[b][COWRA, 02/03/2018][/b] - Australia's modern farming techniques have contributed to soil contamination, allowing pesticides and other harmful chemicals to seep through the soil. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), thousands of hectares of land in New South Wales have been adversely affected by careless agricultural practices.

[b]Common Soil Contaminants in Australian Agriculture[/b]

EPA cites arsenic as a common soil contaminant in Australia. It is an ingredient found in many pesticides and has adverse effects on vegetation such as ligand exchange and oxidation-reduction. EPA revealed that the North Coast banana plantations and the Namoi/Gwydir cotton growing patches in New South Wales experienced broad-acre contamination.

The University of Queensland, in a recent study, identified silver nanoparticles contaminating soil in home gardens. While they generally pose a low risk to agricultural food production, silver nanoparticles contributed to soil salinity -- a phenomenon that is getting worse in Australia. Silver nanoparticles are found in detergents, textiles, nutritional supplements and other household substances and objects.

[b]Impacts of Soil Contamination to Crops[/b]

A study conducted by the University of Western Australia looked at the effects of heavy metals in contaminated soil to naked oats. Oats was used due to its absorptive properties and its production cost. Oats were able to clean up strontium from soils in a process called phytoremediation. Had it been another type of vegetation, the plants would have stunted growth, abnormalities in their fruits and other adverse effects.

According to the University of Melbourne, certain farming practices disrupt natural processes that take place in the soil. This has led to a widespread phenomenon of zinc-deficiency in cereal farms caused by disruptions of fungi ecosystems that help in plant growth.

[b]Efficient Haymaking and Baling Process[/b]

K-Line Ag, a market leader in the agricultural sector, offers a wide range of hay rakes that produce better hay quality and lessens soil contamination.

Their Delta line of heavy-duty hay rakes includes compact and inline options that provide cost-efficiency, durability and longevity.

According to the company: "With an extra-heavy duty [sic] design, our hay rakes ensure longevity and lower maintenance costs, suitable even in the harshest field conditions."

[b]About K-Line Ag[/b]

K-Line Ag has supplied high-quality, robust and durable machinery to Australia’s agricultural sector for over 23 years. Apart from their range of heavy-duty hay rakes, the company also offers their own line of speedtillers, harrows and bars and precision seeding systems.

To learn more about the company and their services, visit www.k-line.net.au.