Productivity Improvements
The loose and root-stabilised seedbeds created by the SC™ and BC™ machines always produced larger crop yields. Across ALL sites, over 24 cropping seasons and a variety of crops, the average yield increase was 25%.
Long term average yield increases by SC™ and BC™ across field-scale research sites
BC™ barley crop growth (right) >> than the non-waterlogged section of No-till crop (left).
Root Growth Improvements
The loosened seedbed created by the SC™ and BC™ machines caused root growth to increase by > 30%, which increased plant growth and yield.
94% of this increase was in the 50 – 300 mm soil depth.
Worldwide research has shown > 80 % of all roots are found in the 0-300 mm soil depth, even in highly structured clay soils.
Root distributions from 96 studies, 21 countries, 9 crops and 2 pastures, all with 80% roots above 300 mm. (Fenn et al., 2016)
Wheat roots in highly structured Queensland soil - almost all in 0 – 300 mm soil depth.
Root mass was > 30% larger in BC™ than NT. Data from 9 seasons of irrigated wheat and maize crops. Greater than 90% of this increase was in the 50-300 mm depth.
BC™ Oats crop roots (right) >> than the non-waterlogged section of No-till crop (left).
Soil Organic Carbon, Organic Matter & Fertility Improvements
The preservation of deeper and larger root systems in SC™/BC™ managed soil produced a ~ 50 % increase in soil organic carbon in the 0 – 300 mm soil depth over a 100 ha paddock and 6 cropping seasons, as measured from 730 soil analyses.
This amount of carbon sequestration was valued at ~ $ 3.85 million / 1,000 ha, based on the February 2026 price of $ 37 / Carbon Credit Unit.
Also:
- Soil organic matter in the 0 – 300 mm soil depth increased by 50%, to 1.3%; and the
- Soil’s nutrient holding capacity (i.e., cation exchange capacity (CEC)) increased by 63%.
This CEC increase from such a small proportion of the soil’s constituents (just 0.43 %) occurred because the nutrient holding capacity of the organic matter was 300-times larger than that of the soil.
Soil Nitrogen Improvements
The increased root growth and soil organic carbon created by SC™/BC™, increased soil nitrogen by 35 % over 6 cropping seasons in a 100 ha field.
This indicated a much increased population of soil biology, because 98% of soil nitrogen is contained in soil organisms and plant matter, which over time is transformed by soil fungi and bacteria into a plant-absorbable form.
BC™ increased soil nitrogen by 35%, or 11.3 t / 0.3m / ha. Data from 6 crops on a 100 ha field and 730 soil analyses.
Minimal Soil Reconsolidation
The retention of 100% of the enlarged and intact root systems provided a reinforcing mesh against soil reconsolidation.
Roots are also a food source for soil biology, which produces secretions that glue soil particles together making them resistant to disaggregation and consolidation when wet.
Measurements of soil penetration resistance and density, sampled at seeding and harvest across five locations and 24 cropping seasons, on both rainfed and irrigated sites, illustrated this lack of seedbed reconsolidation.
Means of PR data at seeding and harvest for SC™ and NT treated soil. The loose DSC soil did not consolidate (note small error bars) over the season despite 600 mm of rain - 2 x long term average.
Approx. 3 times EXTRA porosity in SC™ seedbed than in NT, and ~ 75% was retained beyond harvest. None was retained in the NT seedbed. Data from 17 crops – 10 irrigated, 7 rainfed.
Increased Drought Resilience
SC™ and BC™ seedbeds are ~ 3 times more drought resilient than no-tillage seedbeds, and much larger than ripped and cultivated soil, because:
- The 150 – 300 mm deep, loose seedbed extends across 100% of a field, compared to:
- 50% of a field for ripped soil;
- 100% of a field x 80 mm depth for cultivated soil and;
- 40% of a field x 80 mm depth for no-tillage soil.
- The 150 – 300 mm deep, loose seedbed extends across 100% of a field, compared to:
- Loosened soil absorbs more water more quickly and water penetrates deeper than it does in consolidated soil;
- The surface of a SC™ or BC™ seedbed dries quickly and acts as a mulch, which reduces evaporation loss;
- More of the water stored in a SC™/BC™ seedbed is available to plants, and more of it is accessed by larger root systems.
Water absorption capacities and rates of 0-300 mm soil depth for SC™, Ripped (RS), Cultivated (CT) and No-till (NT) seedbeds
63% more soil water was extracted by SC™ crops than NT crops. Note the water content of the compact NT subsoil deprived the crop of oxygen for most of the growing season.
Increased Waterlogging Resilience
SC™/BC™ seedbeds are 2.5 times more resilient to waterlogging, because of their ability to:
- Absorb more water;
- Drain more quickly;
- Retain ~ 10% extra (air-filled) porosity in the 0 -300 mm rooting zone; and
- Allow plants to extract more water from the root zone than NT crops.
BC™ barley crop growth (right) >> than the non-waterlogged section of No-till crop (left).
Increased Control of Sodicity
The increase in organic matter in the root-reinforced, loose seedbed of SC™ or BC™ managed soils:
- reduced the exchangeable sodium percentage in the soil (the basic cause of sodicity) by 16%;
- prevented the surface soil from saturating (the prerequisite for dispersion, sealing and oxygen deficiency); and
- with the retention of stubble, prevented raindrop impact causing surface soil to quickly saturate and seal.