Activating soil microbes delivers rewards for Qld vegetable grower
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TREVOR Cross takes pride in the view across his snow pea crop.
There is an evenness and consistency about the trellised crop that appears to be actively climbing the red netting under the Queensland sunshine even as he stands there.
Plenty of experience goes into producing a crop like this; Trevor grew up farming vegetables, guided by his father.
Mr Cross gives part of the credit for the crop's performance to a product he was encouraged to try in recent years.
Cross Family Farms has taken to using the soil and plant bio-stimulant, Digestor NP, from Metagen.
Digestor NP is a soil-applied bio-stimulant formulated with microbial metabolites.and signalling molecules.
It is designed to improve crop and soil health, yield and production quality.
Digestor is primarily used on soils in horticulture, tree crops, grapes and dicot root systems, plus bananas and legumes.
Cross Family Farms, which is run by Mr Cross and his wife Wendy, farms some 200 hectares producing snow peas, zucchinis, tomatoes (Roma, cherries and gourmet), capsicums, eggplant, green beans and pumpkins.
The spread of commodities means the operation has to be mindful of products which can have a beneficial impact on multiple fronts.
"We put the Digestor into our pre-plant farming system doing one application at the start of the crop and it has helped see an increase in productivity and long term reduction in fertiliser," Mr Cross said.
The crops are largely watered with trickle tape drip irrigation. This makes fertigation a viable option for crop nutrition additives and soil treatments.
Water is sourced from the local irrigation scheme, dams and bores.
Catchment dams hold all water that is used in the packing shed so as not to contaminate local streams or waterways.
This water is then used back through irrigation systems.
From the ground up
MR Cross is a big believer in looking after the health of the soil in order to produce the best quality vegetables.
His properties at Welcome Creek are not far from the coast, making his farms based on sandy loam soils.
He also incorporates compost and animal manures to encourage soil organic matter.
This works in well with Digestor NP as the soil treatment is formulated to improve nutrient availability, nitrogen cycling and phosphorus release.
Through this it improves soil structure, rooting depth, water infiltration and water holding capacity, bringing whole system gains.
Metagen agronomist, Melinda Everett, who advises Mr Cross, said it is important to keep in mind Digestor NP isn't adding microbes to the soil but more so activating and providing better communication with the beneficial species already present within it making it a more consistent process.
Over time this continued stimulation of soil microbes helps to improves soil structure, rooting depth, water infiltration and water holding capacity, bringing whole system gains.
Ms Everett has been working with Mr Cross and his team to identify where crop protection action is required and together they are implementing more sustainable disease and pest options.
Improved soil health has been demonstrated to increase the disease resistance of systems across a wide range of crops.
Giving back
THE Cross family has been growing smallcrops in the Bundaberg area for more than 20 years.
Its continued expansion now sees it employ more than 300 staff, across the packing shed and in the field, and yet it remains a family business.
While one of the major players in the Bundaberg horticulture sector, the Cross family is also openly generous with supporting the community.
In fact, in 2021 Trevor and Wendy were awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for their food charity work.
The family has for many years donated produce to organisations including Meals on Wheels, Foodbank Queensland and Angels Community Group to help feed those in need.
Cross Family Farms remains one of Foodbank Queensland's largest single fresh product suppliers, donating up to 800,000 kilograms per year of fresh fruit and vegetables for more than a decade.
It wouldn't be possible without the operation maintaining the health of its soils which in turn allows an abundant output of valued food.
As Mr Cross samples a fresh green bean plucked from an abundant bush, he reflects on the business.
He said the weather is such a major determinant of how crops perform.
"It's just like growing a garden really but a lot bigger," Mr Cross said.
Digestor is available in 1L, 5L, 20L or 1000L containers. It can be applied via irrigation, water injection or boom spray.
This is sponsored content for Metagen
