Life Sciences Commons^™

Control Of Perennial Grasses, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Perennial grasses such as paspalum, kikuyu and couch can be controlled by spraying with a solution containing 2,2-DPA.

This is a non-poisonous powder which is sold under a variety of trade names.

Recommended Wheat Varieties, 1965 : State Wheat Advisory Committee Recommendations For Wheat Varieties For 1965 Plantings, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

State Wheat Advisory Committee recommendations for wheat varieties for 1965 plantings.

THE wheat rust epidemic of 1963 has directed attention to resistance of varieties to this disease, new races of which have recently appeared in Western Australia.

However, last year was one of abnormal seasonal conditions, with late summer rains followed by a mild winter, and spring conditions which favoured rust.

Mosaic Diseases Of Beans, H L. Harvey

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

TWO important diseases of beans in W.A. are common mosaic and yellow mosaic.

Both may cause malformation, stunting of growth and yield reductions and are most serious in the spring and early summer crops.

The Control Of Bitter Pit In Apples, Frank Melville, S. E. Hardisty, N. S. Shorter

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

Bitter pit is a physiological disorder of apples which causes considerable wastage of otherwise sound fruit .

It is a problem of world-wide occurrence and in Western Australia growing conditions appear particularly favourable for its development.

In recent years a practical means of control by calcium sprays has been developed.

Flower Greening And Witches' Broom, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE flower "greening" and witches' broom diseases may be found in a variety of plants.

Susceptible garden species include phlox, gerberas, vincas, dahlias, geraniums, asters and many others.

Insect Pests Of Cotton In The Ord River Irrigation Area, K T. Richards

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

COTTON is grown in the Ord Valley of north Western Australia, mainly as an annual, irrigated crop during the hot summer months of the "wet season".

It is usually planted in November-December and harvested March-May.

This period of growth corresponds closely to that of maximum insect activity.

Roses : The Ideal Garden Flower, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE popularity of roses is increasing year by year and there is no need for any comment on the virtues of these flowers.

Apart from isolated areas right on the coast and similar extremely windy locations, roses can be grown with confidence, and you will be rewarded with a wealth of choice blooms.

A Chemical For Doublegee, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

DURING the past two years, finance has been made available from the State Wheat Research Fund for an intensive study on doublegee.

A newly-developed herbicide has been shown to give complete control of growing plants, while ecological studies have started to yield valuable information about seed behaviour.

A Revised List Of Fruit Diseases Recorded In Western Australia, R F. Doepel

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

THIS list of fruit diseases is a revision of part of the census published by Carne (1925) and supplemented by the same author in 1927.

It also contains records of diseases identified in the period between these earlier publications and June 30, 1961.

Broom Rape, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

BROOM RAPE (Orobanche australiana) is a parasite which becomes attached to the roots of other plants.

It is not very selective regarding hosts and has been found parasitising many species, but particularly clovers.

Lawns : Their Establishment And Management, H G. Elliott, F. E. Ryan

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

THERE is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a well kept lawn, be it in a home garden or covering a sporting area, and under Western Australian conditions there is no reason why a good lawn or turf cannot be developed and maintained—always provided that there is enough water and proper care and attention.

Plant Diseases : Angular Leaf Spot Of Cucurbits, O M. Goss

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

ANGULAR leaf spot caused by the bactterium Pseudomonas lachrymans (E.F.Sm. & Bryan) Carsner, is common on cucumbers and gherkins grown late in the season.

The same disease has been recorded on rockmelons, watermelons and pumpkins but rarely occurs on these hosts in Western Australia.

Poison Plant Problems, T E H Aplin

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

A POISON plant may be defined as a plant which, when eaten by humans or animals, exerts harmful effects or causes death by virtue of its toxic substances.

Put Garden Rubbish To Work In A Compost Heap, W Dawson

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

THERE'S a surprising amount of mumbo jumbo written about the simple compost heap. By the time you've waded through all the instructions, you feel as if you ought to have prerequisites of a doctorate in soil chemistry or an unbroken ancestry of at least three generations of professional English gardeners.

Cover Spraying For Septoria Leaf Spot Of Celery, S C. Chambers

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

LEAF SPOT, caused by the fungus Septoria apii Chester is the most serious disease of celery in Western Australia and is responsible for heavy losses in many winter grown crops.

Excellent control of Seproria leaf spot on winter grown celery has been obtained with the fungicide Dyrene (R) when applied at 10-11 day intervals during the season.

Apple And Pear Growing In Western Australia : A Survey Of Trends In Planting, Frank Melville

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

APPLE growing is the major f r u i t growing activity in Western Australia.

The highest production recorded was 2,052,600 bushels in the peak year of 1960-61; of this 1,326,157 bushels were exported.

Western Australia is second only to Tasmania in the quantity exported and at present relies on overseas markets to absorb about two-thirds of the crop.

In 1962 there were 1,304,455 apple trees in this State and the average annual production over the previous five years was 1,449,962 bushels. *

Inoculation And Lime-Pelleting Of Leguminous Seeds, W P. Cass Smith, Olga M. Goss

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

IN Western Australia extensive areas of new land are brought under cultivation each year.

Much of this virgin soil is only sparsely populated with the beneficial rhizobial bacteria which nodulate the roots of common pasture and forage legumes, such as subterranean clover, barrel medic, lucerne and field pea.

Watch Out For Wild Oats, J G. Paterson

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

SINCE the publication of the results of trials with Carbyne* on wild oats in cereal crops several enquiries have been received from farmers whose crops have been heavily infested with the weed.

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.

Citrus Water Spot, H L. Harvey

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

WATER SPOT is a disease condition which reduces the quality of citrus fruit in Western Australian orchards during continuous wet winter weather.

The problem is greatest in the Hills districts on navel oranges but mandarins may also be affected. Valencia oranges are rarely if ever affected.

Plant Pathologist Retires, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

The Chief of the Department of Agriculture's Biological Services Division, Mr. W. P. Cass Smith, retired from the Department on July 16 this year after many years of valuable service.

A Revised List Of Diseases Of Ornamental Plants Recorded In Western Australia, O M. Goss

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

THIS list of ornamental diseases constitutes a revision of portion of the census published by Carne (1925) and added to by the same author in 1927.

It contains also records of diseases identified in the period between these earlier publications and June 30, 1961.

Wheat Breeding And Variety Trials, 1963-64, J T. Reeves

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

A review of the wheat breeding and pedigree seed production by the Department of Agriculture.

Yields from the wheat variety trials at agricultural research stations during the 1963-64 season are presented and discussed.

Take-All Disease Of Wheat, S C. Chambers

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

Take-all is the most serious of the several root-rotting diseases of wheat in Western Australia.

In the absence of cereal crops, the fungus responsible for take-all survives on the roots of native grasses.

Losses can be minimised by adopting cultural methods which reduce the amount of infective material in the soil and which also encourage vigorous growth of the crop.

Oat Variety Trials, 1962 And 1963, J L. Mcmullan

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

OAT variety trials were located on a number of Research Stations and, in 1963, on three other properties in the higher rainfall areas.

These three trials contained only varieties of midseason maturity.

The location of the test centres is given in the tables, while brief details of the varieties and crossbreds under test in the period 1962-64, inclusive, are given in Table 1.

Supplementary List Of Disease Recorded On Various Hosts In Western Australia, G C. Macnish

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

THIS supplement contains the diseases recorded on all hosts during the period July 1, 1961 and June 30, 1963 inclusive.

A few disease records omitted from previous census have been incorporated. A list of previous publications in this series is appended. Also appended is a list of common names of host plants to facilitate reference.

Lucerne Establishment On The West Midland Sandplain, J W. Gartrell

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

WEST of Dandaragan and the Midland line from Watheroo to Mingenew there are four million acres of scrubplain commonly called the Western Sandplain.

All virgin soils in this region are acutely nitrogen deficient so that the agricultural future of the region depends on how successfully legumes are grown.

Silage Making In The Lower South-West, A L. Hamilton

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

The history of silage making in the South-West of Western Australia is typified by periods of relatively intense activity followed by periods when the activity virtually ceases.

The recent rise in popularity has followed the introduction of machinery or methods which tend to make the job easier to handle, or which improve the quality of the silage.

Linseed Growing In The Ord River Valley, D F. Beech

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

Experimental work with linseed at the Kimberley Research Station began in 1952 and has been intensified in the last four years.

Fertiliser requirements and methods of land preparation, sowing, irrigation and weed control have been established.

Suitable varieties have been selected. Farm-scale crops have been grown in the area and, although cotton is very much more remunerative as an establishment crop, it is expected that linseed will ultimately have a place in the Ord irrigation scheme.

Establishing Wheatbelt Pastures? Don't Use A Cover Crop, J A C Smith, D. B. Argyle

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

One of the factors which influence the establishment of improved pasture in the West Australian wheatbelt is whether the pasture legume is sown with a cover crop or not.

Mediocre establishment can follow when a cover crop is used and it is recommended that, for rapid establishment, any pasture legume should be sown without a cover crop.