Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Weed Control In Cereals : Aerial Spraying Trials, G R W Meadly

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

SPRAYING cereal crops for weed control is now standard farming practice in Western Australia. Almost 500,000 acres of cereal crops, mainly wheat, are sprayed each year, and approximately three-quarters of this area is treated by aircraft.

Recent trials have shown that aerial application of 'extra low" volumes of hormone-like herbicides, with oil or water solvents, does not damage cereals if spraying is done at the right stage of growth.

Bare Patch And Poor Emergence Of Cereals : Factors Under Investigation. 2. Depth Of Planting, S C. Chambers

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

DEPTH of planting appears to have an important influence upon the emergence of a cereal crop. Increasing the depth by one inch within the range 1-5 inches, not only depressed the emergence counts of wheat seedlings, but also increased the number which emerged abnormally.

Net Blotch Of Barley, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

NET Blotch is the commonest disease of barley in Western Australia, attacking all commercial varieties and causing considerable damage to foliage of maturing crops.

Despite its prevalence, net blotch is rarely the cause of a serious crop loss.

Recommended Wheat Varieties : 1962, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

AS a guide to farmers planting recommended wheat varieties, the Wheat and Sheep Division of the Department of Agriculture has produced a new map of the West Australian wheatbelt, showing where these varieties should be planted.

Spread Super For Cereal Crops, T E. Mcdowell, J. A. C. Smith, W. J. Toms, M. D. Carroll

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

THE use of bulk superphosphate broadcast direct on to the paddocks is a new method of reducing fertiliser costs.

But it has long been known that broadcasting phosphate is less efficient than drilling it in with the seed.

The experiment reported here was designed to demonstrate this point.

Wheat Quality, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

IN August, 1956, the Australian Agricultural Council agreed that, as a first step in the further examination of all aspects of the subject of wheat quality in Australia, a conference of all interested parties should be convened by the Department of Primary Industry.

Wheat Variety Trials On Research Stations, J T. Reeves, J. L. Mcmullan

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

THE results of wheat variety trials at seven Research Stations in the medium and low rainfall areas for the years 1957, 1958 and 1959 are presented and discussed.

The trials are designed to give information on yield and flour quality of promising crossbreds originating from local breeding programmes and newly produced varieties from other parts of Australia.

Large scale variety trials are the final tests in the long process of selection and testing which is essential before a new crossbred can be released.

The new wheats are compared with standard ones under different conditions of soil and climate.

Some Results With Nitrogen Fertiliser On Cereals At Esperance Plain Research Station, William John Toms

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

ON newly-cleared land at Esperance Plain Research Station the use of sulphate of ammonia on cereals has proved profitable over a number of seasons.

The response to sulphate of ammonia varies markedly with the season.

Diseases Recorded On Cereals, Grasses And Pasture Legumes In Western Australia, S C. Chambers

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

This list constitutes a revision of portion of the census published by Came (1925) and supplemented by the same author in 1927.

It also contains records of diseases identified in the period between these earlier publications and December 31, 1959.

The list is divided into two sections, the first dealing with pasture legumes and the second with cereals and grasses.

The sections are arranged alphabetically according to the botanical names of the host plants. In general, the viral, bacterial, fungal and nematodal diseases and physiological disorders are listed in that order.

Safflower : An Oil Crop For The Kimberleys, D F. Beech

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

EXPERIMENTS with irrigated safflower carried out at the Kimberley Research Station have shown that the crop is well adapted to the local conditions.

In recent years yields of 2,000 to 3,000 lb. per acre have been generally obtained. Oil content of the main variety under trial varied between 33 and 35 per cent.

Locally produced safflower oil could help to make the Australian paint industry largely independent of imports.

Safflower meal is a protein-rich concentrate and could have considerable impact on the Kimberley cattle industry.

Safflower is likely to play an important part in the early development of irrigation agriculture …

Tobacco Production In Western Australia, A E. Baker

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

THE annual consumption of manufactured tobacco in Australia is in the vicinity of 55,000,000 pounds.

Although the public is well acquainted with the use of tobacco for smoking, many people are unaware of the care and attention required to grow such a crop.

The following article attempts to outline the conditions and methods as applied to tobacco production in Western Australia.

The Development Of Western Australian Sand Plain Soils For Agriculture, Richard Philip Roberts, F. L. Shier

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

IN a recently published economic survey of the Australian wheat growing industry, it was reported that nearly two-thirds of the farms surveyed in Western Australia were located on lateritic "sand plain."

As a random selection was made of the eighty farms that were visited it is reasonable to conclude that a similar proportion of all the State's wheat producing farms are on that type of country.

This constitutes a remarkable change from the earlier days of wheat belt settlement when the sand plain soils were regarded as virtually useless and by-passed for development.

It is the purpose of this article …

Tobacco Seed-Bed Management, A E. Baker

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

A SUCCESSFUL tobacco crop depends initially on an ample supply of well-grown, disease-free seedlings available early in the planting season.

If planting is held up due to a poor supply of seedlings, the resulting crop will not be grown in the most favourable part of the season. Late-grown crops nearly always give low returns.

Insects And Mites Found Attacking Cereal Crops In Western Australia, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

ONE of the most important factors influencing Western Australian agriculture in the last 20 years has been the development of permanent pastures together with the associated practice of ley farming.

Although the increased use of pasture plants, and particularly subterranean clover, has increased the general fertility of many areas it has also accentuated various problems, including those relating to insect control.

Summer fallow was a strong deterrent to such pests as the red-legged earth mite, the lucerne flea, and webworm and these and several other creatures have shown a tendency to increase under new farming methods.

Kimberley Research Station : A Progress Report, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

INTEREST in the agricultural potential of the Kimberley region in Western Australia dates from its early exploration and settlement in the last century.

Several farming development schemes were considered for the area, but were never implemented.

This could be mainly attributable to lack of knowledge of agricultural potentialities, limitations of the local environment and ways of exploiting the local environment.

Up to the present the economy of the region is almost entirely based upon the extensive production of beef and to a lesser extent, wool.

Seed Storage In Relation To Germination, G R W Meadly

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

WE are often asked how long seed can be stored and remain suitable for sowing.

There is no single answer as the period depends on a number of factors, including the type of seed, its condition at the time of storing and the nature of the storage.

Scald Of Barley, S C. Chambers

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

SCALD is a common disease of barley during late winter-early spring and causes considerable damage to the foliage of many crops.

The fungus Rhynchosporium secalis is responsible for this disease which is very prevalent in all barley growing districts.

Weed Control In Cereals, G R W Meadly

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

WITH seeding almost completed, it is appropriate to review our knowledge of weed control methods in order to undertake any necessary planning.

Although cultural operations provide the first line of attack in the control of weeds in cereals, chemicals are playing a very important and increasing part.

The principles underlying cultural methods, including prevention from seeding and exhausting dormant seed reserves in the soil, are well known and it is intended to devote this article largely to the use of chemicals as herbicides, along with the various implications.

Commercial Vegetable Growing In The Perth Metropolitan Region, L T. Jones

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

MARKET gardening with sprinkler irrigation on deep sandy soils around Perth is really a commercial application of hydroponics or sand culture principles.

Provision of a continuous and adequate supply of nitrogen is the major problem. Peat swamps scattered among the sandy areas have higher natural fertility. However, their common problems are drainage, acidity ("sourness"), salt and various special soil deficiencies. Over-liming of acid swamps can cause new problems.

Control Of The Red-Legged Earth Mite And Lucerne Flea : Treatment Of Seed With Systemic Insecticides, M M H Wallace

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

THE red-legged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor (Tuck.), and the lucerne flea, Sminthurus viridis (L.), are at present controlled effectively, cheaply and safely by a combined DDT/malathion spray (Jenkins, 1956, 1957) and this continues to be the general recommendation for farmers.

However, this combination has some disadvantages. The DDT in the spray ensures some residual control of the earth mite but has the unfortunate property of toxicity to the bdellid mites which are useful predators of the lucerne flea.

The malathion in the spray assists the DDT to control the earth mite and provides a good, quick kill of the lucerne …

Some Factors Affecting The Baking Quality In Wheat, A R. Egan

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

ALTHOUGH between 10 per cent, and 15 per cent, of wheat consumed in Australia is used in feed for domestic animals, the primary usage in home consumption is for bread-making.

Exports, which account for roughly 75 per cent, of the normal Australian crop, are also mainly used in bread-making.

The Use Of Seed Inoculum For Subterranean Clover In The Jerramungup, Gairdner River Areas, William John Toms

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

IT is unlikely that benefits will be obtained from inoculating Dwalganup or Bacchus Marsh subterranean clover seed sown in the Jerramungup or Gairdner River districts other than on the fine sands of different geological origin (Miocene) occurring in some southern areas of the Gairdner River District.

Bulk Handling Of Superphosphate, H G. Cariss

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

A MAJOR factor in our agricultural production is the outlay for fertilisers, including the cost of their application to the land.

Any means which can be employed to reduce these costs are therefore of extreme importance to the State's agriculture.

The bulk-handling of fertilisers could be one way of reducing these costs to the farmer.

The Geraldton Strain Of Subterranean Clover, A J. Millington

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

THE cereal-growing areas of Western Australia form a narrow triangle extending about 700 miles from north to south, gradually increasing in width towards the south to about 150 miles.

Granular Fertiliser, C R. Hale

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

There is general agreement that granulation of fertilisers improves their physical characteristics with respect to handling, storage and distribution in the field. These physical advantages rather tan any established agronomic reason appear to be responsible for the increasing use of granular fertiliser.

New Cereal Varieties In Australia, I Thomas, J Reeves

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

During 1952 four new wheat varieties and one new flax variety were submitted and accepted for registration. Particulars of the new varieties as supplied to the Registrar are as follows:—

Wheat Variety Trials On Research Stations, 1952, I Thomas, J Reeves

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

To test the suitability under local conditions of the newer wheat varieties, whether bred in this State or introduced from the Eastern States, variety trials are conducted each year on five wheatbelt research stations. The results of these trials indicate the varieties most suitable to the various areas of the wheatbelt and serve as a guide to the farmer in the choice of the most suitable varieties to grow.

Analyses Of Feeding Stuffs

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Results of Analyses of Samples of Feeding Stuffs taken under the Feeding Stuffs Act, 1928-1951.

(Published under section 9 of the Act.)

Pedigree Seed Of Wheat, Oats And Barley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Supplies of pedigree seed wheat, oats and barley will be available for distribution from the forthcoming harvest at the Department's Research Stations. The seed will be available on a cash basis only. Varieties available this season are listed below.

Barrel Clover, F L. Shier

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Results obtained with barrel clover in recent years at the Salmon Gums Re- Al search Station suggest that this legume will play an important part in improving the quality and quantity of the grazing on many farms in the district. It has shown its ability to survive and to build up from small sowings under average rainfall conditions and to produce a large bulk of feed in a wet year By comparison Dwalganup subterranean clover has not done nearly as well.