Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

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.

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.

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.