Year 11 Agriculture students at KHS were recently treated to an engaging and informative session with Rajesh from AgXtra, who officially launched the crop competition that the class will be entering this season—competing against several other schools across the region.

Rajesh introduced students to AgXtra, a leading agricultural research and development company that specialises in independent crop trial work. He explained how AgXtra supports the agricultural industry by running trials that test different crop varieties, fertiliser strategies, and management practices.

In the upcoming inter-school crop competition, AgXtra will handle the setup and technical management of all trial plots, while students take the reins on key agronomic decisions. Each student team will select a wheat variety, sowing rate, and base fertiliser rate. Throughout the growing season, they’ll have the opportunity to apply additional fertiliser at different growth stages, simulating the kind of in-season decisions real farmers make.

The competition isn’t just about yield—teams will be judged on profitability, with end-of-season results revealing which school made the smartest management choices.

Going head-to-head with other schools adds an exciting edge to the project, pushing students to collaborate, think critically, and apply their knowledge in a real-world context.

“It’s a fantastic way for students to see the direct impact of their decisions,” Rajesh said.

KHS students are already coming up with ideas and strategies, ready to take on the challenge and hopefully come out on top!

Karen Bromley

Agriculture Teacher