Agriculture Commons^™

Changing Climate, Changing Business Practices : Lessons From Innovative Growers, David Gray, Nicole Baxter, Meredith Fairbanks, Geraldine Pasqual

Bulletins 4000 -

Climate change and increasing seasonal variability are challenging the production efforts of growers in lower rainfall environments of the Western Australian grain belt. Significantly less rainfall than the long-term average has fallen across southwest Western Australia during the past 30 years.

Seasonal rainfall has also become more variable with later starts to the growing season and a general shift to more summer and less winter rainfall. Day and night-time temperatures, particularly in winter and autumn, have gradually increased, while in some areas, the risk of frost in spring has increased.

Evaluation Of Alternative Wine Grape Varieties In Manjimup, Western Australia, Kristen Kennison, Richard Fennessy

Bulletins 4000 -

Since 1998 the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) in conjunction with the Western Australian Vine Improvement Association (WAVIA) have imported over 60 new varieties and clones of wine grape material into Western Australia. These new varieties and clones were identified by the wine industry as having both domestic and international wine market potential to enhance the production and development of premium WA wine.

The grapevine material is currently located in the Foundation Collection at the Manjimup Horticultural Research Institute (MHRI). In 2003 a trial of 18 of these varieties was established in order to gain an understanding …

Soil Test And Phosphorus Rate For High Rainfall Clover Pastures, Robert Summers, David Weaver

Bulletins 4000 -

When new land was first developed, phosphatic fertilisers had to be applied at high rates to overcome Phosphorus (P) deficiency, and to increase P fertility. Once good P fertility has been established after a number of years of applying P, the requirement for applying high rates of P falls. After that you only need to apply enough fertiliser P to replace that removed in products, fixed by the soil, eroded and leached, that is a maintenance rate of P.

In relation to P fertiliser decisions for pastures you need to ask:

• Do I need P?

• How do I …

In Response To Need, A History Of The Western Australian Department Of Agriculture - 1894 To 2008, E N. Fitzpatrick

Books & book chapters

The department was not always such a significant organisation; it came from very small beginnings. However, it has been a major component of the engine which has produced an agricultural industry in a Mediterranean climate zone which is superior to all others operating in this zone. This book is a summary of its work. There are many more fascinating chapters to be recorded of work on specific issues of development, investigation or conservation. I hope they will be written by someone one day. With this in mind the department has decided to put the book on a web page where …

Landscapes And Soils Of The Lake Grace District, D N. Sawkins

Bulletins 4000 -

The publication aims to provide readers with the principles underlying the formation of local landscapes and soils, and the ability to identify landscapes and their associated soils.