The project’s research has developed a new system of soil management. Eight fruitgrowers have set up fruit trees in commercial areas using the system. The oldest are three years and their soils have developed into excellent structure, with many of the properties of the most productive soils in the world. In the meantime, The project developed management list of soil inputs needed to achieve super soil. The additional inputs, additional to the project’s last Final Report, include growing rye grass prior to the new planting, avoid any fallow (no grass), hilling to beds, build beds in stages, incorporate dry straw from the rye grass.

The key aims are the build up of soil organic matter and greatly increased biological activity. The project’s experiments have shown that by applying these practices, the soils are close to the properties of super soil – the most productive of the world’s soils. The rye grass provides the means. Rye grass roots develop rhizosheaths of soil particles, attached to each root and up to 2mm in diameter. Because of the enhanced supply of organic metabolites, soil nutrients and water, organic matter builds up in the sheath, and within the sheath the organic matter is protected from being consumed by the normal soil microbes. The rhizosheath therefore supplies the key inputs – organic matter and biological activity – required for rapid development of ideal soil structure.

The fruit industry needs to increase its productivity too equal world’s best and thus compete in the market. This applies to all Australian horticulture industries. Large potential exists: e.g. the average yield of canning pears is 40 t/ha compared with best overseas yields of 180t/ha and calculated potential of 220t/ha The major cause of low productivity is Australia’s mediocre soils. Our soils go hard in orchards. This is called coalescence and it severely restricts the growth and function of tree roots. The most productive soils overseas remain loose, soft and porous to depth. Coalescence restricts the size of the tree root system, but also very much restricts the flow of water from the soil to the root surface. The project has developed a new system of orchard soil management that overcomes coalescence.

The key properties to develop in the soils are the build up of soil organic matter and greatly increased biological activity. The project had developed a detailed list of inputs for soil preparation and subsequent management. These provide the organic matter and biological activity and the main input is to grow rye grass. The grass produces rhizosheaths of soil around each grass root and it is here that the soil changes to the properties of worlds best soils.