Researchers backed with millions of dollars are digging deep to come up with soil DNA samples to boost the agricultural industry.
A team from the University of Adelaide and SARDI will look at samples collected in the past 20 years to improve productivity, profitability and resilience for agriculture.
The project is titled Past, Present and Future Drivers of Soil Change and is led by Professor Timothy Cavagnaro, from Adelaide university, and Rhiannon Schilling, of the research institute, regional farming system groups Birchip Cropping Group and Kalyx Australia and the Thomas Elder Institute.
Professor Cavagnaro said the project would analyse how soil biology composition has changed since the early 2000s while crop yields have almost doubled.
"We would like to find out whether the diversity and composition of soil communities of past farming systems has changed from those of present farming systems," he said.
"If it has changed, can we introduce practices from past farming systems, or amplify practices of existing farming systems, that further maximise the diversity of current day farming systems?
"In other words, can we have the best of both worlds?
"This project will result in new and advanced knowledge that will help secure long-term agricultural productivity."
The project will draw on the institute's extensive soil DNA sample archive.
The archive is at the institute's Molecular Diagnostic Centre, with more than 10,000 samples collected from cropping paddocks around the nation.
"A key feature of this work is that it will involve work on farms to validate findings," Prof Cavagnaro said.
"This approach provides an excellent opportunity to help guide the research."
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Dr Schilling added: "This study is an opportunity to learn from historical changes in soil biology composition and to use these to identify key drivers in our farming systems.
"By learning from the past, we aim to enhance future on-farm management decisions focused on optimising soil biology to increase crop productivity."
The project is due to start in mid-2022 with final reporting expected in late 2025.
The research has attracted more than $3 million funding from the federal government's Soil Science Challenge program run by the Agriculture, Water and Environment Department.
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Greg Mayfield
As editor, I am responsible for 11 mastheads around the state. I have more than 45 years' experience in newspapers and digital platforms. I am lucky to have an enthusiastic and dedicated team of journalists working with me.
As editor, I am responsible for 11 mastheads around the state. I have more than 45 years' experience in newspapers and digital platforms. I am lucky to have an enthusiastic and dedicated team of journalists working with me.
