Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Renewable Chemicals And Bioproducts: A Potential For Agricultural Diversification And Economic Development, Henry Brockman

Bulletins 4000 -

Renewable chemicals are a new category of novel products: building blocks and ingredients for the production of chemicals produced from renewable feedstock and sustainable advanced manufacturing processes, leaving a smaller environmental footprint than traditional petrochemicals. Biologically based products are mainly non-food products derived from biomass.

Renewable chemicals represent a market opportunity predicted to grow from US$2.8 billion in 2011 to US$98.5 billion by 2020, driven by consumers demanding safer and more environmentally friendly products and the creation of a market advantage by using novel products in the manufacturing process. Renewable chemicals are a sustainable diversification option for rangeland irrigation precincts, …

Making Better Fertiliser Decisions For Cropping Systems In Western Australia. Soil Test – Crop Response Relationships And Critical Soil Test Values And Ranges, Geoff Anderson, Ross Brennan, Richard Bell, Wen Chen

Bulletins 4000 -

The better fertiliser decisions for cropping project (BFDC) (2009-2012) was completed to provide comprehensive information to improve fertiliser decisions for the cropping industry in Australia (Speirs et al. 2013a). The WA component provides interpretation of results from crop nutrient application experiments for the WA cropping system, and developed a tool for estimating nutrient losses from cropping systems soils.

The BFDC-WA project aims to use the 4R principles by producing a series of bulletins on nutrient management for the cropping system of WA.

Pasture Condition Guide For The Kimberley, Kathryn Ryan, Elizabeth Tierney, Paul Novelly, Robert Mccartney

Bulletins 4000 -

This interactive guide has been produced as a tool for assessing pasture condition over a range of pasture types in the Kimberley. A pasture type is a distinctive mix of plant species, soil type and landscape position. For example, the Mitchell Grass Alluvial Plain Pasture type is a mixture of Mitchell grasses and other species occurring on black soil alluvial plains. Pasture condition is an important factor affecting the potential of the rangelands for animal production and is a useful indicator for the sustainability of production.

Establishment Guide For Sub-Tropical Grasses : Key Steps To Success, Geoff Allan Moore, Ron Yates, Phil Barrett-Lennard, Phil Nichols, Brad Wintle, John Titterington, Chris Loo

Bulletins 4000 -

Sub-tropical perennial grasses are now widely sown in the Northern Agricultural region (NAR) and on the south coast of Western Australia (WA). Since 2000, more than 50 000 ha have been sown to perennial grasses in the NAR and about 150 000 ha on the south coast, mainly kikuyu.

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

Bulletins 4000 -

Essential information for soil testing to determine the phosphorus fertiliser requirements for clover pastures in high rainfall coastal areas of Western Australia. Includes procedures for soil sampling, tissue testing, liming, when to apply fertiliser, how to decide on the target production level, how much fertiliser is required and type of fertiliser.

Greener Pastures 5 - Managing Sulphur In Dairy Pastures, Mike Bolland, Ian Guthridge, Bill Russell, Martin Staines, John Lucey, Richard Morris

Bulletins 4000 -

During 1999-2009, soil testing for sulfur (S) was undertaken on 48 paddocks at the Vasse Research Centre (VRC) at Busselton, in the south-west of Western Australia (WA).

Paddocks had been grazed intensively by dairy cows and their young stock over a period of 10 years, as part of the Vasse Milk Farmlets and Greener Pastures farming system projects. Pasture consisted of annual ryegrasses with some subterranean clover. Soils in the 48 paddocks were 1-2 m sand to sandy loam over massive clay, known locally as Abba sand. For many soils in the region, including Abba sands, the topography is flat …

Greener Pastures 4 - Managing Potassium In Dairy Pastures, Mike Bolland, Ian Guthridge, Bill Russell, Martin Staines, John Lucey, Richard Morris

Bulletins 4000 -

We undertook three studies into the potassium requirements of high rainfall pastures: 1. Between 1999 and 2009, soil testing was conducted in 48 dairy paddocks at Vasse Research Centre (VRC) in the south-west of Western Australia (WA). This study will be referred to as the VRC soil test study.

2. Between 2002 and 2007, a potassium experiment was undertaken at Boyanup to improve our knowledge of potassium requirements of intensively grazed ryegrass pastures. This will be referred to as the Boyanup potassium experiment.

3. Between 2006 and 2010, potassium experiments were undertaken on two partner farms of the Greener Pastures …

Greener Pastures 6 - Managing Soil Acidity In Dairy Pastures, Mike Bolland, Bill Russell, Martin Staines, Richard Morris, John Lucey, D L. Bennett

Bulletins 4000 -

During 1999-2009, soil testing for pH (in CaCl2) was used to determine lime application for 48 paddocks at the Vasse Research Centre at Busselton, in the south-west of Western Australia (WA).

Paddocks had been grazed intensively by dairy cows and their young stock over a period of 10 years, as part of the Vasse Milk Farmlets and Greener Pastures farming system projects. Pasture consisted of annual ryegrasses with some subterranean clover. Soils in the 48 paddocks were 1-2 m sand to sandy loam over massive clay, known locally as Abba sand.

For many soils in the region, including Abba sands, …

Greener Pastures 2 - Nitrogen For Intensively Grazed Dairy Pastures, Martin Staines, Richard Morris, Tess Casson, Mike Bolland, Bill Russell, Ian Guthridge, John Lucey, Don Bennett

Bulletins 4000 -

We undertook three main studies during the Greener Pastures project:

1. From mid 2005 to late 2008, a farming systems study was undertaken with five rates of nitrogen fertiliser as the main treatment. This study will be referred to as the ‘nitrogen response farmlets’.

2. From 2006 to 2008 a series of smaller ‘supporting’ studies were completed to investigate how grazing management influences the pasture production gains from nitrogen fertiliser. This will be referred to as the ‘nitrogen by growth-stage study’.

3. From early 2009 to early 2010, a farming systems study was undertaken to investigate the potential to increase …

Greener Pastures 7 - A Fresh Look At Nutrient Losses From Intensively Managed Pastures, Don Bennett, Bill Russell, Martin Staines, Richard Morris, Mike Bolland, John Lucey

Bulletins 4000 -

Dairy farmers in Western Australia have a long history of being concerned for the environment in which they live and work, from early involvement with Landcare District Committees through to participating in the various programs run in DairyCatch.

They have planted trees, organised soil testing programs, carried out salinity surveys and, more recently, have signed up for effluent, nutrient and irrigation water management programs. Many of these programs produce benefits both on and off the farm—they can improve the farm environment, increase farm productivity and reduce nutrient losses to surface and ground water. The wider community has supported farmers with …

Subsurface Compaction A Guide For Wa Farmers And Consultants, Stephen Davies, Alison Lacey

Bulletins 4000 -

For plants to grow in agricultural soils, roots and emerging shoots must be able to force their way through the soil. In soils of high strength, this growth is physically restricted. High strength soils may be due to natural soil characteristics and conditions or develop as a result of agricultural practices and may be in layers or throughout the soil profile.

In agriculture, high strength soils commonly occur as a result of compaction. Compaction of agricultural soils can be in the surface (often caused by stock trampling or rain drop splatter) or in the subsurface (usually in a layer at …

Phosphorus For High Rainfall Pastures, Mike Bolland, Bill Russell, David Weaver

Bulletins 4000 -

Soil testing for phosphorus provides a reliable indication of when the level of phosphorus in a soil is likely to be adequate for pasture production in the next growing season. It is a waste of money to apply phosphorus fertiliser when soil testing indicates none is required, or to acidified soils, or to undergrazed pastures, or to pastures dominated by poorly productive species.

Legumes have higher phosphorus requirement than grasses.

Critical soil test phosphorus values do not change when nitrogen fertiliser is applied.

Soil Ph In Northern And Southern Areas Of The Wa Wheatbelt, Chris Gazey, Joel Andrew

Bulletins 4000 -

More than 80% of the topsoils sampled fall below the critical surface pHCaCl2 of 5.5 in the northern and southern wheatbelt study areas, with more in the south than the north. These results confirm soil acidity is a serious concern throughout the WA wheatbelt when considered in conjunction with the more intensive analysis of current soil pH throughout the Avon River Basin (2005–2008).

With low topsoil pH, it is likely that subsurface acidity is also a problem. For soil acidity to be managed, subsurface pH also needs to be known. In the Avon River Basin study, about half of the …

Survey Of Western Australian Agricultural Lime Sources, Chris Gazey, Dave Gartner

Bulletins 4000 -

As a service to WA wheatbelt farmers, to assist with cost effective management of soil acidity, a survey of agricultural lime availability and quality was conducted by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

The quality of agricultural lime surveyed varied widely between pits. High quality lime is available from limes and, limestone and dolomite sources. Twice as much of the lowest neutralising value lime surveyed would need to be applied compared to the highest to achieve the same increase in soil pH. Limes also varied in the distribution of particle sizes. Selecting limes with a high proportion of …

Report On Polyacrylamide, A Practice To Reduce Sediment And Insoluable Chemicals In Tailwater, Tara Slaven

Bulletins 4000 -

The main barrier to the adoption of PAM seems to the timing of the cost of outlay. This could add significantly to the initial crop establishment costs at a time of year when rowers receive no income. However, the partial and parametric analysis indicates that there re benefits from using PAM as part of the crop management cycle. These benefits are from ving water, retaining sediment on-farm and reducing the cost of delving drains. There are ther potential economic benefits including the retainment of phosphorus as a plant nutrient n-farm and subsequent yield increases.

Additionally, the off-site environmental impacts seem …

Compost Production And Use In Horticulture, Bob Paulin, Peter O'Malley

Bulletins 4000 -

Maintaining and improving soil organic carbon levels is becoming an increasingly important aspect of modern farming. Compost provides potentially one of the most effective ways of applying organic matter to soils and improving organic carbon levels.

Improving soil organic carbon is directly related to soil quality and performance. Increased quality reflects improved biological function (soil health), fertility and physical attributes that include better drainage, reduced compaction and erosion, and improved moisture-holding capability, at least for lighter soils.

Compost is not the only option available. Others include the use of cover or break crops, reducing the use of cultivations, selecting safe …

Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System For Grasslands: Field Manual, Andrew Craig, Philip Thomas

Bulletins 4000 -

Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS) sites are designed to provide defined areas for repeated photography and collection of vegetation composition, shrub/tree cover and landscape function (soil surface assessment) data. This manual defines the procedures for installing and monitoring WARMS sites in the grasslands of northern Western Australia. It provides a documented reference of site stratification at regional scale, and site allocation at station (property) scale. Different procedures apply for sites in the shrublands of the southern pastoral zone. WARMS is designed to be interpreted at the vegetation type or regional scale, rather than lease (station) scale. Information gathered is …

Wheat Variety Guide 2008 Western Australia, Christine Zaicou, Ben Curtis, Harmohinder Dhammu, Sarah Ellis, Dorthe Jorgensen, Shahajahan Miyan, Steve Penny, Brenda Shackley, Darshan Sharma

Bulletins 4000 -

This guide summarises performance characteristics of commercially available wheats and some pre-commercial lines. These lines have undergone testing in the National Variety Testing Project (NVT), Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) wide-scale crop variety testing (CVT) and/or variety specific agronomy projects. This information includes variety summaries (Table 1), agronomic, disease and herbicide tolerance characteristics (Tables 2 to 4), medium- to long-term yield performance by wheat grade and Agzone (Tables 5 and 6). A review of regional performance in 2007 is followed by a comprehensive summary of 2007 variety time of sowing experiments (Tables 7 to 14) and flowering …

Tree Windbreaks In The Wheatbelt, Robert Sudmeyer, David Bicknell, Neil Coles

Bulletins 4000 -

Windbreaks comprising trees, or tree and shrub combinations, can offer many benefits on wheatbelt farms, particularly for protection of soil, stock, crops and pastures from damaging winds and erosion. Additional benefits include reduced evaporation from farm dams, reduced groundwater recharge, their use as nature conservation corridors and habitats, increased biodiversity including predators of crop and pasture pests, fire control, tree products and improved lifestyle and aesthetics.

In other areas and farming systems such as intensive horticulture, man-made windbreaks may be used, but their higher cost makes them unsuited for broadscale agriculture. Man-made windbreaks can be effective in reducing evaporative losses …

Returns To R&D Investment Of Dafwa: Benefit Cost Analysis, 2005-2006, Nazrul Islam

Bulletins 4000 -

The primary outcome or objective of the projects that are assessed, is to increase the market competitiveness and profitability of agri-industry.

Alstroemeria, Aileen Reid

Bulletins 4000 -

About 60 species of Alstroemeria grow wild in South America, in habitats ranging from the snowline of the Andes and high mountain plateaus down through the highland forests to the coastal deserts.

A member of the lily family, Alstroemeria grows from a rhizome that also develops tuberous storage outgrowths and fleshy roots. The aerial shoots can be either vegetative or reproductive. Normally shoots that have unfolded more than 30 leaves will not flower and remain vegetative.

The leaves of Alstroemeria are unusual in that they rotate through 180 degrees as they unfold, so that the upper surface becomes the lower …

Water Supplies For Horticulture In The Lower Great Southern, D J. Mcfarlane Dr, Ruhi Ferdowsian, Arjen Ryder

Bulletins 4000 -

No abstract provided.

The Land Is In Your Hands : A Practical Guide For Owners Of Small Rural Landholdings In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Wa

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin discusses various aspects of managing a small farm or property in Western Australia, including soil and land care, vegetation and plant control on farm holdings, water resource management, biosecurity, plant, animal and insect pest control and livestock management.

Phytophthora Diseases Of Cutflower Crops, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Phytophthora root rot is the most common soil borne disease causing plant death in native cut flower production. It is also a pathogen of exotic cutflower crops such as rose, lily, carnation, proteas and gerbera. The fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi, the cause of jarrah dieback is the pathogen that first comes to mind when Phytophthora is mentioned. This has one of the widest host ranges of all Phytophthora species, particularly amongst native Australia species. P.nicotianae also has a wide host range, infecting a wide range of exotic, as well as Australian native flower crops. There are also a number of …

Producing Pulses In The Northern Agricultural Region, Peter White, Martin Harries, Mark Seymour, Pam Burgess

Bulletins 4000 -

Pulses, like most other temperate crops, are ideally suited to environments with mild temperatures, adequate rainfall and free draining soils that have a deep uniform profile, a medium to fine texture and slightly acid to neutral pH (6.5-7.5). Pulses when grown on these soils and in these environments produce reliable yields, are relatively easy to manage and achieve good returns on investment.

Pulses can be grown very successfully in less ideal situations, but must then be managed carefully to ensure reliable yields. The different pulse species, and even different varieties of the same species, vary in how tolerant they are …

Producing Pulses In The Southern Agricultural Region, Peter White, Mark Seymour, Pam Burgess, Martin Harries

Bulletins 4000 -

The development of pulses in Western Australia has undergone tremendous advances over the past 12 years. From a tiny industry in the early 1990’s where the knowledge of both scientists and farmers was very limited, we now have a robust industry with production packages and improved varieties for all the grain legumes species that are well suited to our environment.

This book, which is both comprehensive and practical, collates much of the information gathered through pulse research and commercial experience over the past 10 years and will be valuable to all pulse growers, agronomists, students and industry advisors alike. The …

Wheatbelt Waterwise = Saltwise : Gardening Guide, John Colwill, Juana Roe

Bulletins 4000 -

As a result of agricultural clearing, many country towns are now feeling the effects of rising groundwater and the salt that it carries. Salinity has been identified as Australia’s number one environmental problem. While most people think that salinity means land lost to agriculture, it also poses a serious threat to many country towns. A report for the Department of Agriculture in 2001 highlighted the need for simple and cost-effective salinity management strategies to be adopted in wheatbelt towns. These included water recycling, revegetation and more efficient water use.

Successful Field Pea Harvesting, Glen Riethmuller, Ian Pritchard

Bulletins 4000 -

Many thousands of hectares of field peas are harvested trouble free each year. Growers experience together with recent machinery innovations and modifications have solved the majority of harvesting difficulties. Optimum harvesting conditions are in a crop of uniform density on a level soil surface with the machine either working into or across the direction that the crop has been laid by the wind.

To make harvest easier the receival standard for moisture in pulses has been lifted to 14 per cent, which allows harvest to begin sooner when the crop is the range of 14 to 15 per cent moisture. …

Guidelines For Management Of Farmland Adjacent To The Busselton Wetlands, William Oldfield, Department Of Conservation And Land Management, Department Of Planning And Infrastructure

Bulletins 4000 -

The Busselton Wetlands are a chain of wetlands that lie parallel with the coastline of Geographe Bay, Western Australia and in close proximity to the town of Busselton. The main issues for the maintenance of quality of the wetlands are nutrient levels and habitat value. This guide outlines many of the current best practices related to farming around wetlands.

Organic Wheat : A Production Guide, Steven Mccoy

Bulletins 4000 -

Many people believe that organic agriculture systems can only work in high rainfall regions. However, some of Australia’s most successful organic farmers are the experienced organic wheatbelt growers who produce cereal, pulse and oilseed crops in different regions and soil types across the country.

Wheat is the major organic cereal crop grown in Australia - predominantly noodle and breadmaking wheats for export markets.

Farming systems developed by modern organic wheat growers can differ significantly in concept, strategies and techniques from those used by conventional growers. Successful conversion to organic requires careful planning and integration of the whole farming system over …