Trials
orchards & vineyards
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Trials
vegetables & field crops
Trials
Pests & diseases
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Trials
livestock & pasture
Research and Trials
- The Ag Plus mission is to provide the best farm products and support to optimise farm production sustainably. Trust and building long-term relationships are a core foundation of ours. Our research mission is about supporting growers to optimise farm production. Our farm trials are principally about helping growers solve problems and to evaluate products under local conditions. Our involvement in the research space also includes collaborative projects and product development. Research areas include:
- Product development
- Evaluating products under local conditions
- Research collaboration with research bodies and commercial companies
- Support farmers undertaking their own research and trials
Our approach to undertaking farm research is to get the best outcome for you.
trials
Multikraft - Increasing the productivity of vines
Sugarcane Soldier fly trial - MicroLife
Soldier flies are native insects that naturally inhabit grasslands and can cause severe damage to sugarcane crops. Soldier flies may cause significant yield losses in localised areas. Damage is caused by the larva. MicroLife is a multi-strain probiotic containing dozens of species of beneficial microorganisms. By allowing beneficial microbes to dominate the soil and plants, MicroLife helps to improve the overall health of your plants and crops, whilst also improving germination, root development, maturing and flowering. Multiple trial sites have been established. If grower experience with MicroLife is replicated in this trial, there should be a reduction in soldier fly damage.
Soil biostimulants and probiotics in macadamia
To better understand the role of Bio-Stimulants and Probiotics, a small trial was established on a large commercial macadamia farm. The bio-stimulants and probiotics were overlayed onto the commercial growers The commercial grower had not used probiotics or biostimulants commercially. Trial results can be found in the Ag Plus Program Macadamia document or Here.
Citrus - Commercial & Trial response of the Ag Plus program
The linked document details yield and fruit quality for Imperial mandarins, Murcott mandarins, low seed Murcott mandarins, Royal Honey Murcott mandarins, and lemons. Trial data compares the Ag Plus agronomic program with the growers program, while other data looks at yield and fruit data before and after adopting the Ag Plus program. Further information on the Ag Plus program can found on the Agronomy Services page.
Foliar Probiotics and Macadamia
In 2023, a trial was established to evaluate Multikraft MicroFolia and DefenceNRG in macadamia. MicroFoliar targets the leaf surface to naturally promote plant health, maturing and flowering. Applying MicroFoliar allows beneficial microbes to dominate the environment, suppressing disease pressure whilst enhancing photosynthesis and foliar feeding. Defence NRG contains a unique microbial consortium mixedwith fermented garlic and chilli extracts. It promotes the plantsnatural defences against parasitic and fungal attacks whilst strengthening the plant against potential pests and diseases, improving the overall resilience of plants and crops. As trial data becomes available, we will provide a link.
Mycorrhizal fungi and Macadamia
A small trial in 2023 was established to evaluate the potential benefits of mycorrhizal fungi on bearing macadamia trees. Scientific articles have reported a positive response in macadamia to mycorrhizal fungi. Much of the land used for growing macadamias has a long farming history, so it is unlikely that natural fungal populations remained following land clearing. Adding mycorrhizal fungi to new plantings or established orchards could have significant benefits. Reported benefits of mycorrhizal include increased pathogen resistance,
increased drought and salinity stress tolerance, higher transplanting success, increased crop yield with enhanced flowering, increased water and nutrient uptake, and improved soil structure. As trial data becomes available, we will provide a link.
Panicle blight and branch dieback - Avocado
Panicle blight and branch dieback symptoms include wilting of flower shoots, flowers turn brown and necrotic, dieback can extend down the panicle, and vegetative shoots of indeterminate inflorescences also wilt and die. Dieback can extend further down the branch. In 2023, a trial was established on a commercial avocado farm in the Bundaberg area and is evaluated soil and foliar probiotics. Multkraft probiotic products contain a diversity of beneficial liquid microbes combined with metabolites and secondary metabolites. Multikraft’s products support a variety of functions including biocontrol, induced systemic resistance and competitive exclusion of potential diseases. As trial data becomes available, we will provide a link.