Trial sites

Below is a list of BCG's trial sites and their locations. For more information about each of the sites either follow the links or contact the BCG via any of the contact details listed on our Contact us page.

Trial Site Location
Main site Each year the main site change location to different soil types. Herbicides and fertilisers are tested, new and old varieties are planted, and different agronomic problems are investigated. In 2010, the main site is located on a heavy sandy clay loam on a property at Culgoa  on the Calder Hwy. The site will focus on the following: wheat, barley and pulse trials, grazing cereals, fungicide application on wheat, and mustard vs canola.
Nitrogen management Part of a national network of trials conducted with Foundation for Arable Research (FAR, NZ), this trial at Lubeck investigates nitrogen timing strategies and the use of crop sensors to optimise nitrogen use in wheat.
Water use efficiency site This trial site investigates three specific areas relating to water use efficiency: moisture conservation, break crops and biochar. The moisture conservation trial will examine the best practices for conserving moisture on heavy and light soil types over the summer months. The break crops trial aims to identify the benefit of break crops and the best options for the Wimmera-Mallee. The biochar trial aims at assessing the advantage of biochar for carbon sequestration in a replicated trial in collaboration with the DPI.
Flexible Farming Systems In 2010 this long-term trial enters its tenth year of production. The Flexible Farming Systems site is located at Jil Jil, 26km north of Birchip (15ha). On this site, rotation studies are undertaken comparing four common farming systems.
Grazing cereals demonstrations This year, two grazing cereals demonstrations have been established in farmer paddocks, one at Jil Jil and one at Nullawill. These paddocks will be sown as per usual farming practice, and following crop establishment, an area will be fenced off and grazed according to best practice. Dry-matter accumulation and grain yield in grazed and un-grazed areas will be recorded to determine which wheat and barley varieties are most profitable.
Perennial pasture site The aim of this trial site is to identify suitable Lucerne varieties for the Mallee and test if there are differences in establishment, persistence and production between them.
Integrated pest management

BCG and CESAR Consultants are undertaking a two year IPM trial at Charlton to determine whether an Integrated Pest Management strategy is the best option for farmers in the region. The trial will compare three pest management strategies: a no input approach (control), a conventional pest management approach (broad-spectrum insecticide application) and an IPM approach.
Summer weeds This trial site is at Jil Jil and aims to measure exactly how much plant available water and nutrients summer weeds, specifically heliotrope and camel/afgan melon, take from the soil.
Precision Agriculture (PA) trials In 2010 BCG is conducting PA trials at Birchip, Kooloonong and Nhill in collaboration with SPAA with support from GRDC. The purpose of these trials is to investigate how/if PA technology can be beneficial to farming businesses in the region.