Reduced & Zero Cultivation in Ratoon Cane
Currently on our heavier lowlying soils we coulter-rip the inter row behind the harvester each year to improve water infiltration rates and reduce the risk of erosion. We feel that this is quite an aggressive practice and can potentially increase erosion risk through preferential water flow along the ripper track. This practice could potentially be improved through the implementation of minimal or no til practices in ratoons using the trash blanket alone or light zonal tillage to improve infiltration and reduce surface water flow rates.
This idea was built on previous reduced/zonakl tillage work and through discussions with other farmers and manufacturers in the district.