Research student profile: James Quilty
Project title
Separating valuable organic amendments from snake oils in broadacre irrigated agriculture.
Project overview
My project aims to determine the effects of a range of organic amendments on the soil, with particular focus on carbon pools and soil structure.
At the moment, research has shown these products can be potentially beneficial in a wide range of horticultural enterprises but there is a lack of information on their utility in broadacre cropping.
Previously, findings have demonstrated that some of these products can increase microbial biomass, organic carbon, and improve the structural condition of the soil in some situations.
Currently, other researchers have found very little in the way of the benefits or possible detrimental effects of applying these products to broadacre agriculture.
To tackle this project my research involves a number of field experimental sites where a number of products are applied each season at varying rates. Soil samples are collected routinely from these sites and analysed for a range of soil carbon pools as well as changes in structural condition. To do this my work involves a lot of field work and a ridiculous amount of laboratory work.
From this we I hope to demonstrate the influence of a range of organic amendments on a number of irrigated cropping soils. Findings form this work will enable broadacre irrigators to better understand the effects of using organic amendments on their soils, and the potential benefits or pitfalls that may arise from their application.
Background
I completed my Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the University of Sydney in 2006 and went straight into my PhD.
I have an industry scholarship with the Cotton Catchment and Communities CRC.
I attended an international summer school in Naples, Italy, in September 2007 , “Natural Organic Matter: A resource for environment and nanotechnologies”. In December 2008 I attended the Soils 2008 Conference entitled 'Soil - the living skin of Planet Earth", in Palmerston North, New Zealand. I have presented at a number of NSW DPI healthy soils forums and to numerous irrigated farming groups in the Macquarie and Lachlan Valleys of NSW.