Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

The F.A.Q. Standard For 1962-63, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE term f.a.q. refers to "fair average quality" as a standard for the sale of wheat -*- produced in Western Australia during any particular season.

The practice of using this standard developed after a standard sample of wheat grown in 1904 was obtained and declared to have a bushel weight of 62 lb.

Spraying For Grasshopper Control, T J. Tozer

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

A BIG increase in cereal growing in the "hopper" belt has brought a general improvement in the grasshopper situation over the past few years.

This highlights the emphasis entomologists have placed on cultivation as the best known way of controlling grasshoppers.

The Webworm. 4. Control Of The Webworm, J A. Button

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

EARLIER articles in this series have provided a broad oatline of the biology, life history and ecology of the webworm.

In this article chemical and cultural methods of control are considered in relation to this background information.

Recommended Wheat Varieties : 1964, 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 1964.

A Progress Report On Commercial Cotton Growing On The Ord River Project, William John Toms

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

The recommendations given in this article have been built up from the experience of the author in growing 200 acres of cotton in the Ord River area during the 1962-63 season for the Department of Agriculture, from findings made by Kimberley Research Station, and from discussions with the present farmers in the area.

When a new form of agriculture is introduced into a new area techniques and ideas change rapidly as farmers become acquainted with their new environment and the new crops. The recommendations will therefore require constant revision.

The 1964 Ord River Cotton Crop, G D. Oliver, A. W. Hogstrom

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

IN November-December, 1963, the first five farmers allocated land in the Ord River Irrigation Area planted their first crop of cotton, which is expected to be the major crop grown in the area.

The crop was harvested in May-June, 1964, and has since been sold.

Foliage Diseases Of Lucerne, S C. Chambers

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

Lucerne is subject to several foliage diseases in Western Australia, the more important being common leaf spot, rust and downy mildew.

These fungal diseases are all favoured by humid conditions and are especially prevalent in lucerne stands growing under irrigation.

Deep Sowing Of Wheat : The Effect On Root Systems, S C. Chambers

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

DEEP sowing appears to be an important cause of poor emergence in wheat and care should be taken to seed at the recommended depth of 1 to 1J inches.

Nevertheless some growers in drought liable areas, persist in sowing at 2 to 3 inches in the belief that it will encourage a deep root system.

Control Of Weeds In Processing Peas, J G. Paterson

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

GROWERS of processing peas face many problems not the least of which is the control of weeds.

Crops which are to be harvested for canning or freezing must be practically weed free if good returns are to be obtained.

A summary of the results of trials carried out in 1962 to test recent developments in the chemical war against weeds in crops of processing peas.

Wild Oats In Wheat, J G. Paterson

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

Trials with a new chemical suggest that economical control of wild oats in wheat is only possible in heavily infested crops.

I N recent years there has been a marked increase in the incidence of wild oats in the wheat areas of this State. Three factors have been responsible.

Septoria Leaf Blotch Of Oats, S C. Chambers

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

SEPTORIA leaf blotch is a relatively common disease of oats in the southern cereal areas of Western Australia.

In some seasons it causes severe lodging.

Take-All Of Wheat On The Esperance Downs, S C. Chambers

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

THE agricultural development of the Esperance Downs was reviewed recently by Shier, Dunne and Fitzpatrick (1963) who indicated the great potential of this region.

They described the establishment of clover ley pastures capable of supporting heavy stocking rates. Crops of oats or linseed also give excellent returns.

Weed-free rotations which include linseed, oats or vetches may reduce wheat losses caused by take-all on the Esperance Downs.

Iron Deficiency Of Oats In The Lower South West, Edgar Noel Fitzpatrick, R. Sprivulis

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

Oats grown on the acid peaty sands of the West and South Coastal areas of Western Australia develop iron deficiency.

This deficiency can be cured by spraying with iron sulphate. A 2 to 4 per cent, solution can be applied through a low volume spray without damage to the plants. The spray should be repeated when deficiency symptoms reappear.

Growing oats on these soils is not recommended.

Webworm And The Weather, J A. Button

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

FOR many years farmers have remarked on the cyclic occurrence of webworm outbreaks in their cereal crops.

Webworm, the State's most serious pest of cereals, has frequently assumed a role of major importance for one or two seasons, and then not been troublesome for a number of years.

A research programme being carried out by the Entomology Branch aims to give a better understanding of the effects of weather conditions on the seasonal incidence of webworm, and should lead to more effective control of this pest.

Irrigating Dry Season Crops In The Ord Valley : How To Prepare Land For Sowing, D F. Beech

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

THE best way to grow dry season crops of safflower, linseed and rapeseed under irrigation in the Ord Valley is by sowing on to broad flat ridges, separated by small furrows 3 ft. 6 in. apart.

This system of sowing is called the "corrugation" method.

Root Diseases In Wheat On Clover Ley : Factors Under Investigation. 1. The Role Of Oats After Ley, S C. Chambers

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

The role of oats in relation to root diseases of wheat was examined at four of the State Wheat Research Stations.

Several recognised pathogenic organisms were isolated in the course of the investigation, the most important being Ophiobolus graminis, which is the cause of "take-all."

Results suggest that one year under oats after clover ley is sufficient to reduce the incidence of take-all, except when seasonal conditions are extremely favourable to the disease.

In areas where take-all is a problem, wheat planted after a first crop of oats can sometimes give a higher yield than a first crop of wheat. …

Weed Problems In The Kimberleys, Rijn P J Van

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

AFTER fifteen years of irrigated agriculture, weeds have become a major problem at the Kimberley Research Station.

Since the Station is regarded as a type location for the potentially irrigable areas of the Ord River Valley, a similar problem is expected to arise when the surrounding areas have been under several years of commercial cropping.

An intensive study of weeds was therefore initiated at the Research Station in 1960.

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

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

THE oat variety trials on whose results the Department of Agriculture's recommendations are based are carried out each year on research stations in the medium and low rainfall areas.

Results of oat variety trials on Department of Agriculture Research Stations in the medium and low rainfall areas for the years 1957,1958,1959 and 1960

Clover Ley Farming In Western Australia : An Important Research Project, T C. Dunne

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

IT is an accepted fact that the pasture period developed as an alternative to cropping in areas where cereals are grown results in increased fertility and a potential for higher cereal crop yields.

Barley : Variety Trials 1954-1960 And Recommendations For 1962, J T. Reeves, J. L. Mcmullan

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

THE object of the barley variety trials carried out by the Department of Agriculture is to obtain yield and other information on new varieties or crossbreds produced in Australia or introduced from overseas.

Applying Copper And Zinc Fertilizers To Cereals, H M. Fisher

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

Most light soils with a sandy or gravelly surface are likely to need copper and zinc; heavier clay or loamy soils mostly do not.

Yellow Dwarf Disease Of Cereals, H L. Harvey

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

YELLOW dwarf, caused by the barley yellow dwarf virus (Oswald and Houston 1951) was recorded in this State for the first time last season.

There is reason to believe that this disease has been present for some years but in the past its symptoms have been confused with various environmental and nutritional disorders.

Successive Crops In A Clover Ley Rotation, H M. Fisher

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

Recent investigations suggest that cereal production on clover leys in the medium rainfall region can be increased by growing a succession of cereal crops after the pasture phase.

In most areas accumulated fertility after four to five years of clover pasture will support two, and in some cases three, high yielding cereal crops grown in succession.

Where root rot diseases are prevalent it is an advantage to sow oats as the initial crop.

The Effects Of Tillage Implements On Cereal Yields, H M. Fisher

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

Careful soil preparation is essential for cereal crops grown without fallow on clover ley land.

Crops give better yields where the land is broken up with a mouldboard or disc plough rather than a scarifier or similar machine.

The implements differ appreciably in their capacity to control weed growth and this is largely responsible for variations in cereal yields. "Takeall" disease is reduced by efficient weed control.

Downy Mildew Of Wheat, S C. Chambers

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

DOWNY MILDEW is caused by the fungus Sclerospora macrospora Sacc. and is almost solely confined to waterlogged areas in paddocks of heavy soil types.

Generally, the disease is most evident in crab-hole gimlet country.

Meadow Hay, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

rriHE nutritive value of pasture is high in early spring and remains so until early flowering.

After this the protein content falls rapidly, the fibre content rises and the plants become more lignifled and their digestibility reduced.

Root Diseases In Wheat On Clover Ley : Factors Under Investigation. 4. Seed Bed Preparation, S C. Chambers

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

The occurrence of root rots in wheat crops in relation to seed bed preparation was studied in a series of field experiments.

Results suggest depth of cultivation has little effect upon the incidence of root diseases.

Ploughing of the seed bed reduced the amount of root rot compared with scarifying and also gave higher yields.

However, the increased yield appears to be mainly due to better control of weeds.

Silage Competitions In The South-West : 1960-1961, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Review and results of the 1960-61 Australian Dairy Produce Board Silage Competition, and an outline of the 1961-62 Competition.

Frost Injury Of Wheat, S C. Chambers

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

Late spring frosts commonly reduce yields and affect the quality of grain in many wheat crops- especially throughout the southern, eastern and north-eastern districts.

The damage is usually localised on individual farms, but occasionally widespread damage occurs in the south of the State.

Wimmera Rye Grass : Major Pasture Grass Of The Cereal And Sheep Areas, H G. Cariss

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

MANY of the volunteer pasture species of the cereal and sheep areas seed profusely, persist well and produce useful early green feed.

Mostly, however, they produce poor quality herbage of low forage value, particularly during the spring and summer months.

The seeds of many species cause problems in stock husbandry and lower the value of wool.