Neil Lantzke, Principal Research Scientist in DPIRD’s Intensive and Irrigated Plant Systems team, shares his expertise on growing horticultural crops on the sandy soils of Western Australia’s Swan Coastal Plain.

Neil explains why these soils struggle to retain nutrients and water, and highlights innovative agricultural practices that are being developed to address these issues. The conversation also touches on the broader impact of climate change on water resources and how these changes shape horticultural management. He shares practical insights and advice on various irrigation techniques, the potential of soil re-engineering, and the economic considerations that influence growers' decisions. This episode offers a detailed look at the strategies being used to sustain horticultural production in challenging environments.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.

• Evaluating on farm water and nutrient recapture in Western Australia - Hort Innovation
• Modern Soil Moisture Monitoring for Improved Drought Resilience - SW WA Hub
• Irrigation calculator - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
• Hub news - Drought Hub

Murdoch University’s Professor David Henry and recent PhD graduate Maria Pfeifle, now with DPIRD, explore the issue of non-wetting soils (also known as soil water repellency) in Western Australia.

They unpack what it is, why it occurs, and what remains unknown, delving into the complexities of managing this persistent challenge.

The conversation also examines how sandy soils, temperature, drought, organic matter, and microbial activity all influence the extent and impact of water repellency across the State.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.

• Soil Water Repellence - Soil Quality Knowledge Base
• Hub news - Drought Hub

Dr Gaus Azam, a soils researcher at DPIRD leading the GRDC project “Re-engineering soils to improve the access of crop root systems to water and nutrients stored in the subsoil”, joins Esperance agronomist Quenten Knight from Agronomy Focus to discuss the soil re-engineering work underway across Western Australia.

Together, they explore how this innovative approach to soil management is improving water access for crops, increasing yields, and strengthening drought resilience. They share insights on the importance of understanding soil types, the practical applications of soil amelioration, and the benefits of enhancing soil health to improve crop yields and resilience during dry seasons.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.

• Pre-emergent herbicides factsheet - GRDC
• Google Scholar: Dr Gaus Azam's publications
• Re-engineering soil profiles might happen sooner than expected (video) - GRDC
• Re-engineering soils to improve the access of crop root systems to water and nutrients stored in the subsoil - GRDC
• The resilience of re-engineered sandy soils in wet and dry seasons in Western Australia (PDF) - Gaus Azam, DPIRD
• Less rain, more wheat: How Australian farmers defied climate doom - Reuters
• ‘Moonshot’ investment tracks soil amelioration over time and space - GRDC Ground Cover
• Hub news - Drought Hub