Liquid compost sprayer trials have begun on the Atherton Tablelands as landholders explore new ways to improve their soils and reduce chemical inputs.

Farmers are working with Terrain NRM to trial a sprayer designed to support the survival of beneficial bacteria in live liquid compost application. The Cyclone Multi-Task Sprayer arrived from New Zealand last month.

Kairi grazier Kellie Evans, who is also president of the farmer-led Wet Tropics Soilcare group, is one of the landholders trialling the sprayer.

“Nutrition straight to the leaf surface”

“We’ve been making our own compost for four to five years and using a muck spreader to apply it to our pastures before the wet season,’’ she said. “With the new sprayer, we can also have a liquid compost foliar feeder. It gets nutrition straight to the leaf surface and does it efficiently.

“This sprayer is something we’ve been looking at through the Wet Tropics Soilcare group. Through Terrain NRM, it has been brought to the region and we’re hoping for wider usage by landholders once we’ve completed a three-year trial period.”

A sprayer designed for bulk live-liquid products

Terrain NRM’s Maria Ribbeck said the sprayer’s point of difference was its specific design for bulk live-liquid products.

“It can constantly rotate the liquid and keep it aerated. There are no right angles to clog up and the water oxygen levels are at six per cent, which is important for adding aerobic biology,’’ she said.

“Farmers will be trialling two applications a year during growing season and, ideally, we will expand the applications to vermicast, seed distribution, use of bio dynamic preps and mineral balancing.

Reducing chemical inputs while improving soil, water and carbon properties

“The goal is to reduce chemical inputs while improving soil function and structure, water retention and carbon sequestration. It’s also to have an economical alternative for landholders.”

So far, Kellie has sprayed 29 hectares of pasture with liquid compost while Ravenshoe biodynamic graziers Lisa Price and Simon Harden are part way through their first application on 50 hectares.

“We’ve been making thermal compost since 2018 but we hadn’t found an effective way to get it out in volume, and quickly enough across the hectares not to lose oxygen,’’ Lisa said.