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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.

List Of Department Of Agriculture Publications, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE following publications are available on application from the Department of Agriculture.

Most of the bulletins listed are reprints from the Journal of Agriculture and are free of charge (except where a price is stated).

The date of original publication of reprints is stated to facilitate reference to bound volumes of the Journal.

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.

Lot Feeding Of Beef Cattle. 5. Feed Lots And Animal Health, W J O Wilkie

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

BRINGING cattle from various sources together in a feed lot makes them more liable to disease than they would be in the open paddock.

Precautions, careful selection, prevention and vaccination can reduce the risk of disease and the possible need for treatment during the feed lot fattening period.

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.

Agriculture In Western Australia. 3. The Economic Potential Of The Wongan-Ballidu Shire. Part 1, G D. Oliver, A. W. Hogstrom

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

IN West Australian agriculture there is a considerable "backlog" of information available to farmers which is not being used in practical farming. This, of course, is true of agricultural industries anywhere in the world.

This "backlog" results in a big difference in productivity between the best farms and the "average" farms in each district.

This article is a simple economic study of the potential of one shire of Western Australia.

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.

Why Did These Lambs Die?, Stanley M. Dennis

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

INVESTIGATIONS over the past two years have shown that most lamb deaths in Western Australia occur during the first three days of life, that is, in the critical neonatal period.

Most of the lambs died between 24 and 72 hours after birth.

Congenital Abnormalities In Sheep, Stanley M. Dennis

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

More than 60 forms of abnormality have been found in lambs in Western Australia and in some flocks the proportion of particular abnormalities has been as high as 8 per cent, of lambs born.

In this article Dr. Dennis discusses the causes of abnormalities and reports progress of a Statewide survey of congenital abnormalities.

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.

Helping With Homework, O. Evans Scott

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

Although actually helping a child with homework is rarely recommended there are many ways in which parents can help young children to cope with their school work.

Some of them are outlined in this article.

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.

Stocking Rate And Wool Production At Kojonup, Davies H. Lloyd, A. W. Humphries

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

RESEARCH workers in several parts of the world have recognised the overriding importance of stocking rate in raising animal production per acre.

This article describes some of the initial work on the effect of stocking rate on wool production and liveweight change in medium-Peppin Merino sheep.

The work was carried out at the C.S.I.R.O. "Glen Lossie" Field Station at Kojonup, Western Australia.

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.

Lot Feeding Of Beef Cattle. 3. Facilities Required For A Feed Lot, W J O Wilkie

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

MANY THINGS must be considered in planning a feed lot.

The site must be well chosen, fencing, gates and yards must be adequate for the cattle carried and feeding and watering facilities should be of a high standard.

Other things to consider are the provision of shelter and shade for the cattle and buildings for feed storage and other purposes.

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.

Growth Of The Broiler Industry In W.A, D F. Hessels

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

THE production of poultry meat in W.A. before 1956 was only a side-line for egg producers or small, mixed farmers.

Most of the meat available was made up of culled hens, first cross cockerels and some heavy breed birds.

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 Breeding Problems In W.A. : The Industry's View, Stanley M. Dennis

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

IN 1963 a short questionnaire was distributed to farmers and pastoralists seeking information about sheep breeding problems and lamb losses.

This was a fore-runner to the Department of Agriculture survey into the causes of abortion and lamb mortality which is reported elsewhere in this issue.

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.