Rice

Aim: To determine the effect of basalt application on yield, soil quality and CO2 capture in a rice farming system.

Location and design

Two trials are being carried out in collaboration with rice farmers near Jerilderie in New South Wales. The climate (Köppen, Bureau of Meteorology) is Grassland – warm (persistently dry) with surface water irrigation, and the soil is cracking clay (Vertosol).

Both trials were established in October 2025 and will run to June 2028.

  • One trial is a large demonstration trial with one irrigation bay as a control and the other receiving Basalt (40 tonnes per hectare in 2025)
  • The other trial is a small-plot replicated trial with three basalt treatments (0, 20 and 40 tonnes per hectare) and 4 replicates. Each plot is 115 metres long x 3 metres wide.

Monitoring

  • Yield of the rice and wheat crops will be measured.
  • Leaching of water and solutes will be measured during the wet season, using ‘drainage flux meters’ installed at 0.6 metre depth.
  • Soil properties will be measured once per year, using soil cores.

Howe Farming: Bananas

To determine the effect of basalt and limestone application on yield, soil quality and CO2 capture in irrigated bananas.

Howe Farming: Avocados

To determine the effect of basalt and limestone application on yield, soil quality and CO2 capture in irrigated avocados.

Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre: Grains

To determine the effect of basalt application on yield, soil quality and CO2 capture in Northern Region grain crops.

Rice

Grey Farming: Cotton

To determine the effect of basalt application (in combination with synthetic or organic fertilisers) on yield, soil quality and CO2 capture in rainfed cotton.

Field Trial 6

Vallance: Dairy

To determine the effect of basalt application on yield, soil quality and CO2 capture in an irrigated dairy system.