Research interests

• Irrigated farming systems
• Soil and crop spatial variability
• Soil salinity, sodicity and acidity

Background

Geoff Beecher is a Research Agronomist based at Yanco Agricultural Institute. He joined NSW Agriculture* in 1987 following 9 years with the Department of Water Resources investigating soil and water issues in irrigated environments throughout southern NSW.

Since joining NSW DPI, Geoff has been involved in research covering a large range of issues associated with irrigated farming systems covering rice based farming systems including raised beds irrigation, rice land suitability assessment involving electromagnetic induction, soil salinity, sodicity and acidity and spatial variability of soils and crop performance. He made considerable contributions to the MIA Land and Water Management Plans.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B. Rural Science UNE
• D. Financial Management UNE

Current projects

• Understanding, quantifying and managing spatial variability of rice growth and yield. -RIRDC
• Approaches to manage spatial variability of rice growth and yield. -  RIRDC

Recent Publications

Dunn BW and Beecher HG (2006) Using Electro-Magnetic Induction technology to determine soil spatial variability and identify sampling sites for soil acidity assessment in irrigated rice fields. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47(2) 208 - 214.

Humphreys E, Lewin LG, Khan S, Beecher HG, Lacy J, Thompson J, Batten GD, Brown A, Russell Christen EW, and Dunn BW (2006) Integrated approaches to increasing water productivity in rice-based systems in south east Australia Field crop research. Field Crops Research 97: 19-33

Beecher HG, Dunn BW, Thompson JA, Humphreys E, Mathews SK, and Timsina J (2006) Effect of raised beds, irrigation and nitrogen management on growth, yield and water use of rice in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 46(10) 1363–1372

Humphreys E, Meisner C, Gupta R, Timsina J, Beecher HG, Tang Yong Lu, Yadvinder-Singh MA, Gil I, Masih, Zheng Jia Guo and Thompson JA (2005) Water saving in rice-wheat systems. Plant Production Science 8 (3) 242-258 

Beecher HG, Thompson JA, Dunn BW, and Mathews SK (2005). Successful Permanent Raised Beds in the irrigated farming systems of the Murrumbidgee / Murray Valleys of NSW, Australia. ACIAR International Workshop on Permanent Raised Beds, Griffith, CSIRO, 1-3 March 2005. ACIAR Monograph

Beecher HG and Dunn BW (2003) rice, channels, drains and on-farm storages – improved siting reduces groundwater accessions. Natural Resources Management Journal, Special Issue, June 2003 pp. 36-40.

Beecher HG and Lake BA (2003) Surface and sub-surface acidity conditions in southern irrigated regions of NSW  Natural Resources Management Journal, Special Issue June 2003 pp. 52-54.

Dunn BW, Beecher HG, Batten GD, Ciavarella S (2002) The potential of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy for soil analysis –a case study from the Riverine Plain of south eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 42, 607-14.

Surapaneni A, Olsson KA, Burrow DP, Beecher HG, Ham GJ, Stevens RM, Hulugalle NR, McKenzie DC and Rengasamy P. (2002) Tatura Sodicity Conference: knowledge gaps in sodicity research for major agricultural industries. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 42, 379-387

Beecher HG, Hume IH, Dunn BW (2002) Improved method for assessing rice soil suitability to restrict recharge. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 42, 297-307.
Professional associations and activities
Australian Society of Soil Science

Fields of Research

• 050206 Natural Resource Management
• 070302 Agronomy
• 070107 Farming Systems Research
• 070108 Sustainable Agricultural development
• 079901 Agricultural hydrology (drainage, flooding, irrigation, quality)

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Irrigated farming systems
• Irrigated raised beds
• Irrigation management
• Electromagnetic induction
• Soil salinity, sodicity, acidity, 
• Soil and crop spatial variability 
• Use of saline water for irrigation