Life Sciences Commons^™

Laser Levelling Land For Flood Irrigation, M D. Green, J. P. Middlemas

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

Since the introduction of laser levelling to Western Australia's South-West irrigation area five years ago, many farmers have benefited from this new and precise method of land-forming.

The use of lasser controlled earthmoving equipment to redevelop irrigated paddocks has led to improved irrigation efficiency and drainage. Less water is used for each irrigation, water is applied more evenly and less labour is needed. many older, grass-dominated paddocks have been reseeded to improve pasture species.

Eradicating Fruit Fly From Carnarvon, Kingsley Thomas Fisher

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

Late last year the Mediteranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Weidemann) was eradicated from Canarvon, Western Australia by using an intergrated programme of sterile insect releases and bait spraying.

The eradication marked the end of a four-year study on the use and effectiveness of the Sterile Insect Technique, a biological control technique which uses an insect pest against itself. such a study can be used as a basis for treating other threatening insect pests, such as the serious cattle pest screw-worm fly, should they be found in Asustralia.

Being a biological control method, the Sterile Insect Technique is an exellent …

Water Quality For Irrigation, P R. George

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

Although irrigation and salinity problems are frequently inseperable, there is a range of management methods that can be used to handle marginal quality water. Freuently these methods are simple, but require careful planning.

The wide range in tolerance of crops to salinity can be exploiter to ensure that appropriate crops are selected for the water available.

Because crops vary in their sensitivity to salt uptake in the leaves or the roots, watering methods can be changed to avoid problems. For profitable production enough water should be applied to ensure adequate water is available for plant growth as well as to …

A Survey Of Drench Resistance In Sheep Worms, J R. Edwards, R. Wroth, G. C. De Chaneet, R. B. Besier, J. Karlsson, P. W. Morcombe, D. Roberts, G. Dalton-Morgan

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

Sheep worms which are resistant to chemical drenches have been detected with increasing freuency is Western Australia's south-western farming areas between 977 and 1980. These worms have anthelmintic resistance and such genetis resistance puts essential internal parasite control practices at risk.

This prompted veterinarians in the Esperance, Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton and Northam areas to survey farms to determine the prevalence of resistance to drenches and to define those sheep management practices which encourage its development.

This article describes the survey which was conducted to assess the extent of drench resistance, what causes its build-up and how it can be controlled …

'Dermo' Fleece Rot And Body Strike On Sheep, S G. Gherardi, S. S. Sutherland, N. Monzu

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

Blowfly strike is one of the major problems confronting the sheep industry in Austrsalia, with an estimated totsalcost of control eceeding $100 million each year.

Sheep are susceptible to five types of strike: body, breach, poll, pizzle and wound. Body strike, is of greater economic importance because its sporadic occurence from year to year makes it difficult to predict and cintrol. Outbreaks of body strike after rain can affect large numbers of sheep and inflict severe production losses.

In eastern Australia fleece rot is generally considered to be the main predisposing factor to blowfly strike, but in Western Australia evidence …

Residual Values Of Australian Rock Phosphates, Michael D A Bolland

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

For years superphosphate has been the cheapest, convenient and most effective way of supplying phosphorus to newly cleared soils in Western Australia's South-West that are acutely deficient in phosphorus. However its effectiveness as a phosphorus source falls markedly after application. Regular applications are needed to maintaine profitable pastures and crops on these soils.

After a big jump in supperphosphate prices in the mid 970s, researchers tested the use of Australian rock phosphates as potentially cheaper alternative phosphorus fertilisers to superphosphate. On the none-leaching sands, as this article shows, none of the rock phosphates was as effective for plant growth as …

Apb Infonote - Meat Ants, John Van Schagen

Agriculture Protection Board publications

Meat-ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus) are native to Australia and are common in most country areas.

The Tolerance Of Cereals To Herbicides., D. G. Bowran

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Herbicides affect not only the weeds present in a crop, but also the crop itself. In the absence of weeds, both positive and negative responses to herbicides have been reported in the literature. The negative responses are the most important, especially if yield is decreased below the economic threshold for herbicide use. Factors which are important in determining the level of crop response to a herbicide include the crop species and variety, the timing of the herbicide, the rate of herbicide and the environmental conditions under which the crop is growing.

Low Rainfall Pasture Project., M. A. Ewing

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Variety experiments, rows 85M53, small plots 85M54, large plots, 85M43, 85N21, 85ME49, 85M44. defoliation comparison, 85M41. Pasture establishment systems, 85N25, 85N26, 85M52, 85M45, 85M46, 85M47, 85ME61, 85M62, 85M63. Cereals following pastures, 84M42, 84M43, 84M56, 84M57, 84LG34. Pasture wheat rotation, 82WH39, 82M47.

Manganese Deficiency - Plant Nutrition., J. W. Gartrell, T. C. Johnston, M. M. Riley

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Effectiveness of different fertilizers for correcting manganese deficiency in wheat

Apparent critical levels in field experiments

Differences between wheat varieties in ability to absorb and utilize soil and fertiliser manganese under deficiency and near-deficiency conditions in the Great Southern.

84N03, 84N04, 84N05, Mean of 3 experiments, 84N07, 84N06, 85N068, 85N064, 85N065, 85N066, 85N067, 85N069, 85LG36.

Soil Acidity - High Rainfall Pastures., J. S. Yeates, M. F. Clarke, D. A. Tooke, R. A. Deyl

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Aims of the Project (i) To establish the current pH of the cultivated soils of the high rainfall areas of south-west Western Australia, and the extent to which pH has altered since clearing. (ii) To examine the responsiveness of old land pastures with low current soil pH levels (< 5.5 water) to applied lime. (iii) To relate the responsiveness of subterranean clover-based pastures to measured soil parameters. 80BU14, 81AL10, 81AL12, 81BU18, 81BY18, 81BY25, 81BY26, 82AL4, 82AL5, 82AL55, 82BU7, 82HA35, 82HA36, 82PE1, 82MA20, 83AL7, 83AL9, 83AL10, 83ALll, 83BY29, 84BU9, 84BU10, 84BY37, 84HA21, 84HA37, 84MA21.

Grain Legume Agronomy Programme., G. H. Walton

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Lupin agronomy, 85AL4, 85AL6, 85M05, 85PE13, 81M029, 81M030, 81M027. Grain legume crop comparisons, 85LG23, 85LG24, 85LG25, 85E23, 85GE28, 85C71, 85ME35, 85KA7, 85E2, 85N5, 85N04, 85SG2, 85E34, 85LG38, 85LG40, 85MN2, 85MD25, 85MN1.

Cashmere From Australia, T J. Johnson

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

Cashmere is the 'cream' of fibres in the garment industry, with processors paying up to $110 a kilogram for quality white cashmere. This highly sought after fibre is the soft superfine undercoat ofgoat hair produced by the secondary follicles of a certain type of goat. The undercoat normally grows during the cooler months of the year and moults in spring.

At least 30 per cent of the Australian feral goat population today could produce reasonable quantities of cashmere which, until now, was being shed and lost to the wild. Fibre processors and goat producers are working towards establishing a new …

The Economic Potential Of Cashmere Production, A T. Kelly

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

Although the cashmere industry has developed rapidly in eastern Australia, development in Western Australia has lagged behind because of local restrictions on the use of feral goats. However, recently the Agricultural Protection Board has eased these restrictions.

In Western Australia there are about 30 to 40 producers with commercial cashmere flocks, involving a total of 7,500 to 10,000 goeats. In most agricultural areas where sheep production occurs, cashmere production is also possible.

In the following article, A. T. Kelly, an adviser with the Marketing and Economics Branch, discusses the economic potential of cashmere production in this State and compares …

Statistical Services, Jane Speijers, Australian Co-Operation With The National Agricultural Research Project, Thailand.

All other publications

2. TERMS OF REFERENCE

To achieve familiarity with the existing resources for biometrical work within the Department of Agriculture both at Bangkhen and at the regional centres - and to gain an understanding of the present systems whereby biometricians are involved in designing experiments and analysing results. This will involve visits to research stations and discussions with both research directors and scientists.

2.1 To become informed on the planned improvements in biometrical services for regional research centres to be carried out through the Thai/World Bank, National Agricultural Research Project (NARP).

2.2 Against the background of items 2.1 and 2.2 above, …

Interceptor Drains And Waterlogging Control, J W. Cox, T R. Negus

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

Department of Agriculture trials of seepage interceptor drains from 1972 to 1983 primarily assessed the effects of such drains on salt encroachment. Although these trials showed that the drains had little influence on salt storage within the topsoil, they did reduce waterlogging downslope.

To investigate this drainage effect further, the Department's Narrogin office surveyed 35 drains on 14 properties in the winter of 1981, followed by detailed crop measurements in December that year. Provided the drains were properly designed, surveyed and constructed, and well maintained, they could be expected to increase crop yields during a waterlogging year by about 1 …

Barley Agronomy., K. J. Young, B. R. Wylde, B. Raszyk, T. N. Khan

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Barley foliar diseases, effect on nitrogen response, 85ES25, 85E24, 85E25, 85MT37, 85ES29, 85MT38, 85E26, 85ES32, 85ES31, 85ES30, 85ES26, 85ES24, 85ES27, 85ES28, 85ES34, 85M27, 85SG27, 85MT42, 85C70,

Barley Foliage Diseases, Field Pea Diseases., T. N. Khan, K. Brain, M. Judges, K. J. Young, I. Pritchard, T. Sweeny, J. Hamblyn

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

85BA22, 85MT31, 85N053, 85BA24, 85MT32, 85MT32, 85N052, 85N053, 85BA21, 85MT30, 85BA21, 85BA22, 85MT31, 85MT43, 85KA59, 85KA60, 85M29, 85MT44, 85E22, 85ES22, 85ES23, 85N051, 85BA25, 85WH27, 85C65, 85C69, 85C66, 85C67, 8SKA48, 8SMT34, 85KA47, 85MT33, 85M26, 85ME26, 85KA49, 85KA51.

A.General Notes and Highlights

BARLEY FOLIAGE DISEASES

B. Scald: Screening fungicides

c. Scald: Fungicidal control in Northam district

D. Scald: Effect of seeding rate

E. Scald & Mildew Effect of fungicides and rates

F. Scald & Mildew Seed borne infection and seed dressing

G. Scald & Mildew Effect of seed dressing and spraying

H. Scald & Mildew Effect of Erex and Baytan

I. Mildew: …

Damage Report Of The West Coastal Wildfire : Nilgen Nature Reserve And Adjacent Military Area, North Lancelin 29th-30th May 1985 And Its Effects On The Western Australian Beekeeping Industry, R C. Burking

Apiculture research reports

No abstract provided.

Farm Debt In The Wheatbelt : 1984 Survey Results, R S. Kingwell

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

In recent years many farms in Western Australia's wheat-growing areas have experienced adverse seasons. For example, the 1983-84 season was characterised by a late start, dry spring and wet harvest which resulted in many farms suffering a combination of low yields and the downgrading or dockage of their grain.

Poor seasons and poor profitability prospects for wheat-growing caused some concern about farm indebtedness in these areas.

In late 1983, a Parlimentary select committee was appointed to inquire into rural hardship. The State Minister for Agriculture also announced that the Department of Agriculture would conduct a farm survey to determine the …

Keeping Ahead Of Powdery Mildew In Barley, T N. Khan, K. Young, P. A. Portmann

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

Powdery mildew is one of the world's most significant barley diseases. In Australia, and more particularly Western Australia, its importance has been under-rated, and only recently has interest in this disease emerged.

Powdery mildew was widespread throughout Western Australia's southern cereal growing areas in 1983. Only a prolonged dry period in August and early September of that year prevented possible large-scale crop losses. Similar outbreaks occurred in 1984.

While some barley varieties are resistant to infection, the use of fungicides, particularly seed dressings, can minimise further infection.

Soil Hardpans And Plant Growth, J W. Bowden, R. J. Jarvis

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

When farm vehicles travel over moist soils they can create hardpans which can marledly reduce crop and pasture yields.

Research at Wongan Hills Research Station has shown that plant growth and nutrient uptake were affected for at least eight years after the original workings caused the hardpan.

Beating The Blackberry, J H. Moore, E. B. Hoskins

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

The blackberry is an aggressive, strongly-growing plant that has spread throughout parts of the south-west of Western Australia.

Although most blackberry infestations on agricultural land have been dramatically reduced since compulsory control measures were introduced 30 years ago, about 3,600 hectares are still infested today.

Recent research has shown that three new herbicides are highly effective against blackberry, and much safer to use than the older ones.

Effective biological control of blackberry may also be possible.

Damage Report Of The West Coastal Wildfire Wongonderrah Area 31st January - 5th February 1985 And Its Effects On The Western Australian Beekeeping Industry, R C. Burking

Apiculture research reports

No abstract provided.

Subterranean Clover Root Rot. Seed Treatments For Root Rot Control, M J. Barbetti

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Subterranean clover root rot. Seed treatments for root rot control. Aim: To test the effectiveness of various seed treatments for control of root rot causing fungi so as to allow successful stand re-establishment – 85AL34, 85BU25, 85BU26, 85W8. Effects of various seed treatments on percent plant survival, tap and lateral root disease indices and on dry weight per plant for the Albany site - 85AL34. Effects of various seed treatments on percent plant survival, tap and lateral root disease indices and on dry weight per plant for the Wokalup site - 85W8. Fungicide drenches for root rot control. Aim: To …

Nitrogenous Fertilisers For Cereals, Results., M. G. Mason

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

78C3, 78WH, 78M, 85C1, 85C2, 85BA1, 85BA2, 85WH, 85WH2, 85A1, 85A2, 85M1, 85M2, 85N1, 85N2, 85MT1, 85MT2, #78BA1, #78WH2, #80BA3, 85M01, 85WH3, 85M06, 85M07, 85M08, 85M09, 85M010, #80WH3, #80M1, #80N3, 85ME73, 85ME7, #85M4, #81LG29, 85N3, 85E1, #84MA2, #84WH46,

Camballin Irrigation Area : A Summary Of Cropping And Pasture Studies 1958-1970, Phongsak Yuhun

Resource management technical reports

The Camballin Irrigation Area was the first large scale rice growing area in Western Australia. It was hoped Camballin would develop into a highly productive irrigation area. The Department of Agriculture was directly involved in the area between 1958 and 1970. The report summarizes the research carried out during the period which paralleled the commercial operation. The trials were designed to solve the specific cropping problems encountered over the period.

A Land Resource Survey Of The Fall Point Coastline, Broome, W.A., P A. Hesp, P J. Curry

Resource management technical reports

The purpose of this study was to find a suitable location for a bird observatory and provide adequate coastal land resource data for the area. The main selection criteria and conditions were: the location was closely adjacent to major wader roosting and feeding sites; all-seasons access was required; the location provided a site of around 2 1/2 hectares to provide space for one or more buildings, camp ground and associated facilities ; anticipated access tracks, site developments and levels of use.

Facing A Drought, J A C Smith

Bulletins 4000 -

This booklet is aimed at helping you decide on strategies, in this and future droughts, in relation to money flow, animal management and cropping. It highlights the technical problems associated with different strategies and how to combat them.

A Preliminary Report On Work Conducted In 1985 To Evaluate Plantago Ovata As A Potential Crop In The Ord River Irrigation Area, D. L. Mcneil

All other publications

This paper reports on the first year of a 3 year programme aimed at developing P. ovata as a crop in the Ord River Irrigation Area (O.R.I.A.) of Kimberley region of Western Australia. The data from one year of trials indicate that Plantago ovata is highly suited to mechanisation and the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA). Machine harvested yields of up to 1.2 t/ha off 0.12 ha were achieved (after cleaning). The maximum hand harvested yield was 2.1 t/ha, 60 per cent higher than any other published value. Cununurra clays proved the best soil type for growth of the crop …