Powered by our people: Eilis Walker

What are your primary responsibilities as an agronomist? 

My key responsibility is to undertake crop monitoring, identify key pests and disease and then supply a recommendation to target those. Within my role with Nutrien Ag Solutions Ayr I also manage a team of crop checkers, so I am responsible for organising people, training staff and checking over recommendations.  

What do you like most about being an agronomist? 

I enjoy watching the transformation of a little two leaf seedling to a plant that is budding, then flowering and finally producing a fruit that is sold around Australia and the world. I really enjoy watching the plants thrive and knowing that I have had a direct impact.  

I also really enjoy the challenge and the diversity of the job. Every block presents a different and unique problem to solve. For me it is about identifying a problem or pest and diseases that may become a problem and then putting together the best program to manage them.  

What are the most challenging parts of being an agronomist? 

Aside from the nope ropes (snakes) and a few wild emus taking an interest in my crop monitoring the most challenging thing is having to acknowledge that there are factors outside my control that will ultimately determine the quantity and quality of produce. The weather is the biggest factor for us and a bad storm can have devastating effects outside of our control.  

What tools or technologies do you use daily to assist you in your work? 

On a daily basis we are accessing critical meteorology information to see forecast weather patterns. The weather guides my fungicide spraying program to apply chemistry preventatively rather than curatively. 

More recently we have been using water sensitive paper to look at spray efficacy and how we can help growers improve coverage through nozzle selection and water rates.  

One of the other really important tools that the team has is a microscope so that we can look at spores, pests and bacteria up close to correctly identify and manage them.  

Can you describe the process of collecting and analysing soil samples? 

Through our work we do a lot of nematode testing prior to planting, this involves collecting soil samples and sending them off to laboratories down south. Nematodes hot spot throughout the paddock so we target areas known to have historically had nematode pressure – this may be due to the soil type or other factors such as cover crops. We use an auger to collect at least 20 samples per block and mix them up in a bucket. From there we take 500g of soil and send it down to the lab for testing. When we get the results back we will sit down with the grower and provide some interpretation of the nematode levels in their soil and what products if any would provide benefit in the coming season.  

How do you determine the appropriate fertilisers and pesticides to use for different crops? 

I am a strong believer that if you are not monitoring you are not managing. Prior to planting we undertake soil tests to get a baseline nutrient analysis. From there we can build up the available nutrients via fertiliser application when laying plastic mulch or via fertigation.  

When the crop is in the ground, we monitor every block weekly to identify pests and recommended control options. We also monitor plant health so if plants are showing nutritional deficiencies we can inform the grower or recommend a fertigation program to help ‘patch up the barrel’.  

What methods do you use to monitor and manage crop health? 

I have started to use NDVI imaging to see areas of low plant vigour, we crop monitor over vast areas of land so having a bird’s eye view of the crop is really handy but nothing beats walking through a block and checking individual plants. We will walk transects every week and put counts in via an excel spreadsheet to collect the information. The really handy thing with this file is that we can put in a bays crop growth stage and put the counts for that growth stage into a column. That is useful when you go to recommend a brew to see if a certain crop growth stage needs a targeted spray or not.  

We also take guidance from external resources such as the iMAPS pest’s data which is really beneficial when looking at powdery mildew development so we can commence a preventative spray program before symptoms are seen in field.  

What methods do you employ to identify and address pest and disease issues in crops? How do you decide on the most suitable interventions? 

By far the best asset that I have to help with my job is the grower or farm manager. They are a wealth of on-farm knowledge, know the practicalities of the business and what they can do with their spray rig. I have encountered several challenging situations such as competing priorities in dealing with pests and diseases or if a particular block needs a separate spray application that were able to be overcome by having a conversation with the grower or spray rig operator. It is amazing how much knowledge they have about their properties and are an integral part of coming up with interventions.  

Can you explain the process of designing and implementing crop rotation plans? 

Not within the scope of my job.  

What challenges do you often encounter in your day-to-day work, and how do you overcome them? 

It takes a bit of grit to be an agronomist and normally it is the weather that is the most challenging uncontrollable. But the plants don’t stop growing and it’s one of the times that crop monitoring is needed the most to get targeted applications of fungicides on. So if that means I’ve got mud on my jeans at the end of the day, I’m not phased because I know that’s only part of the job in supporting our local farmers.   

How do you assess and manage environmental sustainability and conservation practices in your work? 

The longevity of the agriculture industry is critical in feeding a growing, global population. We work hand-in-hand with our growers to make sure the decisions or actions we take today will support the sustainability of the farm and its operations for future generations. From a crop monitoring perspective there is no benefit in ‘flogging’ chemicals and adding to resistance.  

Every block I check is a closed system and if strategically managed, the inputs such as fungicides, insecticides and fertilisers stay within that system. To do this we make sure that the product is applied at the right time, the right rate and in the right place to ensure that what is recommended is what is required. Over the past few months, we have been investing time into understanding and calibrating spray rigs to assist in product application. This has proved to be a really worthwhile activity and we are seeing a reduction in potential spray drift and also improving the efficacy of chemicals.  

Can you describe any ongoing projects or research initiatives you are currently involved in? 

We are currently managing the crop monitoring at the local Department of Agriculture and Fisheries site for several private companies. We are also involved in on-property trials looking at the use and efficacy of new chemistry.   

What are some emerging trends or technologies in agronomy that you find interesting or promising? 

I am really excited to see the investment in graduate programs and the investment in up-and-coming agronomists. I think this shows longevity in our industry and I love to be able to mentor new graduates and see how they grow both professionally and personally.  

I am also really excited to see the registration of new products that fit within the scope of sustainability and being softer on beneficials.