This paddock trial in conjunction with Calvin Bracken of Sustainable Soils, and Seaton Farming Ltd, was designed to determine the effectiveness of an EM treatment, against an untreated control on Fodder beet, at Seaton’s Farm, Aylesbury.
Method and Materials
History of paddock: Ex grass
Plot size and layout: See table 1
Fodder beet variety: Splendide
Sowing date: 25th Nov 2014
Sowing rate: 1 box/ha (80,000 seeds/ha).
Date of EM application;
20th December 2014, Rate: 20 litres/ha
Fertiliser applied 10th November;
- 200 kg/ha Viafos V10 (21kg P)
- 100 kg/ha Viafos K (22kgK)
- 25 kg /ha OrganiBor
- 150 kg/ha Kieserite ( 24kg Mg & 24kg S)
- 200 kg/ha Salt
- 5 kg /ha Copper
- 3 kg/ha Zinc
Leaf test done early Feb, showed lower than desired Potassium.
Mid Feb 10 litres/ha liquid Potassium 25% applied.
Results
Table 1, Fodder beet yield data, Seatons Farm comparing EM application against control (non-treated)
The data shows a consistently higher yield on the areas treated with EM.
Table 2, Graph demonstrating mean yield DM T/ha of Fodder beet yield data, Seatons Farm comparing EM application against control (non-treated)
When we look at the data as a graph we can see the difference in yield from a single application of EM at 20 litres per ha. This equated to an increase of 17.3 %, which converted to just over 4 tonne of extra dry matter per ha.
The value of this extra feed at 28cents/kg DM equates to $1202 per ha.
The cost of the EM to the farmer at 20 litres per ha was $45 plus application cost $20 per ha, makes it a very economical input, and high return on input costs.
For more detailed information including DM analysis download the full trial sheet.
