Junee Wheat Trial: Liquids Outperform Granular Fertiliser
Information
This demonstration Junee wheat trial compared the results of liquid and synthetic granular fertilisers in a wheat crop. As shown in the graph, the trial compared a relatively low rate and a conventional rate of granular fertiliser. An equivalent cost of liquid fertiliser to the conventional rate of granular fertiliser was also compared. All plots in the trial had good germination and plant counts given favourable early conditions. It was noted that the plots which contained only the Microsoil liquid fertilisers and no granular fertiliser had less biomass and the plots were also shorter in height. The liquid fertiliser was all applied as liquid inject at sowing. No further applications were made in crop. The attached Gross Margin figures take into account both the cost of fertiliser applied and the grain quality achieved. The highest yield and the highest Gross Margin was achieved by the following Microsoil products liquid injected at sowing – 40L NPK STARTER, 5L CROP STARTER & 40L PROTEIN NITROGEN. This trial demonstrated the ability of Microsoil liquid fertilisers to be applied up front to a wheat crop and to be able to maintain nutrition levels through to harvest. Having less biomass appeared to help the Microsoil liquid treated plots ‘hold on’ in the dry finish to the season. Trial conducted by: AT Rural Consulting.
Benefits
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Higher Yield & Profitability
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Improved Nutrient Efficiency
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Better Crop Resilience in Dry Conditions
Junee Wheat Trial: Liquid Outperforms Granular
A wheat trial conducted by AT Rural Consulting in Junee, NSW, compared the effectiveness of Microsoil’s liquid fertiliser program against traditional granular fertiliser applications. The Junee wheat trial assessed how different fertiliser strategies influenced yield, gross margin, and nutrient efficiency, with all plots experiencing good germination and plant counts due to favorable early conditions.
The results demonstrated the strong performance of liquid-injected fertilisers, particularly when applied at sowing. The highest yield and gross margin were achieved using:
- 40L Microsoil NPK Starter + 5L Crop Starter + 40L Microsoil Protein Nitrogen, applied as liquid inject at sowing.
- This treatment produced a 4.25 t/ha yield and a gross margin of $970/ha—outperforming all granular-based applications.
By comparison, conventional fertilisation strategies using 40kg MAP + 60kg Urea and 70kg MAP + 60kg Urea yielded 3.25 t/ha and 3.71 t/ha, with gross margins of $752/ha and $852/ha, respectively.
Interestingly, the Microsoil-treated plots had less biomass and shorter plants, which helped them hold on better during the dry finish to the season. The trial demonstrated that Microsoil’s liquid fertiliser approach effectively sustained nutrition levels through to harvest, reducing dependency on high-rate granular fertilisation while improving overall yield and profitability.
For wheat growers seeking a more efficient and cost-effective fertilisation strategy, Switch Ag’s liquid nutrition program provides a proven alternative to traditional granular methods.
