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Comparing cover crops

Thursday 16 July 2026
11:30 am 1:45 pm

Springbank VIC 3352 Australia (map)

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Event details

Date: Thursday 16 July 2026

Time: 11:30 am - 1:45 pm (AEST) - Prior to PotatoLink R&D forum

Location: Xavier Toohey’s farm, Springbank/Ballarat VIC

Registration: Click here to register‍ ‍Registrations are essential for catering purposes and to receive event address details. Registrations will close Monday 13th July 2026 at 11:55pm.

Biosecurity matters. Please come in clean clothes and footwear, with a clean vehicle -come clean, go clean.

Join us for a field walk through Xavier Toohey’s cover crop demonstration. This site is comparing two different cover crop mixes and their effect on soil health and structure. Xavier is currently growing a grass/cereal mix, alongside a more diverse multi-species mix which also includes tillage radish and crimson clover.

Stuart Grigg and Stephanie Tabone will lead the field walk, providing insights into soil health indicators, and a visual comparison between the two mixes.

In addition, Professor Calum Wilson of TIA and the National Integrated Disease Management program will advise on the latest research about managing disease risk while incorporating cover crops into the potato rotation.

Topics include

Cover crop fundamentals
Species selection: the varied benefits of grasses and cereals, legumes, tillage radish and when to choose them
Soil health indicators: a visual comparison of the soil structure under each cover crop and analysis of soil test results
Management of disease risk: what needs to be considered when integrating cover crops into a potato growing rotation to manage the risk of disease

Event schedule

Cover crop fundamentals and overview of demonstration
Field walk to see cover crop mixes side-by-side
Discussion of soil structure and test results
Disease risk management strategies
Lunch

Lunch will be provided at the end of the field walk, before heading to the R&D Forum at the nearby Bungaree Recreation Reserve. In the event of bad weather, the discussion will be held over lunch in Bungaree.