Sandy soils series: Re-engineering sandy soils into productive land

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