Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

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.

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.

Linseed Variety Trials, 1963-64 Season, J T. Reeves

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

RESULTS of 1963-64 linseed variety trials are available for four trials on research stations and for four trials on farmers' properties.

These are shown in the table below. Excellent yields were obtained at some sites, while disappointing results were obtained at Chapman and Esperance.

Poor results at Esperance were due to the poor finish to the season.

Take-All Of Wheat On The Esperance Downs : The Ffect Of Nitrogenous Fertiliser, S C. Chambers

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

The number of wheat tillers affected by take-all was not influenced by the application of ammonium sulphate in an experiment at Esperance Downs Research Station.

However, its use stimulated tillering and increased yields by an estimated 7.4 bushels an acre.

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.

Recommended Barley Varieties : 1964, J L. Mcmullan

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

THE varieties Prior and Beecher are recommended for 1964 by the Coarse Grains Advisory Committee and the Department of Agriculture.

Recommended Oat Varieties, 1964, J L. Mcmullan

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

THE varieties Kent, Ballidu, Avon, Dale and Fulmark are recommended for sowing in 1964 by the Department of Agriculture and the Coarse Grains Advisory Committee.

Dry Season Rice Varieties For The Ord River Valley, A L. Chapman, P. J. Van Rijn

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

PREVIOUS experimental work at the Kimberley Research Station (Langfield 1961) showed that, in general, indica varieties of rice are best adapted for wet-season sowing and japonica varieties for dry-season sowing.

This article gives the results of three rice variety and time of planting experiments carried out at Kimberley Research Station in the I960, 1961, and 1962 dry seasons. The recommendation is to sow the variety Caloro during May.

Stem Rust Of Wheat, H L. Harvey

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

STEM RUST is one of the most serious diseases of wheat and is of world-wide importance.

Fortunately, widespread epidemics are rare in Western Australia because the general climatic conditions are usually unfavourable to the disease.

Nevertheless, localised outbreaks of stem rust are quite common on the Esperance Plains and around Geraldton where seasonal conditions are frequently mild and humid.

The 1963-64 Wheat Stem Rust Epidemic, J T. Reeves

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

Comments on the 1963 epidemic and the current situation regarding rust races and resistant varieties in Western Australia.

THE 1963-64 harvest included 12 million bushels of undergrade wheat, representing 25 per cent, of the total harvest.

The average yield was reduced to only 11.3 bushels per acre. Although these adverse effects were due to a number of causes, the principal one was stem rust.

The economic loss due to this disease in the 1963-64 harvest probably exceeded £10 million.

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.

The Red-Legged Earth Mite And The Lucerne Flea [Replaced By Farmnote 67/86], Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

THE red-legged earth mite and the lucerne flea are the two most important pasture pests of Western Australia.

They commonly retard the establishment of new pastures by causing serious damage to pasture legume seedlings and in some seasons can damage cereal crops.

This article describes the pests and gives current recommended control measures.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Take-All Of Wheat On The Esperance Downs : The Effect Of Multiple Cropping, S C. Chambers

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

A considerable increase in take-all occurred in the second crop of wheat following linseed, oats or vetches at the Esperance Downs Research Station.

THE take-all disease of wheat, caused by the fungus Ophiobolus graminis, has been responsible for many crop failures in the Esperance district during the past 15 years.

In an endeavour to find a practical solution to this problem, a crop rotation experiment was started in 1961 at the Esperance Downs Research Station.

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.

Phosphate Requirements Of Rice In The Ord River Valley, Rijn P J Van, A. L. Chapman

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

A three-year experiment on the initial and maintenance phosphate requirements of wet-season rice was carried out at Kimberley Research Station between 1960 and 1963.

Application of 2 cwt. per acre superphosphate as the first application on new land, followed by annual application of 1J cwt. per acre is recommended.

Pasmo Of Linseed And Flax, S C. Chambers

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

Pasmo is a foliage disease which may cause severe damage to plantings of linseed and flax approaching maturity.

The disease is favoured by warm humid conditions and is especially destructive when crops have lodged extensively as a result of storms.

The Webworm. 1. The Webworm In Its Natural Environment, J A. Button

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

MANY farmers are concerned about the apparent increase in webworm numbers in recent years.

It has been suggested that the problem is now more widespread and the outbreaks more regular than a few years ago.

The Webworm. 3. Ecology : A Report On Some Of The Factors Which Regulate Webworm Numbers In The Field, J A. Button

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

IN this section the webworm will be examined in its environment, and particular attention will be given to the more important factors which govern numbers and distribution of the insects.

Hints On Sampling Premium Wheat Crops, J A. Parish

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

EACH year much of the premium wheat received by millers is inferior in quality to the samples on which the premium bids are based. This often leads to reduction in the premium paid.

Cereal Products Adviser J. Parish, B.Sc. (Agric), describes how samples can overestimate the quality of a crop and suggests methods of taking samples which will give a true estimate of crop quality.

Wagin : A New Wheat Variety, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE name "Wagin" had been given to the wheat crossbred M.121, which was being released by the Department of Agriculture for sowing in 1964.

The Doublegee, G R W Meadly

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

DOUBLEGEE, like a number of other major weeds, is native to South Africa. It was introduced to Western Australia during the first years of settlement.

There is no more troublesome weed in Western Australia than doublegee. It competes strongly with crop and pasture and its spiny fruits penetrate the hoofs of stock, causing lameness.

Cereal Variety Trials, 1961-62, J T. Reeves

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

DURING the 1961-62 season cereal variety trials were sown at eight research stations in the medium and low rainfall areas of Western Australia.

Bare Patch And Poor Emergence Of Cereals. 4. Quality Of The Seed, S C. Chambers

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

The importance of using fresh good quality grain for sowing wheat crops was emphasised by results obtained in recent plot trials.

Seedling emergence was less for broken, pinched and small types of seed than for large grain and was further reduced with ageing of the seed.

Recommended Wheat Varieties : 1963, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE State Wheat Advisory Committee has issued its official list of recommended wheat varieties for 1963.

The list includes the new rust resistant variety Gamenya. Two other new varieties—Mengavi and Claymore—are provisionally recommended for trial sowings on farmers' properties.

Only Gamenya and Mengavi are resistant to the races of stem rust now present in this State.