Felicity Harrop, Soil CRC Adoption Manager

Soil CRC participants and researchers have been out and about engaging with growers and industry stakeholders across Australia, showcasing new findings and practical insights at several recent events.

The Mackillop Farm Management Group (MFMG) ‘Soils in Focus’ event featured four Soil CRC presenters. MFMG Project Officer Kate Morris was pleased to see strong engagement on the day, noting 31 farmers, researchers and industry people came along to hear about a range of project outcomes from the Soil CRC.

“With Dr Amanda Schapel (PIRSA) covering amendments in sandy soils, and Soil CRC PhD student Stephen Lang sharing outcomes of work on high‑strength issues in sands, management of sands with and without clay was a hot topic of discussion,” she said.

Stephen highlighted several key takeaways from his research on addressing soil compaction:

• Moisture matters – Even small changes in soil moisture can significantly alter soil strength, directly affecting how easily roots can move through the soil profile.
• Soil amendments showing promise – Organic matter and biochar are delivering encouraging results by softening compacted layers and slowing the re‑formation of hard‑set soils after tillage.
• Insights from 2025 field trials – Deep tillage at two South Australian sites improved early-season root growth and water uptake. However, in drier seasons, crops rapidly drew down subsoil moisture, reducing yield benefits by harvest. This reinforces that long-term gains from tillage rely heavily on seasonal water availability.

Meanwhile, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Kattie Weigh presented at the GRDC Update in Bendigo, where she outlined key findings from the Soil CRC’s microbial indicators project. Kattie introduced a practical framework for assessing soil biology and the tests that support land management decisions.

Her presentation emphasised that soil biology starts with the microbial food source – plant-derived carbon substrates – which fuel the organisms responsible for essential soil functions. Understanding these microbial roles helps land managers translate biological indicators into meaningful agricultural outcomes. Kattie also highlighted the emerging potential of soil (ACE) protein as an indicator for soil health and organic nitrogen.