Tap into a wealth of soil and crop health resources

Project Code

MT22004

Short Summary

With a decade of research behind it and new content developed regularly, the Soil Wealth ICP project continues to equip vegetable and melon growers with practical, evidence-based resources in soil management and plant health to support productivity, profitability and sustainability.

Year Published

2025

Project Provider

Applied Horticultural Research

By Paulette Baumgartl, Applied Horticultural Research

Over the past 10 years the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (Soil Wealth ICP) project has developed a substantial body of work focused on improving soil and plant health in the Australian vegetable industry. The project’s online library has become an essential tool for growers, advisors, and service providers seeking evidence-based guidance across a wide range of production issues.

Developed by the project team at RMCG and AHR, the resources aim to bridge the gap between research and practical application. The Soil Wealth ICP website hosts a variety of resource types, including fact sheets, case studies, webinars, videos, and podcasts, covering topics such as soil health, crop health, input use efficiency and managing carbon and climate.

The project continues to prioritise the delivery of reliable, practical information that supports on-farm decision-making. Recognising the increasing complexity of production challenges, the Soil Wealth ICP team designs resources to be practical, accessible, mevidence-based, and directly applicable to commercial vegetable and melon growers.

Here are just a few of the valuable new additions now available:

POSTER:
Organic nitrogen rules of thumb

Understanding the contribution of organic inputs to soil nitrogen levels can be a challenge. The Organic nitrogen rules of thumb poster simplifies the complex dynamics of nitrogen in soil, providing a general framework to estimate nitrogen release from sources like legume cover crops, compost, and manure.

While the numbers are approximate and dependent on local conditions, the poster gives growers a starting point for nutrient budgeting and decision-making. It also highlights key factors influencing nitrogen availability, such as soil biology, structure, and environmental conditions.

View at: soilwealth.com.au/2024/11/organic-nitrogen-rules-of-thumb/

HANDBOOK:
Best practice guide: broccoli and cauliflower nutrition

Tailored crop nutrition support is now easier to access with the new Broccoli/ cauliflower nutrition guide, part of a growing series that aims to help growers manage crop-specific nutrition throughout the season. This guide outlines:

Nutritional focus for each crop growth stage
How to calculate nutrient removal
Factors influencing nutrient uptake and availability
Monitoring strategies.

This guide supports growers in making informed fertiliser decisions that support plant health while avoiding over-application and nutrient loss.

View at: soilwealth.com.au/2025/02/broccoli-cauliflower-nutrition-guide

PODCAST:
Growing more with less –input use efficiency

Managing inputs efficiently is not just about cutting costs – it’s about getting better value from what you use. In the Growing more with less podcast episode Soil Wealth ICP team member Carl Larsen speaks with irrigation and nutrient management experts about strategies to optimise water and fertiliser use.

Guests Ivor Gaylard (Swan Systems), Medi Zaboli (Sentek) and Doris Blasing (RMCG) share practical tips, including the role of technology in improving monitoring, datadriven decisions and how to link productivity with resource efficiency.

View at: soilwealth.com.au/2024/10/growing-more-with-less-input-use-efficiency

WEBINAR:
Internal fruit rot of capsicum

A must-watch for capsicum growers, the Internal fruit rot of capsicum webinar delves into the outcomes of the VG17012 project. Presented by a panel of experts, including Dr Jenny Ekman and Dr Len Tesoriero, the session explores:

Pathogen identification
In-field and postharvest management strategies
Future recommendations to reduce disease risk and improve product quality.

Internal fruit rot can be a hidden but significant issue – this webinar equips growers with the knowledge to stay one step ahead.

View at: soilwealth.com.au/2025/02/internal-fruit-rot-of-capsicum-webinar

Supporting evidence-based practice

All resources are freely available via the Soil Wealth ICP website, which continues to be updated as new information becomes available. The website’s search functionality enables users to filter content by crop, region, topic, and resource type, supporting more efficient access to relevant information.