Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Nitrogen Fertilisers And Cereals, M G. Mason

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

FEW aspects of cereal growing have received as much attention in the past 20 years as nitrogen fertilisers.

The recommendations and yield figures presented below are based on numerous trials in the agricultural areas of Western Australia.

Don't Crop Areas Liable To Waterlogging, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

The increasing areas of crops being sown in high rainfall districts make it likely that many crcp areas include sections liable to severe waterlogging.

This report presents results of a 1970 trial which clearly show that sowing such sections is not economic.

Calculation Of Nitrogen Rates For Quota Wheat, M L. Meaton

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

WHEAT delivery quotas well below previous production levels on many farms have created strong farmer interest in alternative land uses and economic production methods.

Fertilising Quota Wheat Crops, N J. Halse

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

BEFORE wheat quotas were introduced, a farmer had to make two major decisions on fertilisers for wheat crops each year—what area to crop; and how much fertiliser to use.

Field Peas : A Crop For The Cereal Growing Areas?, M L. Poole, H. M. Fisher

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

No abstract provided.

Sorghum Midge : Threat To Re-Cycle Cropping, D G. Shedley

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

SORGHUM midge is one of the most widespread and persistent pests of any crop, Under suitable conditions, the midge can halve the yield of grain sorghum crops.

Grow Barley For Malt Or Feed, G B. Crosbie, J. A. Parish

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

MALTING barley can be grown in certain areas receiving more than 13 inches annual rainfall, and farmers have to make a choice between growing barley for malt or feed in these areas.

Alternative Crops To Wheat : An Assessment, H M. Fisher

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

INTRODUCTION of wheat production quotas in 1969 promoted widespread interest in suitable alternative crops.

The only other crops grown on a significant scale in W.A. were barley and oats and farmers were quick to substitute these cereals in their cropping programmes.

Recommended Crop Varieties : 1972, H M. Fisher

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

RECOMMENDATIONS on crop varieties for 1972 continue to place emphasis on grain quality in relation to the requirements of overseas buyers. Gamenya, Falcon and Bokal wheats, Dampier and Beecher barleys, Swan oats and Kameniza linseed are the main varieties recommended.

How Profitable Are Herbicides For Weeds In Crops?, J W. Malcolm, G. A. Pearce

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

BEFORE spending money on chemical weed control in crops, a farmer needs to know how profitable the operation will be. He may also be influenced by other things such as the need for weed-free seed, but the most important consideration should be an increased cash return.

If a herbicide is used to control weeds in a crop, the extra yield achieved must be worth more than the cost of the herbicide and its application for the treatment to be profitable.

This article gives guidelines to help farmers estimate the likely profitability of herbicide treatments for quota and non-quota crops.

A Cheaper Herbicide For Wild Oats, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

A NEW herbicide, *NEOBAN, will reduce the cost of chemical for the control of wild oats in wheat and barley to $2.50 per acre.

Because of the cost of herbicides for wild oats during the past two years, the acreage treated has been declining steadily.

Farmers who thought that spending about $4 per acre was worth while will be delighted with Neoban.

The Economics Of Spray Seed, J W. Malcolm

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

THE "Spray Seed"* technique has many advantages over conventional cultivation methods of weed control. Some of these are matters of convenience, preference or opinion, and these cannot be measured in general economic terms.

However, most farmers are in the business to make money and as making money becomes harder they are more concerned with the extra money a new move is likely to earn for them.

Effects Of Ensiling On The Hcn Potential Of Sorghum Plants, Glenn Mccarty

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The effects of ensiling on HCN potential (HCN-p) of sorghum plants were studied at Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1969-70. Four cultivars were sampled at various growth stages and ensiled in 1.8 liter glass containers fitted with gas release valves. The plant material was analyzed for HCN-p by the sodium picrate procedure prior to ensiling, immediately after being removed from the silo, and after 24 and 48 hours of air-drying. Gases released during ensiling, and gases flushed from the silos were analyzed for HCN. The level of HCN-p decreased during the ensiling period and during the first 24-hour drying period. Some …

Reactions Of Pollen-Pistil Combinations In Vitro & Their Relationships To Compatibility In Alfalfa, Emerson Shipe

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Reactions of in vitro pollen-pistil combinations were studied and related to compatibility differences in Buffalo alfalfa Medicago sativa L.) at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green. Pollen-pistil combinations were made at random among a number of alfalfa plants in 1968 (Experiment I). Pollen tube elongation varied significantly when -4 pollen from the same plant was placed on agar media containing pistils from different plants. Three of four plants for which intra-plant combinations (pollen and pistils from same plants) were made 1,ad tube lengths significantly shorter than those measured for inter-plant combinations (pollen and pistils from different plants).

Similar in vitro pollen-pistil …

Rapeseed Production In Western Australia, M L. Poole

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

RAPESEED production began in Western Australia in 1968 when a few acres were grown. In 1969, about 20 growers ptanted small acreages for about 80 tons of seed. In 1970, up to 20,000 acres will be grown, and a total of 40,000 acres seems possible within the next few years.

Copper Requirements For The South-Eastern Wheatbelt, D J. Gilbey, K. D. Greathead, J. W. Gartrell

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

FARM experience and the results of five years intensive research have shown copper deficiency to be widespread in the south-eastern wheatbelt.

On many areas of the south-eastern wheatbelt, copper deficiency is likely to restrict wheat yields.

Influence Of Urea On The Fermentation Pattern & Nutritive Value Of Corn Silage, John Shirley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The effects of chemical additives on the fermentation pattern and subsequent feeding value of corn silage was investigated over a two year period. Corn plants harvested in August 1967 (Experiment I) were ensiled with no additive, 3.50 per cent area, or urea-mineral mix supplying an equal amount of urea. Those harvested in August 1968 (Experiment II) were ensiled with no additive, 0.50 per cent urea, or 0.75 per cent urea. The nutritive value of these silages was evaluated chemically and by lactation trials.

:he addition of urea alone, or in combination with minerals elevated the initial pH and buffered against …

The Outlook For Barley, P J. Hackett, E. J. O'Loughlin

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

World production of barley in 1968 was 4,107 million bushels—an increase of 7 per cent, on the previous year.

Further increases are estimated for the 1969 season, especially in Canada and France. World production is expected to be 3 per cent, higher than in 1968.

Weed Control Research Pays Dividends, G R W Meadly

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

On my bookshelf is a handbook entitled "War on Weeds" or "How to Double our Food Supply."

In many of these countries experiments have been made to ascertain as far as possible the exact damage done by weeds to crops.

Result: In all the experiments, whether made in England or abroad, the mean loss was over 50 per cent.

The level of loss is equally true today, but the methods at our disposal for handling weeds have improved tremendously.

Recommended Crop Varieties-1971/Vol11/Iss12, H M. Fisher

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

Cereal and linseed varieties recommended for 1971 should give the best returns to growers and benefit the industry in general, The main varieties are Gamenya, Bokal and Darkan wheats, Dampier and Beecher barleys, Swan oats and Kameniza linseed.

Lupins In Western Australia. 6. Future Prospects, John Sylvester Gladstones

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

PREVIOUS articles in the series have discussed available lupin varieties, their cultivation, and the feed value of the seeds and crop residues.

This final article for the series deals with future prospects for lupin varieties and markets, and how lupins might fit into Western Australian farming systems.

Growing Barley For Grain In Western Australia : Barley Quality, J A. Parish

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

Plumpness and absence of pinched grain are desirable for both malting and feed barley.

This is a brief discussion of various Quality standards in barley and how they may not be met.

Urea Drilled With Seed Affects Germination And Yield, M G. Mason, A. Loutit, J. A. C. Smith, D. Highman, P. Stallwood

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

Trials in 1968 at Burracoppin and York again showed it is safer to topdress urea just before seeding than to drill a mixture of seed and urea.

At all but the lowest urea rates, urea drilled with the seed reduced the number of plants emerging and surviving, and reduced final wheat yields.

Linseed : An Alternative Crop For The South Coast. 2. What Is The Future For Linseed?, R J. Doyle, R. J. Guyton

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

In a preceding article* we stated that the expansion of linseed in Western Australia was due primarily to the ability to sell on the export market at current ruling prices.

This is necessary because Australia's domestic needs are likely to be supplied in most years by Eastern States producers.

Recommended Crop Varieties, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

RESULTS of variety trials carried out in 1968 by the Department of Agriculture were considered by the State Wheat Advisory Committee and the State Coarse Grains Advisory Committee in making recommendations on leading varieties of wheat, oats and barley.

Details of the recommendations are set out below.

Recommendations on linseed varieties have been included in view of the growing significance of the industry and representations from farmers for consideration of this crop along with the cereals.

Nitrogen Fertiliser Survey, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE DECEMBER, 1968 issue of the "Journal of Agriculture" included, as part of an article on the economics of nitrogen fertiliser use, a lift-out section for farmers to complete and return to the Journal.

In the lift-out, farmers were asked to calculate their fertiliser costs and answer a series of questions about the use of nitrogen on their farms.

Simple Treatment Will Protect Farm-Stored Grain, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

WITH unusually large quantities of grain likely to be stored on farms this season, 1970 will be an important year for the control of pests in stored grain.

Infested grain from farms is responsible for almost all outbreaks of infestation in bulk storages, leading to costly treatment by the grain handling authority. Effective control on the farm would eliminate most of this.

Weed Control In Pastures : A Practical Approach For Sheep Areas, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

IN the past, chemical treatments for the control of weeds in pastures have been costly and severe on pasture, and have had to be repeated over a number of years. The method outlined in this article overcomes nearly all these disadvantages.

Costs Of Grain Storage On Farms, P J. Hackett

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

GRAIN storage on farms has been commonly practised for intensive livestock production, for feed reserves, for seed purposes, and more recently to store excess grain.

For most of these purposes permanent storage facilities are required.

Linseed : An Alternative Crop For The South Coast, R J. Doyle, R. J. Guyton

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

IN the over-17 inch rainfall zone of the south coast region of Western Australia animal production is the main farm enterprise.

Although farmers in the main cereal growing regions of W.A. crop about one-third of their cleared land each year, farmers in the south have been reluctant to crop more than about 12 per cent, of their cleared area.