Life Sciences Commons^™

Production Of High-Value Wheats : One Sustainable Answer To The Cost:Price Squeeze, Wal Anderson, Alan Peggs, Doug Sawkins

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

Farmers and scientists alike over the past decade have sought to address the declining terms of farm trade (the cost.price squeeze) by increasing wheat yields in ways that will ensure both their economic and ecological survival. Nevertheless, costs have continued to increase as a proportion of the value of the product.

Many farmers have increased their wheat yields substantially and the industry as a whole is more conscious of the quality of its product.

Over the past 10 years or more there has been intense interest in, and considerable adoption of. conservation farming techniques such as minimum tillage, residue retention, …

Increased Returns From Agronomic Inputs In Early Sown Cereal Crops, W K. Anderson

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

When crop variety and soeing dae are matched so that flowering occurs in the 'window' for a particular site, grain yields are increased and yield response to inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer and seeding rate is magnified.

This response occurs because the srop's potential for setting and filling grains is much improved by sowing at the optimum time. However varieties differ in their yield potential because they have different lenghts of growing season, which probably affects grain numbers, and because they have different inherent grain sizes. These differences affect the way varieties react to sowing date. Figure 1 shows how …

Early Sowing : One Key To Improved Yields Of Cereal Crops, M W. Perry, Wal Anderson, Rob Delane

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

Early sowing of cereal crops is one of the most important management practices through which Western Australian cereal growers can increase yields.

Researchers have long known that in theory early sowing should mean improved growth and water use efficiency - which both contribuite to increased yields. Application of this knowledge has had to await new tillage and herbicide technology, but recent research in the northan and central wheatbelt has now demonstrated the advantages of early sowing in practice. And more exciting yet, there is evidence that yield responses to weed control and applied fertilizers may also be greater in early …

Improving Lupin Pod Setting And Yield, R J. Delane

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

Western Australia's lupin production has grown twenty-fold since 1977. Lupins are now a valuable seed, feed and rotation crop on light-textured neutral and acid soils throughout southern Australia. Nevertheless, both experimental and commercial yields have been variable over sites and seasons. A major cause has been excessive flower and pod abortion on the main stem. Farmers have often commented on well grown lupin crops which appear to carry few pods

Trends In Wheat Protein/Yield Relationships, G B. Crosbie, Harry Fisher, Bryan Whan

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

The major concern of wheat breeders in WesternAustralia has been to increase grain yield while maintaining quality at an acceptable level. There has been no concious effort to select for protein content. It is of interrest, therefore, to compare the relationship between yield and protein of varieties which have been prominent in Western Australia at various times, to see what effects yield increases have had on protein content and the extent of any variation which might exist.

Row Spacing And Cereal Crop Yield, R N. Burch, M. W. Perry

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

Cereal growers in western Australia have, traditionally, burned cereal stubbles. Burning stubble residues reduces weed seed populations and fungal pathogens, but its main purpose has been to eliminate straw which might cause blockages od seeding machinery and por see-bed preparation in the time critical seeding operation.

In 982, the Department of Agriculture began a project to determine whether wider spaced rows also depressed cereal yields in Western Australia. This article summarises some of the important results from that work.

Increasing Wheat Yields Through Breeding, B R. Whan, R. Gilmour

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

With the current 'cost price' sueeze facing Australia's farmers, the development of new higher yielding varieties is moe important that ever. By growing higher yielding varieties, farmers can increase their returns at virtuakky no additional cost: for example a wheat variety that produces 5 per cent extra yield from 1 t/ha crop returns about an additional $8/ha. Farmers can therefore increase their production by growing improved varieties.

Crop Variety Testing And Recommendations, H M. Fisher

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

From 1984 onwards, the Department of Agriculture's crop variety recommendations for Western Australia will be set out in a new format directly related to the 18 variety testing areas into which the South-West has been divided. These divisions should enable growers to more readily identify the recommendations which apply to their area. In addition, yield data on the varieties are provided for each area.

The recommendations are the culmination of a lenghty process of breeding, selection and testing of crop varieties. This article gives the background to the tests and how the results are used as the basis for the …

Barley Production And Soil Acidity, P J. Dolling, W. M. Porter

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

One of the causes of reduced plant yields on acid soils is aluminium toxicity. because barley is extremely sensitive to this mineral, a project started last year to examine the influence of soil acidity on barley production in the main barley growing areas of Western Australia.

This article discusses some of the background information on the project and its aims.

Soil Acidity And Liming In The Lower Great Southern, R N. Glencross, M. G. Clarke

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

In the 375 to 750 millimetre rainfall area of the Lower Great Southern, reports of loss of subterranean clover from established pastures, reduced carrying capacity for sheep and increasing soil acidity lead to the establishment in 1981 of a research programme into the effects of soil acidity on pasture productivity in that region.

Lupin Yields Are Not What They Should Be : Viewpoint, M Ferguson, S. Trevenen

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

Mike Ferguson has been in charge of the Three Springs office of the Department of Agriculture since 1977.

Based on trials he has done and others he has seen, he believes farmers can greatly increase their yield of lupins.

Trends In Wheat Area And Production In W.A. Since 1946, J T. Reeves

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

Statistical examination of data associated with wheat grown in Western Australia during the 29- year period ending in 1974 shows that areas sown and total production increased substantially. Average yields and protein per hectare both increased significantly, while wheat protein percentage increased slightly, but not significantly.

Don't Crop Areas Liable To Waterlogging, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

The increasing areas of crops being sown in high rainfall districts make it likely that many crcp areas include sections liable to severe waterlogging.

This report presents results of a 1970 trial which clearly show that sowing such sections is not economic.

Wheat Yield Tests In W.A, H M. Fisher

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

WHEAT production is the major crop industry in Western Australia so emphasis has been placed on this crop in variety tests.

Over the last 5 years 61 wheat varieties, including 30 named varieties from various sources, have been tested in variety trials.

Barley And Oat Yield Tests In W.A, H M. Fisher

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

BARLEY production has increased sharply over the past two seasons to compensate reduced wheat acreages.

The change over to barley has been supported by the availability of suitable varieties, notably Dampier, and a good demand for West Australian barley overseas.

Copper Requirements For The South-Eastern Wheatbelt, D J. Gilbey, K. D. Greathead, J. W. Gartrell

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

FARM experience and the results of five years intensive research have shown copper deficiency to be widespread in the south-eastern wheatbelt.

On many areas of the south-eastern wheatbelt, copper deficiency is likely to restrict wheat yields.

Establishing Pastures Under Wheat Crops, M L. Poole, J. W. Gartrell, D. A. N. Nicholas

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

RECENT surveys indicate that in the medium and high rainfall cereal and sheep areas as much as half the new pasture sown is sown with a crop.

In the drier wheatbelt areas the figure is 20 to 30 per cent.

Pasture Improvement In South Western Australia, J W. Malcolm

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

"There is no doubt that Australia's enhanced prosperity in the last 30 years has been dependent in no small measure on the use of legume-based pastures." E. M. Hutron, June, 1968. *

THE LAST 30 years have seen an increased interest in pasture improvement which has transformed much of Western Australia. Large areas have been sown to new and improved pasture species—as a result productivity of both livestock and cereal enterprises has risen.

New Varieties Top 1967 Yield Tests, H M. Fisher

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

LARGE gains can result from using improved cereal varieties and in recent years activity in breeding varieties adapted to local conditions has increased.

The varieties available and their suitability for different areas and conditions need constant review.

Canberra Creeping Lucerne Outyields Hunter River In Denmark Trial, F E. Ryan

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

LUCERNE is successfully grown as a fodder crop in high rainfall areas in Western Australia without irrigation and there is scope for expansion.

Establishment problems can be largely overcome by choice of a well drained site, spring planting to avoid weeds and pests, an application of 1 ton of limestone to the surface 5 to 6 inches of soil before sowing, and sowing of innoculated and pelleted seed.

Which Cereal Gives The Best Return?, H M. Fisher

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

IN 1966 farmers in the cereal areas of Western Australia sowed approximately 6.5 million acres of wheat, 1.2 million acres of oats, and 0.4 million acres of barley (mainly six-row).

The extent to which these cereals were grown in the various statistical divisions of the State, together with the average yields is summarised in the Table below.

Varieties And Time Of Sowing, H M. Fisher

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

THE extent to which seasonal conditions favour the various stages of plant development has a marked effect on cereal yields. Because varieties differ in their development they react in different ways to a particular seasonal pattern.

Cultivation : Does Haste Mean Waste?, H M. Fisher

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

Many farmers believe that increasing the speed of cultivation and seeding implements will cause deterioration of soils and reduced crop yields.

In a three-year trial on clover ley land at Wongan Hills higher cultivation speeds tended to increase rather than decrease wheat yields. There was some deterioration in the physical structure of the soil.

The Effects Of Tillage Implements On Cereal Yields, H M. Fisher

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

Careful soil preparation is essential for cereal crops grown without fallow on clover ley land.

Crops give better yields where the land is broken up with a mouldboard or disc plough rather than a scarifier or similar machine.

The implements differ appreciably in their capacity to control weed growth and this is largely responsible for variations in cereal yields. "Takeall" disease is reduced by efficient weed control.