Trevor Syme Unlocks Early Germination and Weed Control with SE14® on Challenging Forest Gravel Soils
At his property near Bolgart, Western Australia, Trevor Syme faced the ongoing challenge of managing non-wetting forest gravel soils while dry sowing to make the most of narrow seeding windows. On a newly leased block with notoriously difficult soils, he put SE14 moisture retention agent to the test. What followed was a standout demonstration of how SE14 can improve germination, weed control, and early crop establishment under tough conditions.Shape
Key Achievements
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Rapid, Uniform Germination Within Four Days
Achieved full crop strike just days after sowing, outperforming untreated areas that remained patchy even after rainfall.
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Complete Germination Compared to 15% in Untreated Rows
Reached near-100% germination in SE14-treated rows versus just 15% in the control, with no adjustments to seeding rate.
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Cleaner, Weed-Free Rows with Improved Early Competition
Noticed significantly fewer weeds in treated rows, reducing early weed pressure and improving crop uniformity.
The Challenge
Trevor Syme manages a mixed cropping program near Bolgart, WA, where non-wetting soils, particularly forest gravels, are a well-known barrier to early crop establishment. These soils are notoriously difficult to manage because physical amelioration methods like spading or mouldboard ploughing are often not practical.
SACOA (now Agrion Crop Solutions) WA Regional Manager Damon Fleay explained why these soils present such a challenge.
“Typically forest gravel soils, for example, are too hard or littered with tree stumps and/or rocks, preventing many physical soil amelioration measures to reduce non-wetting.”
— Damon Fleay, SACOA (now Agrion Crop Solutions) WA Regional Manager
These conditions were exactly what Trevor faced on a newly leased block south of his main property. Despite conserving summer moisture with standing stubble, he knew germination would be unreliable without intervention. A small 5-6mm rain event in early May confirmed his concerns, with untreated areas showing patchy and incomplete germination.
Trevor needed a solution that could maximise moisture retention and improve crop strike, even with minimal rainfall.
The Solution
Trevor applied SE14 for the first time on the lease block, streaming the liquid directly behind each seeding boot at a rate of 2L/ha with 50L/ha of water on 375mm row spacings. This placement was designed to hold moisture exactly where the seed needed it most.
“It’s a formulation of surfactants and retention agents which hold moisture and nutrients in the seeding furrow when banded within close proximity to the seed. It actually increases soil moisture holding capacity around the germinating seed.”
— Damon Fleay, SACOA (now Agrion Crop Solutions) WA Regional Manager
Trevor began sowing in mid-April, aiming to make the most of the conserved summer moisture. Just a few days after a small 5-6mm rain event in early May, the SE14-treated rows showed uniform germination. In comparison, untreated rows remained patchy and slow to establish.
SE14 is designed to work with most existing liquid injection systems and is compatible with a range of in-furrow products, including UAN, fungicides, trace elements, and insecticides. SACOA (now Agrion Crop Solutions) is also running additional trials on Trevor’s property to assess how SE14 interacts with different fertiliser placements and nitrogen sources. These trials aim to help growers fine-tune their application methods for even better results.
The Result
The impact of SE14 was clear from the start. Treated rows achieved close to 100% germination, compared to just 15% in the untreated control. Both areas were sown at the same rate of 1.8kg/ha, but the difference in crop establishment was obvious.
“We used 1.8 kilograms a hectare seeding rate and it worked out we got 15 per cent germination in the control versus 100 per cent in the SE14 – treated rows.”
— Trevor Syme
In addition to improved germination, Trevor observed significantly cleaner rows in the SE14 – treated areas. While the untreated strips showed heavy weed pressure, the treated rows stayed noticeably weed-free, reducing early competition and supporting even crop growth.
Encouraged by the results, Trevor plans to continue usingSE14 as part of his dry sowing strategy.
“We’ll definitely use it again because it’s another tool in the toolbox when you need it.”
— Trevor Syme
Agrion continues to work with growers like Trevor to refine application techniques, helping them get the best results from SE14 across a range of soil types and seeding conditions.
SE14® is a registered trademark of Agrion Crop Solutions Pty Ltd.
