Modeling Cover Cropping in Drylands for Improved Agronomic and Environmental Outcomes under Current and Future Climates

The aim of my research is to quantify the utility and variability of different cover crops for fallow replacement in the Northern Grain Region of Australia under current and future climate conditions. The specific objectives are to: 1. Identify potential management strategies (species selection, monoculture, or mixtures, sowing proportion, as well as planting and termination times) of cover crops under dryland conditions 2. Determine the short-term agronomic effects of replacing fallow periods with CCs on N and soil water dynamics, and subsequent summer maize crop 3. Determine the short-term pest suppressive impacts of cover crops on weeds and soil nematode community composition 4. Assess the potential of UAV imagery to predict in-season N status, biomass and yield for managing variability induced by cover crop management 5. Calibrate and validate APSIM model to improve its prediction to simulate cover cropping accurately and reliably under contrasting management conditions in the Northern Grain Region of Australia 6. evaluate the potential role and economics of cover crops in the NGR under a changing climate.

Funding: University of Queensland Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship