Agricultural Science Commons^™

Miscellaneous Production 23/87 - Animal Production In The Spinifex And Shrubland Regions Of Western Australia, D. Burnside

Animal production and livestock published reports

The role of the Rangeland Management Branch is to promote the sustained economic use of the rangeland resource. It provides research and extension services to the pastoral industry, provides advice on the condition of the range resource to Government and provides technical information on rangelands to other rangeland managers. A principal objective to be met in fulfilling that role is the development and promotion of economically efficient place systems that conserve the rangeland resource. At the inaugural Pastoral Soil Conservation Districts Conference in Meekatharra in May 1987, pastoralist delegates emphasized the importance of achieving that objective within the various soil …

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of Rangelands In The Ashburton River Catchment, Western Australia, A A. Mitchell, A L. Payne, W F. Holman

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of rangelands in the Ashburton River catchment, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 1976 and 1978, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the natural area’s resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed …

Looking At Lupins - Lupin Management In The South Eastern Wheatbelt, W. L. Smart, M. M. Ralph, J. M. Liddle, R.. D. Ramm, C. J. Robinson, E. W. Armstrong

Grain and other field crops research reports

In the past couple of years research into lupins has increased substantially particularly in the fields of weed control, seeding rates, and control of diseases such as brown leaf spot and pleiochaeta root rot. This report is a summary of the lupin trials in the Lake Grace advisory area as well as a guide to better lupin farming.

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of Rangelands In The Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia, A L. Payne, G F. Spencer, P J. Curry

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of rangelands in the Carnarvon Basin, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 1980 and 1982, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the natural area’s resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed covers …

Kununurra Region - Land Utilization Report - 1984 Dry Season - 1984/85 Wet Season And 1985 Dry Season In The Ord River Irrigation Area, S. Sandover

Natural resources published reports

Kununurra Region

3rd edition

A small experimental farm was first established on the Ord River in 1941. This farm was relocated in 1945 to what is now known as the Frank Wise Institute of Tropical Agriculture.

The first stage of the Irrigation Scheme which included the Diversion dam was completed by 1963 and by 1966, 31 irrigated farms had been established.

In 1967 the second stage was commenced and by 1972 the main dam had been completed.

Cotton was the major crop until 1974. In the wet season of that year 3642 hectares was devoted to cotton. Various crops such …

Documentation Of Whole-Farm Model For The Eastern Wheatbelt Of Western Australia, Ross S. Kingwell, David J. Pannell, David. A. Morrison

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Eastern Wheatbelt Model (EwM) is a hypothetical farm model, intended to be representative of farms in the eastern wheatbelt region. It is a model of an 'average' farm in an 'average' season. Nevertheless it is possible to substitute the resource mix of a 'real' farm for the •average' and to substitute various types of season for the 'average'.

Assumptions of 'average' farm resources and •average' season are based on opinions by WADA researchers and advisers. For the EWM, researchers and advisers at Merredin prescribed average resources for an eastern wheatbelt farm receiving a 300 mm average rainfall including 210 …

Bulletin 3929 - Irrigation In Western Australia, K S. Cole

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Irrigation is essential in many parts of the world to produce essential food and profitable cash crops. Generally, those areas of land with less than 360 mm of rain spread over a distinct wet season of several months cannot grow crops for food or cash on rainfall alone. Then irrigation becomes necessary unless some peculiarity such as an oasis exists.

Agricultural Geology, R. Fenwick

Natural resources published reports

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Precambrian rocks occupy 1.5 million kn2 or roughly 60% of the total land area of the state, to form one of the most extensive and varied precambrian regions of the world. The oldest rocks are the comparatively little altered sediments and volcanics of the Pilbara Diock whose age must exceed that of the 3 000 million year old granites which intrude then

Western Australia is divisable into two broad geological types. The great plateau or Western or Archean Shield and coastal and inland basins.

The Western Shield is the largest area of Archean (Archeozoic era) rocks in Australia, …

Crop Monitoring Handbook 1979, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Grain and other field crops published reports

Prepared by the Plant Research Division of the Department of Agriculture for farmers who wish to keep detailed records of crop growth with the aim of achieving higher yields in the future.

Grain Crop Variety Trials Western Australia 1978-1979, H. M. Fisher, G. B. Crosbie

Grain and other field crops research reports

The regional crop variety testing programme conducted by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture covers the final two stages of a four stage process of evaluating locally produced crossbreds and introduced material comprising:-

Plant Breeder Trials

Stage 1: Initial small plot yield tests on early generation material - 1 to 3 sites. Stage 2: Small plot yield tests on selected material (F5 derived) - 3 to 4 sites.

Regional Testing Programme

Stage 3: Large scale preliminary trials - 9 to 10 sites. Stage 4: Large scale final yield trials - 40 to 50 sites.

The basis of the regional programme …

Bulletin No 4007 - Grasses In South Western Australia, J G. Paterson

Bulletins 4000 -

IThe grasses comprise one of the world's largest families of flowering plants, with over 500 groups or genera containing well over 5000 individual types or species distributed throughout the world. About 125 groups have been recorded in Western Australia but it is probable that the list is far from complete. About one third of these have ° been introduced from overseas.

The purpose of this bulletin is to describe those grasses which are more commonly found in the south-west of Western Australia. Also, as many people are interested in knowing the name and nature of a grass when they find …

Bulletin No 4023 - Pasture Plants Of The Western Australian Shrublands, D G. Wilcox, J G. Morrissey

Bulletins 4000 -

The use of the shrubland pastures of Western Australia began in 1861 when Mr. W. Burges of the Bowes Station near Northampton sent a flock of sheep along the Greenough River to graze the country where Yuin station is today. Following his example, a number of other enterprising men established grazing areas along the river courses of this harsh and often drought stricken and forbidding land. By 1925, virtually all of the pastoral land of value in the mulga zone west of the Gibson Desert and the Great Victoria Desert had been developed, and by 1934, over four million sheep …

Bulletin 4002 - Trickle Irrigation For Farms, K Cole

Bulletins 4000 -

The continued demand for, and use of trickle irrigation is proof of the inherent potential and performance of this form of irrigation.

Originally it was used in glasshouses and nurseries but it is now widely adapted to orchards, vegetable and other horticultural small crops and home gardens.

Although research is being actively pursued in the design and use of trickle irrigation it is now beyond the experimental stage as a technique and is an accepted and proven technique of watering many types of crop.

Bulletin No 3883 - Dairying In W.A., Western Australian Department Of Agriculture

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Western Australia has a small dairy industry compared with its other rural production. However, the industry has consolidated over recent years.

Tree clearing and pasture development on existing holdings and the amalgamation of small dairy farms has led to a rapid increase in the area of pasture per farm. The trend in Western Australia is towards bigger herds, more efficient dairies, more fodder conservation and increasing production per cow and per· hectare.

Land Systems Of The Brockman River Catchments, S. Porritt

Natural resources published reports

The survey was conducted to gain basic information about the agricultural land use of the Brockman River Catchment. The University of Western Australia Faculty of Agriculture was interested in the area as a compact, agriculturally diverse area close to Perth which was, therefore, suitable for filed studies. The Department of Agriculture, Moora Office was interested in this study as a framework within which to improve its extension services in the area.

Both parties cooperated in investigations of the area by providing data and equipment. Field work was carried out in summer 1973-74 and data compiled by an agricultural science student …

Bulletin No 3861 - Kimberley Research Station - Progress Report 1972, J. R. Mcalpine, R. H. Gunn, P. Jakobsen, R. Wetselaar, J. J. Basinski, N. J. Thomson, A. G. L. Wilson, D. H. Mackenzie, A. J. Millington, D. F. Beech, P. C. Owen, B. G. Williams, C. G. Blunt, A. Mcr Holm

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

The systematic investigations of the potential of the Ord area for irrigated farming began during the Second World War when the possibilities of damming the river were first examined, initial soil survey was carried out, and agricultural experiments started. The Kimberley Research Station was established on its present site in 1945. A year later the State and Commonwealth Governments agreed to finance and operate the Station jointly, with CSIRO and the Western Australian Department of Agriculture being responsible for research.

The construction of the main dam designed to store 5,675 million m" ( 4.6 million acre feet) was completed in …

Bulletin No 3609 - Land Development In The South Eastern Wheatbelt, G T. Halpin, P. Nelson

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Interest in the development of light lands in the south-eastern wheatbelt was spurred by the many ex-servicemen seeking farms after the 1939-45 World War.

Previous attempts to develop this area had been frustrated by poor crop yields, and by the poor carrying capacity of those volunteer pastures which developed on cleared land.

Research into reasons for the poor crop results was begun in 1948-49 with trials sown by Messrs Smith and Halpin between Borden and Lake Grace. The results clearly showed the important role played by copper and zinc in successful crop growth. Since then, field trials have been conducted …

Bulletin No 3547 - Kimberley Research Station - Progress Report 1968, Western Australian Department Of Agriculture

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Rivers flowing to the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Timor Sea have been estimated by hydrologists to carry about three times the water transported annually over the Murray drainage system and the South Eastern slopes which, together, comprise the highly settled agricultural areas of South Eastern Australia.

In 1945, the North Australian Development Committee recommended research in the Ord-Victoria rivers region as a first step toward ultimate agricultural development of this Northern potential and, in 1946, the Kim- berley Research Station commenced operations under the joint control of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and the Western Australian Department …

Fruit Growing In Western Australia, Western Australian Department Of Agriculture, Western Australian Tourist Development Authority

Horticulture published reports

Revised 1965.

The Mediterranean type climate of the coastal belt of the south-west of Western Australia is suitable for the commercial production of apples, pears, various stone fruits, oranges, grapes, and several other less important fruits. The warm dry summers (November-March), are too severe for the profitable production of many berry fruits and the winters too cool and wet for most tropical fruits. Figs, mulberries and olives all flourish in this climate but, for economic reasons, few are grown commercially.

A small tropical fruit industry, mainly bananas, has been established along the banks of the Gascoyne River at Carnarvon, which …

A History Of The War Service Land Settlement Scheme Western Australia, A, R. Barrett

Farm Systems and Economics published reports

In writing a history of the Western Australian War Service Land Settlement Scheme, it is pertinent to remark that land settlement projects have ever been difficult and, in fact, to date very few have been really successful. However, there has always been the necessity to accede to the desire of returning men to go on the land, also in States such as Western Australia there was and still is the need for further land development. Therefore, when the Commonwealth Government offered to provide the funds for servicemen's rehabilitation on the land the State gladly accepted and agreed to take responsibility …

Leaflet No 1003 - The Salt Problem In The Wheat Belt, G. H. Burvill

Bulletins 1 - 2999

IN the wheat belt of Western Australian bare patches in farm paddocks are often seen. Many are bare, or almost bare, because of too much salt in the soil. The excess of salt prevents the germination of seeds, or kills living plants, because it causes the water supply for germination or growth to be cut off. This salt problem is so serious in places that single farms or groups of farms have been ruined; wheat growing on them has become unprofitable.

Bulletin 115 - The Value Of Windmills For Pumping Water In Western Australia, A. H. Scott

Bulletins 1 - 2999

It is surprising to note the dearth of up-to-date reliable information dealing with actual results of modern windmills, under working conditions, though literature on thousands of other subjects less important can usually be obtained.

In this bulletin there is presented a complete and accurate record of the amount of water pumped daily by a windmill, under actual working conditions, for a period of 14 months.