How Murray Mallee Growers Cut Costs and Built Drought Resilience with OneSoil
Reading time — 10 min
In South Australia’s variable Mallee region, two grain growers used satellite-based zoning to optimise nitrogen rates, cut input costs, and strengthen drought resilience with OneSoil.
Facing rising fertiliser costs and increasingly unpredictable seasons, two Murray Mallee grain producers - the Webers and the Gordons - decided it was time to rethink how nitrogen was applied across their paddocks.
Instead of relying on traditional flat-rate spreading, they partnered with TEKFARM Advisor Angus Brissendon, Broadacre Agronomist at Elders Murray Bridge, to trial a satellite-based variable-rate mapping approach using OneSoil.
Their goal was practical and straightforward: test whether an accessible, low-cost digital tool could better align nitrogen inputs with real yield potential - reducing financial risk while improving productivity in a highly variable environment.
Instead of relying on traditional flat-rate spreading, they partnered with TEKFARM Advisor Angus Brissendon, Broadacre Agronomist at Elders Murray Bridge, to trial a satellite-based variable-rate mapping approach using OneSoil.
Their goal was practical and straightforward: test whether an accessible, low-cost digital tool could better align nitrogen inputs with real yield potential - reducing financial risk while improving productivity in a highly variable environment.
Photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Mallee is a semi-arid agricultural region in southern Australia, covering parts of South Australia and Victoria.
In South Australia, it’s often referred to as the Murray Mallee, reflecting its location near the Murray River.
What characterises the Mallee?
🌾 Broadacre grain production (wheat, barley, canola, pulses)
🌧 Low and highly variable rainfall
🌱 Sandy soils with variable fertility
🌳 Native “mallee” eucalyptus scrub vegetation
Because rainfall is unpredictable and soils vary significantly within paddocks, farmers in the Mallee face high production risk - making nitrogen efficiency and variable-rate management especially important.
In South Australia, it’s often referred to as the Murray Mallee, reflecting its location near the Murray River.
What characterises the Mallee?
🌾 Broadacre grain production (wheat, barley, canola, pulses)
🌧 Low and highly variable rainfall
🌱 Sandy soils with variable fertility
🌳 Native “mallee” eucalyptus scrub vegetation
Because rainfall is unpredictable and soils vary significantly within paddocks, farmers in the Mallee face high production risk - making nitrogen efficiency and variable-rate management especially important.
The Challenge: Variable Seasons, Rising Costs, Uneven Performance
Jeff Weber had a clear concern: increasingly unpredictable rainfall makes it difficult to match fertiliser inputs with true yield potential. In dry years, over-application is expensive. In good years, under-fertilising high-performing areas limits yield.
Looking back at previous seasons with adequate rainfall revealed a key issue:
Jeff Weber had a clear concern: increasingly unpredictable rainfall makes it difficult to match fertiliser inputs with true yield potential. In dry years, over-application is expensive. In good years, under-fertilising high-performing areas limits yield.
Looking back at previous seasons with adequate rainfall revealed a key issue:
- Some zones consistently underperformed.
- Others had unrealised yield potential.
- Nitrogen was being applied at a flat rate of 105 kg/ha — regardless of variability.
- Over-applying nitrogen in low-potential sandhill zones.
- Missing yield opportunities in higher-productivity clay flats.
“
“We looked at a number of options, and ultimately recommended OneSoil as it’s a simple, low-cost way for growers to take their first step into variable-rate fertiliser management.”
With OneSoil you can create VRA maps based on historical productivity zones or a current NDVI images. The app creates control strips automatically, so you don't have to build them manually.
Control strips are special areas in productivity zones where a trial is set up to compare application rates. Control strips are necessary to interpret the results of the trial, i.e., how different application rates affected yield in different zones.
Control strips are special areas in productivity zones where a trial is set up to compare application rates. Control strips are necessary to interpret the results of the trial, i.e., how different application rates affected yield in different zones.
Using Satellite Data to Redefine the Paddock
The OneSoil platform uses:
What Soil Testing RevealedThe results confirmed significant variability:
This variability had been hidden under years of flat-rate spreading.
- NDVI and NDRE satellite imagery
- Optional topography and soil-colour layers
- AI-driven productivity zoning
What Soil Testing RevealedThe results confirmed significant variability:
- Sandhill zones (lower-performing) → Higher residual nitrogen from historical over-application
- Clay flats (high-performing) → Nitrogen-deficient due to consistent under-feeding and higher nutrient removal
This variability had been hidden under years of flat-rate spreading.
The Economic Impact
Under the flat-rate system:
105 kg/ha
nitrogen across the paddock
Under the variable-rate scenario:
72 kg/ha
nitrogen across the paddock
That’s a substantial reduction in total nitrogen applied - while improving allocation to high-performing zones.
The outcome:
✔ Reduced input costs
✔ Improved yield potential in productive areas
✔ Better nitrogen use efficiency
✔ Lower financial risk in dry seasons
Instead of spending more, the growers began spending smarter.
Implementation: The Reality Check
While map generation was straightforward, implementation highlighted important lessons:
- A late GPS installation prevented file recognition during spreading.
- Contractor wheel tracks didn’t align with tramlines, forcing a return to flat-rate application.
- Machinery compatibility and controller setup required more preparation than expected.
Technology adoption isn’t just about maps - it’s about the entire ecosystem of machinery, software, advisors, and contractors.
Growers using John Deere Operations Centre or Case IH AFS Connect can wirelessly upload OneSoil maps, significantly reducing friction. But ensuring readiness across systems must happen before application.
Validation: Did the Zones Reflect Reality?
Even where variable-rate spreading wasn’t fully executed, the trial delivered strong validation.
Later NDRE imagery and soil testing closely matched OneSoil’s productivity zones.
This gave growers confidence that the algorithm accurately reflected field variability - a crucial step in building trust in digital tools.
Later NDRE imagery and soil testing closely matched OneSoil’s productivity zones.
This gave growers confidence that the algorithm accurately reflected field variability - a crucial step in building trust in digital tools.
“
“It helped us see the paddock differently. You start understanding where the yield potential really sits - not just where it looks good from the ute or combine.”
Beyond Nitrogen: Building Drought Resilience
Even where variable-rate spreading wasn’t fully executed, the trial delivered strong validation.
Later NDRE imagery and soil testing closely matched OneSoil’s productivity zones.
This gave growers confidence that the algorithm accurately reflected field variability - a crucial step in building trust in digital tools.
Later NDRE imagery and soil testing closely matched OneSoil’s productivity zones.
This gave growers confidence that the algorithm accurately reflected field variability - a crucial step in building trust in digital tools.
Bigger Picture
The Bigger PictureThis trial proves a simple but powerful point: precision agriculture doesn’t have to be complex to create impact.
When satellite data is translated into clear, practical productivity zones - and supported by strong agronomic guidance - growers can make smarter nitrogen decisions, reduce risk, and improve profitability. Instead of treating paddocks as uniform, they begin managing variability strategically.
That’s the role OneSoil is built to play: a digital co-pilot for efficient farming, helping growers get more from every hectare.
And in a region like the Mallee, where every kilogram of nitrogen matters, that precision makes a real difference.
When satellite data is translated into clear, practical productivity zones - and supported by strong agronomic guidance - growers can make smarter nitrogen decisions, reduce risk, and improve profitability. Instead of treating paddocks as uniform, they begin managing variability strategically.
That’s the role OneSoil is built to play: a digital co-pilot for efficient farming, helping growers get more from every hectare.
And in a region like the Mallee, where every kilogram of nitrogen matters, that precision makes a real difference.
See OneSoil in action - save on inputs, cut costs, and turn effort into real profit. Schedule a call with our team!
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