The objective of this project funding was to maximise profitability by improving the efficiency and flexibility of broadacre irrigation systems. This was identified as a priority for research by grower groups based in the southern connected systems of the Murray Darling Basin. To achieve the objective, the project had four focus areas:

* to foster collaboration and partnerships to facilitate the adoption of research findings

* to investigate irrigation and nitrogen management strategies to improve water productivity in cotton, maize and rice farming systems

* to develop best practice design guidelines for basin surface irrigation systems

* to investigate the economic impact of investment in irrigation development on whole-farm profitability.

The key messages:

* This project enabled collaboration across two research organisations, four advisory organisations and three grower groups to investigate improvements in water productivity in a region in which approximately 4000 gigalitres (GL) is used by irrigated agriculture.

* Complex relationships exist between irrigation, nitrogen and plant development that require appropriate management to avoid negative impacts on profitability.

* Improvements in on-farm irrigation infrastructure can achieve a significant marginal rate of return on the capital investment, with potential for further improvement subject to better irrigation layout design and drainage.