Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

2021 Western Australian Crop Sowing Guide, Brenda Shackley, Blakely Paynter, Jackie Bucat, Georgina Troup, Mark Seymour, Andrew Blake

Bulletins 4000 -

This edition of the 2021 Crop Sowing Guide includes the major crops grown in WA - wheat, barley, canola, oat, lupins and pulses. The publication aims to provide information to support growers with decisions on the best choice of variety for each of the major crops for the upcoming season. The lupin and pulse sections also include an agronomy guide summary to support management decisions required for these high-valued crops. Market feedback for barley has been provided by GIWA to help with the decision on what to grow.

Frost Identification Guide For Cereals, Ben Biddulph, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Frost damage reduces crop yield and grain quality. Early identification of symptoms allows timely crop salvage decisions to be made.

Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme Annual Report 2019/2020, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) has been operating since 2010 to address biosecurity threats relevant to Western Australia’s (WA) grains, seeds and hay industry. The Scheme was established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable growers to identify the pest and disease priorities at a whole-of-industry level and raise funds for activities to address these priorities.

There are currently three Industry Funding Schemes in operation. In addition to the Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS, there is a Cattle IFS and a Sheep and Goat IFS. The three IFSs operate in a similar manner. …

Slow Movement Of Alkali From Surface-Applied Lime Warrants The Introduction Of Strategic Tillage For Rapid Amelioration Of Subsurface Acidity In South-Western Australia, Gaus Azam, Chris Gazey

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Conventional surface-application of agricultural lime takes many years to increase pH deeper in the soil profile, which is a barrier to increased adoption of liming. We conducted a series of experiments to measure the rate of vertical movement of alkali and identify the factors that determine this movement into the subsurface, to evaluate the feasibility of ameliorating acidic subsurface soil using residual (undissolved) lime (CaCO3) at Wongan Hills (30.85°S, 116.74°E) and Merredin (31.48°S, 118.21°E) and to test whether deep tillage and lime incorporation can significantly speed up the amelioration of subsurface soil acidity at Kalannie (30.42°S, 117.29°E). Multiple applications of …

Short And Long Term Effects Of Lime And Gypsum Applications On Acid Soils In A Water-Limited Environment: 1. Grain Yield Response And Nutrient Concentration, Geoff Anderson, Shahab Pathan, James Easton, David Hall, Rajesh Sharma

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Surface (0–10 cm) and subsoil (soil layers below 10 cm) acidity and resulting aluminum (Al) toxicity reduce crop grain yields. In South Western Australia (SWA), these constraints affect 14.2 million hectares or 53% of the agricultural area. Both lime (L, CaCO3) and gypsum (G, CaSO4) application can decrease the toxic effect of Al, leading to an increase in crop grain yields. Within the region, it is unclear if G alone or the combined use of L and G has a role in alleviating soil acidity in SWA, due to low sulfate S (SO4–S) sorption properties of the soil. We present …

Plant Diseases Impacting Oaten Hay Production In Australia - A Review, Kylie Chambers, Geoff J. Thomas

Bulletins 4000 -

In Australia, there are a range of fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens that infect oats, impacting on yield and quality of grain and hay crops. The overall impact of these diseases on oaten hay production is not well researched or understood, especially compared to that of other cereal crops. Export hay is evaluated on physical qualities such as stem thickness and greenness and nutritional qualities including water-soluble carbohydrates, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and dry matter digestibility. The colour/ greenness of oaten hay can be reduced by disease lesions, chlorosis and saphrophytic fungi growing on dead tissue all of …

The First Genetic Map For A Psoraleoid Legume (Bituminaria Bituminosa) Reveals Highly Conserved Synteny With Phaseoloid Legumes, Matthew N. Nelson, Jafar S. Jabbari, Rust Turakulov, Aneeta Pradhan, Maria Pazos-Navarro, Jacob S. Stai, Steven B. Cannon, D. Real

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

We present the first genetic map of tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) C.H. Stirton), a drought-tolerant forage legume from the Canary Islands with useful pharmaceutical properties. It is also the first genetic map for any species in the tribe Psoraleeae (Fabaceae). The map comprises 2042 genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) markers distributed across 10 linkage groups, consistent with the haploid chromosome count for this species (n = 10). Sequence tags from the markers were used to find homologous matches in the genome sequences of the closely related species in the Phaseoleae tribe: soybean, common bean, and cowpea. No tedera linkage groups align in their …

Noodles Made From High Amylose Wheat Flour Attenuate Postprandial Glycaemia In Healthy Adults, Kim Ang, Carla Bourgy, Haelee Fenton, Ahmed Regina, Marcus Newberry, Dean A. Diepeveen, Domenico Lafiandra, Sara Grafenauer, Wendy Hunt, Vicky Solah

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Previous research has not considered the effect of high amylose wheat noodles on postprandial glycaemia. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of consumption of high amylose noodles on postprandial glycaemia over 2-h periods by monitoring changes in blood glucose concentration and calculating the total area under the blood glucose concentration curve. Twelve healthy young adults were recruited to a repeated measure randomised, single-blinded crossover trial to compare the effect of consuming noodles (180 g) containing 15%, 20% and 45% amylose on postprandial glycaemia. Fasting blood glucose concentrations were taken via finger-prick blood samples. Postprandial blood glucose …

Tactical Crop Management For Improved Productivity In Winter-Dominant Rainfall Regions: A Review, W K. Anderson, Ross Brennan, Kithsiri W. Jayasena, Svetlana Micic, John H. Moore, T Nordblom

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

This study reviews published information on the tactical management decisions needed to maximise economic grain yield in winter-dominant rainfall regions of the Mediterranean type. Tactical decisions are defined as those relating to the period from immediately before sowing to harvest. Tactical management is the principal means by which farmers respond to changing environmental and short-term economic conditions as the season progresses. The review considers published evidence that underpins these decisions and relates to cereal crops (wheat, barley and oats), pulse crops (field pea, faba bean, chickpea and narrow-leaved lupin) and canola.

The criteria used to guide management decisions during the …

Grazing Crops For Extra Winter Feed In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Grazing crops can dramatically increase feed availability in early winter and help avoid the effects of frost and disease. Early sown crops can provide winter feed with little or no penalty to crop yield.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides this information to help managers of mixed farming enterprises.

Skeleton Weed Program Review - A Review Undertaken For The Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme Management Committee 2020, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

This review was undertaken in two stages. Stage 1 reviewed the Skeleton Weed Program and the global situation on skeleton weed. Stage 2 involved targeted stakeholder consultation to build on the information identified through Stage 1 and identify perceptions and attitudes amongst the Western Australian grain/seed/hay industry with regard to the Skeleton Weed Program (the program). The results of these two processes were used to formulate the key findings and recommendations by the Review Panel to assist the Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) Management Committee in its decision-making.

Profitable Break Crops For Management Of Root Lesion Nematodes And Rhizoctonia Solani Ag8, Bec Swift, Alice Butler, Sarah Collins, Carla Wilkinson, Sean Kelly, Daniel Huberli, Vanessa Stewart, Jeremy Lemon, Paul Mattingley, Angelo Loi, Mario F. D'Antuono, Garren Knell

Biosecurity research reports

Aim

To investigate the most effective and profitable break crops in rotation with cereals (wheat) for growers with RLN and R. solani in the same paddock, a two-year (2018 & 2019) break-crop rotation trial was implemented in Dumbleyung and Grass Valley.

Key Messages

• Canola is not a break crop in paddocks if root lesion nematodes (RLN) and Rhizoctonia solani are both present
• Weed free legumes, pulses and pastures are the best options where RLN and R. solani co-exist in a paddock
• Cereals substantially increase RLN and R. solani levels while canola will also increase RLN

2020 Western Australian Crop Sowing Guide, Brenda Shackley

Bulletins 4000 -

This edition of the 2020 Crop Sowing Guide includes the major crops grown in WA - wheat, barley, canola, oat and now a new section on lupin and pulses. The publication aims to provide information to support growers with decisions on the best choice of variety for each of the major crops for the upcoming season. The lupin and pulse sections also include an agronomy guide summary to support management decisions required for these high-valued crops.

Analysis Of Mutations In West Australian Populations Of Blumeria Graminis F. Sp. Hordei Cyp51 Conferring Resistance To Dmi Fungicides, Madeline A. Tucker, Francisco J. Lopez-Ruiz, Hans J. Cools, Jonathon G L Mullins, Kithsiri W. Jayasena, Richard P. Oliver

Biosecurity Research Articles

BACKGROUND

Powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei (Bgh) is a constant threat to barley production but is generally well controlled through combinations of host genetics and fungicides. An epidemic of barley powdery mildew was observed from 2007 to 2013 in the West Australian grain belt.

RESULTS

We collected isolates across Australia, examined their sensitivity to demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides and sequenced the Cyp51B target gene. Five amino acid substitutions were found, of which four were novel. The most resistant haplotypes increased in prevalence from 0% in 2009 to 16% in 2010 and 90% in 2011. …

Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme Annual Report 2018/2019, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) has been operating since 2010 to address biosecurity threats relevant to Western Australia’s (WA) grains, seeds and hay industry. The Scheme was established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable growers to identify the pest and disease priorities at a whole-of-industry level and raise funds for activities to address these priorities.

There are currently three Industry Funding Schemes in operation. In addition to the Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS, there is a Cattle IFS and a Sheep and Goat IFS. The three IFSs operate in a similar manner. …

Bedstraw Eradication Program: Annual Report To Grain Growers 2018/2019, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Management Committee (GSHIMC) believes the current program is delivering the best value for the funding provided and is achieving the project outcomes of containment and eradication.

Approved programs are developed annually for each infested property in consultation with GSHIMC, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the landholders detailing management actions, estimated costs and timeframes of the agreed actions.

The two infested properties have now entered the final Release Phase of a nine-year eradication program. The program is implemented by DPIRD and includes six consecutive years of winter spray treatments, followed …

Frost Identification Guide For Canola And Pulses, Ben Biddulph, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Frost damage reduces crop yield and grain quality. Early identification of symptoms allows timely crop salvage decisions to be made.

Application Of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification In An Early Warning System For Epidemics Of An Externally Sourced Plant Virus, Benjamin S. Congdon, Paul Matson, Farhana Begum, Monica Kehoe, Brenda A. Coutts

Biosecurity Research Articles

Restricting Turnip yellows virus (TuYV) spread in canola (Brassica napus) crops often relies upon the application of systemic insecticides to protect young vulnerable plants from wide-scale green-peach aphid (GPA; Myzus persicae) colonization and subsequent virus infection. For these to be applied at the optimal time to ensure they prevent epidemics, growers would need to be forewarned of incoming viruliferous aphid migration and colonization. This study was conducted to field validate a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) protocol designed to detect TuYV in aphids caught on traps and develop an early warning system for TuYV epidemics. Double-sided yellow sticky traps were deployed …

Environmental Adaptation Of Leucaena In Western Australia – Challenges And Opportunities, Clinton K. Revell Dr, Geoff A. Moore Mr, Daniel Real, Sam Crouch

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

There is considerable interest from Western Australian (WA) pastoralists on the potential role of leucaena(Leucaena leucocephala) in northern WA, where the potential area for dryland production of species of the genus Leucaenais high. Although it is highly regarded for animal production in other countries and in Queensland, leucaena is a contentious species since its status as an environmental weed currently precludes it from use on pastoral leases in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of WA. Development of sterile/seedless forms would overcome risks of spread of the species as a weed. The key environmental constraints to growth of leucaena are likely …

Hybridisation-Based Target Enrichment Of Phenology Genes To Dissect The Genetic Basis Of Yield And Adaptation In Barley, Camilla Beate Hill, Tefera Angessa, Lee-Anne Mcfawn, Debbie Wong, Josquin Tibbits, Xiao-Qi Zhang, Kerrie Forrest, David Moody, Paul Telfer, Sharon Westcott, Dean A. Diepeveen, Yanhao Xu, Cong Tan, Matthew Hayden, Chengdao Li

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major cereal grain widely used for livestock feed, brewing malts and human food. Grain yield is the most important breeding target for genetic improvement and largely depends on optimal timing of flowering. Little is known about the allelic diversity of genes that underlie flowering time in domesticated barley, the genetic changes that have occurred during breeding, and their impact on yield and adaptation. Here, we report a comprehensive genomic assessment of a worldwide collection of 895 barley accessions based on the targeted resequencing of phenology genes. A versatile target-capture method was used to …

Nam Gene Allelic Composition And Its Relation To Grain-Filling Duration And Nitrogen Utilisation Efficiency Of Australian Wheat, Zaid Alhabbar, Rongchang Yang, Angela Juhasz, Xin Hu, Maoyun She, Masood Anwar, Nigarin Sultana, Dean Diepeveen, Wujun Ma, Shahidul Islam

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Optimising nitrogen fertiliser management in combination with using high nitrogen efficient wheat cultivars is the most effective strategy to maximise productivity in a cost-efficient manner. The present study was designed to investigate the associations between nitrogen utilisation efficiency (NUtE) and the allelic composition of the NAM genes in Australian wheat cultivars. As results, the non-functional NAM-B1 allele was more responsive to the nitrogen levels and increased NUtE significantly, leading to a higher grain yield but reduced grain protein content. Nitrogen application at different developmental stages (mid-tillering, booting, and flowering) did not show significant differences in grain yield and protein content. …

Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme Annual Report 2017/2018, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) has been operating since 2010 to address biosecurity threats relevant to Western Australia’s (WA) grains, seeds and hay industry. The Scheme was established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable growers to identify the pest and disease priorities at a whole-of-industry level and raise funds for activities to address these priorities.

There are currently three Industry Funding Schemes in operation. In addition to the Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS, there is a Cattle IFS and a Sheep and Goat IFS. The three IFSs operate in a similar manner. …

Wheat Grain Protein Accumulation And Polymerization Mechanisms Driven By Nitrogen Fertilization, Zitong Yu, Shahidul Islam, Maoyun She, Dean Diepeveen, Yujuan Zhang, Guixiang Tang, Jingjuan Zhang, Angela Juhasz, Rongchang Yang, Wujun Ma

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

In wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain yield and grain protein content are negatively correlated, making the simultaneous increase of the two traits challenging. Apart from genetic approaches, modification of nitrogen fertilization offers a feasible option to achieve this aim. In this study, a range of traits related to nitrogen-use efficiency in six Australian bread wheat varieties were investigated under different nitrogen treatments using 3-year multisite field trials. Changes in the individual storage protein composition were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography. Our results indicated that wheat grain yield and grain protein content reacted similarly to nitrogen availability, with grain yield …

Canola Agronomy Research In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia, Jackie Bucat, Andrew Blake

Bulletins 4000 -

The Tactical Break Crop Agronomy Project and the Achieving Stable and High Canola Yield Across the Rainfall Zones of WA Project were initiatives originating from a Western Panel Spring Tour of the low rainfall zone. The panel was focussed on investing in research and development to support the expansion of canola into low-medium rainfall zones where it could be incorporated into short-phase cropping systems. The importance of managing nitrogen application in soil with declining organic matter as farms moved from a long pasture phase system was paramount. Furthermore, understanding the management changes required to transition from OP to hybrid canola …

2019 Barley Variety Sowing Guide For Western Australia, Blakely Paynter, Georgia Trainor, Jeremy Curry

Bulletins 4000 -

This bulletin is designed as a reference to help determine which barley variety to grow in your region. It provides market feedback, relative grain yield and grain quality comparisons, disease ratings, agronomic information and herbicide tolerance ratings for all malt barley varieties segregated in Western Australia (WA), those in Stage 2 of malt accreditation with Barley Australia and selected feed varieties (Tables 1 to 11; Figures 1 to 16).

The decision whether to grow barley with a malt or feed classification depends on five main factors:

(1) Premium paid for different varieties when segregated.

(2) Relative grain yield of malt …

Mapping Of Novel Salt Tolerance Qtl In An Excalibur × Kukri Doubled Haploid Wheat Population, Muhammad A. Asif, Rhiannon K. Schilling, Joanne Tilbrook, Chris Brien, Kate Dowling, Huwaida Rabie, Laura Short, Christine Trittermann, Alexandre Garcia, Edward G. Barrett-Lennard, Bettina Berger, Diane E. Mather, Matther Gilliham, Delphine Fleury, Mark Tester, Stuart J. Roy, Allison S. Pearson

Agriculture Research Articles

Soil salinity is a major limitation to cereal production. Breeding new salt-tolerant cultivars has the potential to improve cereal crop yields. In this study, a doubled haploid bread wheat mapping population, derived from the bi-parental cross of Excalibur × Kukri, was grown in a glasshouse under control and salinity treatments and evaluated using high-throughput non-destructive imaging technology. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of this population detected multiple QTL under salt and control treatments. Of these, six QTL were detected in the salt treatment including one for maintenance of shoot growth under salinity (QG(1–5).asl-7A), one for leaf Na+ exclusion (QNa.asl-7A) and …

Skeleton Weed Program: Annual Report To Grain Growers 2017/2018, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Management Committee (GSHIMC) believes the current program is delivering the best value for the funding provided and is achieving the Project Outcomes of eradication (where possible), management (on infested sites), and limiting the spread of Skeleton weed across the cereal growing districts.

There has been a significant increase in the infested area of Skeleton weed in 2017/18. Most of this increase was in the eastern zone where wet conditions favoured Skeleton weed in late 2017.

Many landholders in these areas also had difficulty achieving “long term” control over summer and infested areas needed monitoring …

Bedstraw Eradication Program: Annual Report To Grain Growers 2017/2018, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Management Committee (GSHIMC) believes the current program is delivering the best value for the funding provided and is achieving the project outcomes of containment and eradication.

Approved programs are developed annually for each infested property in consultation with GSHIMC, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the landholders detailing management actions, estimated costs and timeframes of the agreed actions.

The two infested properties have now entered the final Release Phase of a nine year eradication program. The program is implemented by DPIRD and includes six consecutive years of winter spray treatments, …

2018 Barley Variety Fact Sheets For Western Australia, Blakely Paynter, Georgia Trainor, Raj Malik, Jeremy Curry, Sanjiv Gupta, Sarah Collins, Daniel Huberli, Harmohinder Dhammu, Geoff Thomas, Ben Biddulph

Bulletins 4000 -

This bulletin is designed as a reference to help determine which barley variety to grow in your region. It provides market feedback, relative grain yield comparisons, disease ratings, agronomic information and herbicide tolerance ratings for all malt barley varieties segregated in Western Australia (WA) and selected feed varieties.

The decision whether to grow barley with a malt or feed classification depends on five main factors:

(1) Premium paid for different varieties when segregated.

(2) Relative grain yield of malt and feed grade barley varieties.

(3) Differences in input costs due to their agronomic and disease characteristics.

(4) Likelihood that grain …

Impact Of Mid-Season Sulphur Deficiency On Wheat Nitrogen Metabolism And Biosynthesis Of Grain Protein, Zitong Yu, Angela Juhasz, Shahidul Islam, Dean Diepeveen, Jingjuan Zhang, Penghao Wang, Wujun Ma

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) quality is mainly determined by grain storage protein compositions. Sulphur availability is essential for the biosynthesis of the main wheat storage proteins. In this study, the impact of different sulphur fertilizer regimes on a range of agronomically important traits and associated gene networks was studied. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyse the protein compositions of grains grown under four different sulphur treatments. Results revealed that sulphur supplementation had a significant effect on grain yield, harvest index, and storage protein compositions. Consequently, two comparative sulphur fertilizer treatments (0 and 30 kg ha−1 sulphur, with 50 …