Dairy

Aim: To determine the effect of basalt application on yield, soil quality and CO₂capture in an irrigated dairy system.

Location and design

A trial is being carried out in collaboration with Vallance Farms near Warnambool in Victoria. The climate (Köppen, Bureau of Meteorology) is Temperate – no dry season (warm summer) with overhead irrigation, and the soil has a texture contrast profile (Chromosol).

The trial was established in December 2025 and will run to June 2028.

There are three basalt treatments (0, 20 and 40 tonnes per hectare) in combination with two potassium fertiliser treatments (full and half) and 5 replicates. Each plot is 6 m x 6 m.

Monitoring

Pasture yield will be measured throughout the year.
Leaching of water and solutes will be measured throughout the year, using ‘drainage flux meters’ installed at 0.6 metre depth.
Soil properties will be measured once per year, using soil cores.

Avocado

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

Banana

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

Grain (Northern)

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

Rice

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

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.

Kangaroo Island

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

Dairy

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