Life Sciences Commons^™

Nodulation Of Legumes On New Light Land. 3. The Effect Of Rogor Seed Treatment On Legume Nodulation, O M. Goss, W. A. Shipton

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

SEED treatment with systemic insecticides is widely used for the control of insect pests. However, when seed inoculation is necessary for pasture establishment, seed treatment with insecticide is not advisable.

A field experiment conducted at Badgingarra Research Station in 1964 showed that the systemic insecticide Rogor was very damaging to the applied rhizobia even when the treated seed was held for a month before inoculation.

The Control Of Weeds In Orchards, Geoffrey A. Pearce, S. E. Hardisty

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

THE use of herbicides for the control of weeds in orchards has become established during the past few years.

It has become more efficient with the introduction of newer herbicides which have proved more effective and less dangerous than some of those recommended in the past.

Control Of Prodenia Litura On Cotton In The North Of Western Australia, P N. Forte, D. G. Shedley

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

COTTON is subject to considerable insect attack at the new Ord River irrigation area in the East Kimberleys of Western Australia.

Although a long list of insects have been recorded as damaging cotton in this area there are two which have proved so far to present the biggest problem.

These are Heliothis punctigera and Prodenia litura.

The Effect Of Seaweed Meal On Yolk Colour, B R. Vale, P. Smetana

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

Could seaweed, plentiful on local beaches, be used to improve egg yolk colour?

This article gives the results of experiments at the Department's Poultry Research Station.

Nodulation Of Legumes On New Light Land. 2. Protection Of Rhizobia From The Toxic Action Of Superphosphate And Trace Elements, O M. Goss, W. A. Shipton

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

VAST areas of new light land being developed in Western Australia are deficient in trace elements such as copper, zinc and molybdenum as well as in phosphorus.

These fertilisers are known to be damaging to the rhizobial bacteria inoculated on the seed unless they are protected by lime pelleting.

Nodulation Of Legumes On New Light Land. 1. Survival Of Rhizobia On Inoculated Pelleted Seed Held For Varying Periods Before Sowing Into Dry Soil, O M. Goss, W. A. Shipton

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

MOST of the light land areas being opened up in Western Australia are very sparsely populated with the rhizobial bacteria so essential for successful legume establishment.

Seed inoculation is therefore a necessity.

Farmers often have to resort to dry sowing because of the large acreages being planted or late opening rains.

Nodulation Of Legumes On New Light Land. 4. Rhizobial Strains For Pasture Establishment, O M. Goss, W. A. Shipton

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

LEGUMES are the basis of improved pastures in Western Australia.

Successful establishment of these legumes depends on the presence in the soil of suitable bacteria which will invade the roots and develop nodules in which nitrogen fixation is carried out. The nitrogen compounds produced are utilised by the plants, making them independent of soil nitrogen.

At the end of the season, the decomposition of the plant residues improves soil fertility.

Oat Variety Trials, 1964, J L. Mcmullan, J. A. Parish

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

AVON and the new fixed crossbred from N.S.W., * P8304, were the highest yielding oats in the last season's trials.

These are of midseason maturity. The highest yielding oats of early maturity were Irwin and Kent.

Kimberley Research Station Progress Report, 1964 : Soil Fertility And Plant Nutrition, D B. Parbery, R. Wetselaar

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

BEFORE 1963, very little work, other than that described in Burvill's original report, had been done on the analysis of Ord soils, nor had their fertility status been clearly defined.

Kimberley Research Station Progress Report, 1964 : Cotton, Jan Jerzy Basinski, J. P. Evanson, W. R. Stern, N. J. Thomson

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

SINCE 1960 cotton has occupied the prominent place in the Station's research programme.

Considerable progress has been made in all aspects of cotton culture (Thomson and Basinski 1962b; Thomson 1962.)

Puccinellia : Outstanding Saltland Grass, C V. Malcolm, S. T. Smith

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

"Puccinellia" is a tussocky perennial grass with an outstanding ability to survive salty and waterlogged conditions.

Considerable areas of saltland in Western Australia are suited to its growth.

Seed is now available commercially and in this article the conditions to which the grass is suited are described and establishment and management methods are suggested.

Slime Moulds [Replaced By Farmnote 114/77], Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

DURING autumn and spring, yellow or grey masses of slimy or powdery material suddenly appear on the blades of lawn grass and other low-growing plants and render them unsightly.

The organisms responsible are known as slime moulds.

Recommendations For Doublegee, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

Is it worth losing the legume component of the pasture in order to kill the doublegee?

Damage Caused By Hormone-Like Herbicides, G R W Meadly

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

THE discovery of the selective action of herbicides such as 2,4-D and MCPA resulted in a rapid expansion in the use of these chemicals for agricultural purposes, particularly for the control of weeds in cereal crops.

Gorteria : A Recently Recorded Weed, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

A NUMBER of our major weed pests including Cape t u l ip and double gee are native to South Africa.

It is not surprising, therefore, that Gorteria, recently recorded for the first time in Western Australia, also comes from that country.

White Rust Of Gerberas, R F. Doepel

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

WHITE rust has proved to be a most damaging fungal disease of Gerberas.

Frequent fungicidal sprays are recommended for susceptible varieties in late winter and spring.

Maintaining The Quality Of Western Australia's Oat Harvest, J L. Mcmullan, J. A. Parish, C. V. Honner

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

WESTERN AUSTRALIA deservedly enjoys the reputation of being a producer of oats of high milling quality.

Because of this, we have been able to develop valuable export markets which pay a premium for our oats.

For some time Ballidu has been rated as the best milling oat in W.A.

The work reported in this article indicates that other recommended varieties are equal to or better than Ballidu for milling.

The Naturalised And Cultivated Annual Medics Of Western Australia, B J. Quinlivan

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

IT is not many years since the term pasture improvement in Western Australia was synonymous with one species only, subterranean clover.

The amazing adaptability of this species to the environment enabled it to be grown in a wide range of rainfall conditions and in many different districts.

Herbicides For Firebreaks, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

IN recent years, great interest has been shown in the possible use of chemicals for creating firebreaks as an alternative to cultivation.

The advantages are obvious, and suitable treatments are available; the main deterrent at the present time is cost.

Sheep Can Be More Profitable In The Wheatbelt, G T. Halpin, P. Nelson

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

TRADITIONALLY, wheatbelt farmers have looked upon sheep as being subsidiary, or at best, complementary to their main activity, wheat growing.

Because there has been a mistaken belief that clover would not grow, these farmers have depended upon native grasses and crop remains (stubble) for sheep feed, a practice which has put a limit to the number of sheep a property could support.

The Production Of Pasture Seeds : Facts And Figures, B J. Quinlivan

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

THE production of grass and legume pasture seeds in Western Australia has expanded noticeably in the last two or three years

With this expansion has come some publicity, at times accurate at other times not so accurate.

Peach Leaf Curl, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

PEACH LEAF CURL is a common disease in Western Australia during the spring and early summer.

Recommended Oat Varieties, 1966, J L. Mcmullan

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

THE varieties Avon, Fulmark, Irwin, Kent and Ballidu are recommended for sowing in 1966 by the Department of Agriculture and the Coarse Grains Advisory Committee.

The areas suitable for these varieties, when planted for various purposes, are given in the map and tables.

Weed Control : Watsonia, Onehunga Weed, Western Australia, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

Suggested controls for two persistent weeds.

A Herbicide For Native Poison Plants, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE usual method of killing poison plants is by a programme of ploughing, cropping and burning.

The burning not only destroys a proportion of the plants, but stimulates the germination of dormant seeds, which otherwise would remain in the soil in a viable condition for many years.

Contour Planting For Hillside Orchards. Part 1, N H. Shorter

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

FRUIT growers intending to plant an orchard on sloping land, would be well advised to consider the suitability of the block for planting on a contour system.

Early Hail Marks On Apples Do Not Grow Out, N H. Shorter, J. C. Rowbotham

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

ALTHOUGH the 1964/65 season brought a record crop with a good proportion of high quality fruit, the year was marred by several violent hailstorms in separate parts of the South-West.

Root Knot Eelworm And Its Control, O M. Goss

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

ROOT galling caused by root knot eelworm attack is very common in the lighter sandy soils of Western Australia.

This parasitic worm causes severe unthriftiness which may even result in the death of the plant, particularly during the summer months when the disease is most damaging.

Root knot eelworm has a wide host range.

Robinia : The False Acacia, Robert Dunlop Royce

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

ROBINIA, the false acacia, is a tree up to 60 feet high, and is native to the eastern United States.

There it develops a trunk 3 or 4 feet in diameter and produces a hard close grained and durable timber.

In America it is known as black locust or simply as locust.

Wheat Quality Surveys In Western Australia. Part 1. The Distribution Of Areas Producing High And Low Protein Wheat, J A. Parish

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

THIS article reports results from survey work carried out by the author, in collaboration with Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd., on wheat drawn from all receival points in Western Australia during the period 1956-63.