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Images 2.1 : An Integrated Model Of An Arid Grazing System, Z G. Yan, K M. Wang

Resource management technical reports

The name IMAGES stands for An Integrated Model of an Arid Grazing Ecological System. The model was initiated by Dr R. Hacker in 1987-8 as an activity to (1) evaluate alternative management strategies and (2) identify key ecological processes and research priorities in shrub rangelands of Western Australia. Version 1 of the model was published in Agriculture Systems in 1991 (Hacker et al. 1991) and here after will be referred to as IMAGES 1. IMAGES 1 is a vegetation model, capable of predicting the prob ility of recruitment and mortality of the desirable species in a given vegetation type under …

Fire Management Of Spinifex Pastures In The Coastal And West Pilbara, John Stretch

Agriculture reports

Spinifex dominated plant communities are a major natural pasture resource in the Pilbara. Spinifex is noted for its ridged, hard and generally sharp pointed leaf blades, although individual species vary in this respect. Triodia pungens and T. schinzii are often referred to as soft spinifex. Soft spinifex is useful as stock feed in its own right, whereas 'hard' spinifex species are rarely grazed by stock. Soft spinifex dominated pastures are relatively uncommon in eastern parts but important on the western coastal plains of the Pilbara (Figure 1). Information on spinifex management options available to the pastoralist or station manager is …

Geraldton Region Land Resources Survey, L Gary Rogers, National Landcare Program (Australia)

Land resources series

This report presents results from soil and landform mapping at a scale of 1:250,000 for approximately 2.1 million hectares of the wheat-sheep belt of Western Australia. The study area corresponds with the Geraldton advisory district for Agriculture Western Australia and is the northern extent of the wheatbelt. The area covers parts of three major geological regions of Western Australia: the Perth Basin, Carnarvon Basin and the Yilgarn Craton. Fifty-one soil-landscape systems have been identified, some of which have been divided into subsystems, and are illustrated on the accompanying maps. The landform, parent material, rainfall, land use, native vegetation and soils …

Positive Price Outlook For Wheat : Implications For Wa Agriculture, Alan Haagensen, Ian Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

After a 40 year period over which wheat prices have dropped by an average of 2.7 per cent annually in real terms, fundamental changes in wheat supply and demand look set to reverse this trend. It is possible that real prices could increase by as much as 4 per cent anually in the medium term.

Alan Haagensen and Ian Wilkinson look at the forecasts for wheat prices and outline the forces that will influence world supply and demands for wheat.

Farming For The Future : The Agwest Library Network, Jane Serventy

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Jane Serventy reports on the changes in information delivery at the library of Agriculture Western Australia

Wellington-Blackwood Land Resources Survey, Peter J. Tille, Georgina Wilson, National Landcare Program (Australia)

Land resources series

This report presents descriptions to accompany land resource maps of the Wellington- Blackwood district, east of Bunbury in the south-west of Western Australia. The maps cover an area of about 760,000 hectares and are presented as two map sheets at a scale of 1:100,000. Four different physiographic zones cover the survey area: • The Western Darling Range Zone occupies the major portion of the area and consists of a deeply dissected lateritic plateau overlying crystalline rocks. Three soil-landscape systems containing 24 subsystems have been identified and mapped within this zone. • The Eastern Darling Range Zone is in the south-east …

Soil Information Sheets For The Mount Beaumont, Mallee And Esperance Agricultural Areas, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Landcare Western Australia, Esperance Land Conservation District Committee, Mount Beaumont / Howick Catchment Group (W.A.)

Agriculture reports

Each sheet summarises information on the soil's characteristic properties, and associated land use suitability and management. A photograph of a representative profile is provided for each soil. Technical terms are defined in soil sheet glossary. Information is presented under the following headings: soil series and groups, occurence, native vegetation, soil profile description, characteristic soil properties, soil classification and agricultural land use and management.

Soil Information Sheets For Part Of The Jerramungup Agricultural Area, Tim D. Overheu, Landcare Western Australia, Jerramungup Land Conservation District Committee

Agriculture reports

Each sheet summarises information on the soil's characteristic properties, and associated land use suitability and management. A photograph of a representative profile is provided for each soil. Technical terms are defined in soil sheet glossary. Information is presented under the following headings: soil series and groups, occurence, native vegetation, soil profile description, characteristic soil properties, soil classification and agricultural land use and management.

Pilbara Steer Growth Evaluation : 1994 - 1996, Wayne Fletcher, Brian Mcintyre, Shane Cridland Dr, J L. James

Agriculture reports

Growth potential of steers in the Pilbara - a summary. The trial was conducted over a range of conditions on three locations. The pasture type at Wyloo, the Ashburton River frontage, which is regarded as one of the most productive pasture types in the area, combined with conservative stocking, a fresh paddock and excellent seasonal conditions during 1995, gives us an indication of the District's potential. In extrapolating any of these data to other cases, consideration must be given to adjustment base

Skeleton Weed : The Current Situation, Peter Scott, Jon Dodd

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Skeleton weed is a major threat to western Australia's grain industry. This weed established itself throughout the entire eastern States wheatbelt in just over 50 years and is now found from south-east Queensland to South Australia. It was first founs in Western Australia at Ballidu in 1963, and since that time has been the subject of an ongoing and intensive eradication campaign. Peter Scott and Jon Dodd report on the present status of skeleton weed in Western Australia and outline the progress to date and future directions of the eradication campaign.

Land Capability Assessment For The Wellington-Blackwood Survey, Peter J. Tille

Resource management technical reports

This report has been produced to provide more detail on the land capability assessments presented in the Wellington-Blackwood Land Resources Survey (Tille 1996). In that report, the land capability of each of the soil-landscape subsystems has been summarised with a brief description. Capability ratings are provided here for each of the map units (including subsystem phases) which appear on the two map sheets (Tille et al. 1996) accompanying the Wellington-Blackwood Land Resources Survey.

Soils Of The Mount Beaumont Area, G G. Scholz, Henry Smolinski

Land resources series

Mount Beaumont Mount Beaumont is approximately 100 km north-east of Esperance in the south-east of Western Australia. In 1982 an area of 35,000 ha of virgin Crown Land was released for agriculture (identified as Mount Beaumont Stage I) and later it was proposed to release a further 33,600 ha (Mount Beaumont Stage II). Following development of the first stage, doubts arose about the suitability of the soils for agriculture, so the Department of Agriculture (now Agriculture Western Australia) surveyed the soils of the Mount Beaumont Stage II area before further land release. The survey indicated severe limitations to production and …

Assessment Of The Suitability For Agriculture Of The North-West Packsaddle Area Kununurra, N Schoknecht

Resource management technical reports

A brief assessment of the suitablility for agriculture of about 260 ha in the North-west Packsaddle area was conducted in early September 1993. Nine map units based on soil and landform were identified, and their suitability for broadscale flood irrigated agriculture and spray or trickle irrigated horticulture assessed. The map units are based on field observations and extrapolation from existing surveys. The map was prepared at a scale of 1:20,000 and is only accurate at that scale.

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus And Its Management, Lindrea Latham, Roger Jones

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In 1993, western flower thrips, an important pest of horticultural crops, was found in Western Australia. Since then there has been an upsurge in damsging virus disease epidemics caused by tomato spotter wilt virus in horticultural crops. This has occurred because western flower thrips is a more effective vector of tomato spotted wilt virus than other thrips species. Lindrea Latham and Roger Jones outline the symptoms, spread and management of this serious virus disease in vegetables and ornamentals.

Atlas Of Western Australian Agricultural Statistics 1993-94, Dennis Van Gool, Werner Runge

Agriculture reports

Maps by local government areas of agricultural statistics for the 1993-94 financial year to assist strategic planning

Katanning Interdisciplinary Research Forum, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Research Reports

The First Kalanning Interdisciplinary Research Forum convened on Wednesday, 18 September 1996 at the Kobeelya Conference Centre, Katanning, Western Australia. The Forum was organised by the Katanning District Office of Agriculture WA and had the following objectives:

• To improve understanding of the interdisciplinary implications of research

• To raise awareness of research projects • To help focus future research and interdisciplinary collaboration

• To gain and offer constructive criticism

This publication contains the abstracts of the Forum. The topics of research covered, range from soil mapping and management, weed control, water use efficiency, crop and pasture management, through to …

Virulent Footrot : Mild Or Severe?, Laurie Depiazzi

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The footrot eradication scheme in Western Australia has resulted in a low prevalence of severe footrot.

To appreciate the achievement, we need to understand what exactly is being eradicated. 'S' strains of Dichelorbacter nodosus, the infectious bacterium of footrot, are the target of footrot eradication. Laurie Depiazzi examines the basis for eradicating 'S' strains.

Cattle Industry Compensation Act Research Advisory Committee Progress Report 1996, Cattle Industry Compensation Act Research Advisory Committee

Animal production published reports

The Cattle Industry Compensation Fund was established under the Cattle Industry Compensation Act 1965. An Advisory Committee, established by the Hon. Minister for Primary Industry makes recommendations for funding on a project basis. The Advisory Committee published progress reports in 1984 and 1989. This report covers the period 1990 to 1995.