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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
How Sustainable Is Grazing Sheep On Annual Pastures In The Woolbelt?, Don Mcfarlane, Richard George
How Sustainable Is Grazing Sheep On Annual Pastures In The Woolbelt?, Don Mcfarlane, Richard George
Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4
Low wool prices have reduced the profitability of producing wool from clover-based annual pastures in the south-western woo/belt. The heavy reliance on one commodity is economically unsustainable for many farmers. But we should also consider how ecologically sustainable the practice is.
Shallow-rooted annual pastures contribute to widespread salinity in the area, annual legumes are acidifying the soils and making them water repellent, and bare, detached soils from heavy grazing cause sheet and rill erosion during autumn storms. In addition, stock are degrading remnant vegetation and destroying the soil's structure.
To counteract this degradation, the woo/belt needs more perennial pastures and …
Gypsum Use In The Wheatbelt, M R. Howell
Gypsum Use In The Wheatbelt, M R. Howell
Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4
One of the limitations to crop productivity in the wheatbelt is the poor structure of heavy textured soils. Many years of clearing and cultivation have caused the loss of soil organic matter and breakdown of soil aggregates - particles of sand, silt and clay - in the surface layers. This has led to the development of unstable soils with poor physical properties.
Although loss of soil structure is a serious problem, it can be reversed by altering the tillage practices that caused the problem. This improvement in soil structure and return to productivity can be a slow process. However gypsum …
The Long Term Effects Of Frequent Cropping, Stanley Thomas Smith
The Long Term Effects Of Frequent Cropping, Stanley Thomas Smith
Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4
AGRICULTURALLY speaking, few Western Australian soils are more than 50 years old. We have the responsibility of preserving them for farming—not for one man's lifetime, but for centuries.
The aim of this article is to demonstrate that cropping and cultural practices do have some effects on the soil, and that these effects should be considered when choosing a farm rotation.