In our first episode back for AHRI Snapshots this year, we chat with Dr Hira Shaukat, who previously was an AHRI PhD candidate.
Hira worked on 3D mapping of soil moisture throughout her PhD. Part of her work involved looking at how farmers could utilise degraded land affected by salinity. This involved figuring out what soil conditions would be suit the plant Leptospermum nitens. Nectar from this plant is a source of high-value medicinal honey production and can provide income from agriculturally marginal lands.
This is a deviation a bit away from the themes of weed control we usually cover in this podcast, however, looking at farming systems holistically is important. Land not suitable for crops can be a haven for weeds to proliferate, which in turn can end up in the crop. Planting a valuable species like Leptospermum nitens can provide an additional income source, and reduce the land availability for weeds to grow.
Hira chats to us about her findings, as well as the other applications 3D mapping can provide growers.
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