Life Sciences Commons^™

Roly Poly And Its Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Roly poly, also known as prickly saltwort or tumbleweed (Salsola australis), is a native species found throughout Australia. The dead plants can break off at ground level, forming the ‘tumbleweeds’ seen in movies.

Like most summer weeds, roly poly uses soil moisture and nutrients that would otherwise be available to the following crop. The time taken to clear uncontrolled plants can delay seeding.

Livestock will graze the young plants; however, they will not eat the mature plants and are injured by the prickly leaves.

Effect Of Localized And Epsidodic Nutrient Supplies And Salinity On Growth Of Selected Grass Species, M M. Wolfson, J Caetano

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The efficient use of non•uniform nutrient supplies may be an important component of plant nutrient relationships in soils, especially where inputs of available nutrients by mineralisation may be slow and unpredictable. The experiments reported here examined the effects of periodic supplies of nutrients as well as localised nutrient supplies on the growth of grass species which are common in cultivated soils and pastures. Most plants cannot produce significant yields when grown under saline conditions owing to the difficulty the plant has adjusting to the osmotic potential of the growth medium and its limited capacity to cope with accumulated c1· and …

Evaluation Of The Sustainable Grazing On Saline Lands - Wa Producer Network : Influence On Practice Change And Decision-Making Capacity, Rebecca Heath, Jamie Bowyer, T M. Lacey

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Planting Trees To Control Salinity, Nick Schofield, Phil Scott

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

Dense tree plantings covering at least 30 per cent of cleared land can lower groundwater levels by two metres or more in 10 years from the time of planting. This sizeable drop can be expected at sites receiving 700 to 800 mm of rain a year. Research by the Water Authority of Western Australia shows the most promising strategy when using trees is to put dense plantings on the discharge zone and on lower to midslopes. This strategy is successful where groundwaters contain less than 30,000 milligrams per litre total soluble salts (TSS).

This article discusses research in the 450 …

Reclaiming Sandplain Seeps Planting Trees, Richard George

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

Sandplain seeps affect large areas of agricultural land in Western Australia's eastern and northern wheatbelt and in the Great Southern. These seeps are estimated to account for about 10 per cent of dryland salinity in the agricultural area. Research and field observations show that seeps may be cheaply and quickly reclaimed using various types of drains or small blocks of trees (George 1990). This article discusses results of reclamation methods associated with tree planting on sandplain seeps in the eastern wheatbelt.

Revegetating Salt-Affected Land With Shrubs, Ed Barrett-Lennard, Fionnuala Frost, Steve Vlahos, Norm Richards

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

The establishment of salt-tolerant shrubs such as saltbush and bluebush on salt-affected land reduces the risk of soil erosion, and can also fit into farm programmes as a profitable enterprise. Salt-tolerant shrubs can be used as forage for sheep in summer and autumn, when the availability of annual pastures is low or annual pastures are just beginning to emerge. This article describes three methods for establishing shrubs on salt-affected land and what affects shrub establishment.

Using Trees To Reclaim Land Lost To Saline Seeps, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia, Arthur Wright

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

The National Soil Conservation Program (NSCP) has tapped the vigorous community support for landcare initiatives through its demonstration sites for reclaiming sandplain seeps in the Western Australian wheatbelt. The demonstrations, which use tree plantations to reclaim seeps, began in 1989. The sites are being keenly monitored by participating farmers and members of land conservation districts (LCDs).

Plant Growth And Survival In Saline, Waterlogged Soils, Ed Barrett-Lennard, Neil Davidson, Richard Galloway

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

Waterlogged soils in Western Australia are often salt-affected. Recent research has shown that the interaction between waterlogging and salinity has a far greater adverse effect on plant groivth and survival than either of these two factors individually. The consequences of the combined effects of salt and waterlogging for most plant species are increased salt uptake, reduced growth, chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), defoliation, and death. Salt sensitive agricultural species (nonhalophytes) are more severely affected by this interaction than salt tolerant species (halophytes).

Wheat Growth On Saline Waterlogged Soils, E G. Barrett-Lennard

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

Studies of the growth of plants on salt-affected soils have focused maily on the effects of salt. However, many salt-affected soils are also subject to waterlogging. Glasshouse experiments conducted by the Department of Agriculture have shown that although wheat growth is not greatly reduced by low levels of salt under well drained conditions, under waterlogged conditions such levels of salt can have a severe effect.

The Grazing Value Of Saltbushes, A J. Clarke

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

Many Western Australian/armers have obtained useful grazing from their salt/and in the past, both from natural stands of salt tolerant plants and from areas planted to a variety of introduced salt tolerant plants. The benefits provided by such grazing have been hard to assess because no quantitative figures were available. However, grazing trials now in progress are showing that salt tolerant shrubs can carry similar stocking rates to clover-based pastures in the same districts. About 500,000 hectares of Western Australian wheatbelt land has always been saline, and has supported various useful native salt-tolerant plants. Other land that has become saline …

Samphire For Waterlogged Salt Land, C V. Malcolm, G. J. Cooper

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

For non-waterlogged and mildly waterlogged salt land a number of salt-tolerant shrubs may be used for forage production.

Areas which are highly saline and regularly waterlogged are not suited to these shrubs. However, during trials with shrub species, samphires (Arthrocnemum spp.) were found to volunteer and grow well on these sites.

Research into the use of samphires has shown that it is possible to harvest seed and obtain a seed sample suitable for sowing through a drill. Established samphire stands provide useful grazing in many parts of the Western Australian wheatbelt.

Forage Production From Shrubs On Saline Land, C V. Malcolm

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

In the first volume of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture in the year 1900, the results of experiments at Tulare Experiment Station in California on the growing of Australian saltbushes are reported.

Seed was first sent from Australia by Baron von Mueller in June, 1881. Three species of saltbush (A. semibaccata, A. numularia and A. vesicaria) are all reported to have grown well.

Although C. A. Gardner in 1929 suggested the growing of saltbushes for forage, the earliest and clearest recommendations are those of Teakle and Burvill in 1945.

Early research tended to concentrate mainly on the possibility …

Plant Cover For Bare And Salt Affected Land, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

The contributions made by this State to land reclamation were recognised at an international level last year.

Mr. C. V. Malcolm, a research officer with the Soils Division, presented a paper entitled "Establishing Shrubs in Saline Environments" at a symposium on Useful Wildland Shrubs, Their Biology and Utilisation, at Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

The conclusion to Mr. Malcolm's review, set out below, summarises much of what is known about shrub establishment in saline areas.

Salt Movement In Bare Saline Soils, T C. Stoneman, Stanley Thomas Smith

Technical Bulletins

Sand mulch produced the most effective leaching of salt with early winter rainfall, and also very clearly prevented any return of salt to the soil surface at the end of winter. Autumn cultivation hastened the leaching of salt in winter, but was relatively ineffective in preventing its return to the soil surface. Spring cultivation had a slight beneficial effect in delaying salt movement to the soil surface following the onset of warm and drier weather at the end of winter.

Saltland Pastures, C V. Malcolm

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

FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT of Agriculture in Western Australia considerable areas of highly productive land have become salt affected to the degree that normal crops and pastures cannot be grown.*

However, species and establishment methods are available which can bring at least some of this land back into production.

Plants For Saltland : Samphire, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE photograph shows two bushes of "samphire" (mainly Arthrocnemum spp).

This common name is ascribed to several plants, all of which occur naturally in the agricultural areas in Western Australia.

Salt Land Survey, 1962 : Report Of A Survey Of Soil Salinity In The Agricultural Areas Of Western Australia, L C. Lightfoot, S. T. Smith, C. V. Malcolm

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

IN Western Australia there are within the agricultural areas about one million acres of salt land, largely within the 14-25 inch rainfall area used for cereal and wool production.

In March, 1962, farmers in 68 shires in the agricultural areas of Western Australia estimated that on their properties 305,270 acres of land previously cropped or sown to pasture had become salt affected. Of this total, 59,203 acres had gone salt in the seven years immediately before the survey.

Saltland Notes : Don't Put Sheep In Yet, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

If you have sown bluebush or saltbush this year, keep the sheep out.

Paspalum Vaginatum For Salty Seepages, C V. Malcolm

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

Paspalum vaginatum, aptly termed "sea shore paspalum" has over the last fifteen years shown an amazing ability to thrive in wet salty situations.

Seed of the grass is not available but it may easily be established by planting pieces.

This article reviews where and how the grass may be used.

Reclaim Salty Soils With Bluebush, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

BLUEBUSH (Kochia brevifolia) is an Australian plant which can produce good yields of excellent feed when grown on grown well drained salty soils in the 12 to 15-inch rainfall districts of Western Australia.

Establishing Saltland Pastures, C V. Malcolm

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

WITH the approach of winter, thoughts are turning to the seeding season. It will therefore be appropriate to discuss methods of establishing saltland pastures.

This discussion will be restricted to "bluebush," creeping saltbush, and old man saltbush. Seed of these plants is available from local stock firms.

Salt Land Management : Too Early To Graze Bluebush, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

M ANY people, including research officers in this Department, have examined bluebush and saltbush plantings in spring, and, finding nothing, have assumed failure.

Salty Seepages Can Be Productive, C V. Malcolm

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

MUCH has been said and written concerning the use of Paspalum vaginatum for growing on seepage areas, but the general production to be expected from seepage areas has not received much attention.

The fact is that properly handled, seepage areas can be quite productive, and can be valuable for summer grazing.