Other Plant Sciences Commons^™

Kikuyu (Cenchrus Clandestinus) For Dryland Salinity Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Kikuyu (Cenchrus clandestinus) is a subtropical, perennial C4 grass that is widely used as a pasture and turf.

It has some salinity tolerance, and moderate waterlogging tolerance. Kikuyu is commonly established from seed and can also be grown from vegetative plantings, unlike marine couch, saltwater couch and Distichlis (vegetative only).

We recommend that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.

Samphires (Tecticornia Species) For Dryland Salinity Management In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Samphire is the common name for native plants from the genus Tecticornia (synonym Halosarcia). Although slower growing than saltbush and bluebush species, samphires have higher tolerance to saline conditions and waterlogging, and are common in waterlogged saline areas of south-west Western Australia.

Samphire is not a desirable grazing species.

Pasture Legumes And Grasses For Saline Land In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

The productivity of saline and waterlogged land can be markedly increased by using salt tolerant legumes and grasses, in mixtures. The mix is particularly important for increasing the productivity and profitability of saltbush-based pastures. The information is relevant to the south-west agricultural region of Western Australia.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides this information on the tolerance and establishment of salt tolerant legumes and grasses to improve the productivity and profitability of saline land.

Saltbushes For Dryland Salinity Management In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Saltland pastures always have a range of plant species, even in dense saltbush plantations. Saltbush will often change the watertable and surface soil characteristics enough for other plants to colonise. The understorey plants are often the most productive component of saltbush pastures.

This page provides information about each of the saltbushes that can be used in these mixed salt-tolerant pastures.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that saltland management is part of a whole farm – or preferable whole catchment – plan.

Tall Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum Ponticum) For Dryland Salinity Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum) has been widely planted in Western Australia on saline land in the southern agricultural areas, on land that shows signs of salt and is not permanently waterlogged.

The information provided here assumes that tall wheatgrass is being grazed effectively by livestock.

Production Of Premium Waxflowers, Kevin Seaton, Nikki Poulish

Bulletins 4000 -

The cut flower trade is a highly competitive global market. Waxflowers are grown around the world—often in countries with lower cost structures or closer proximity to our main markets. Western Australian producers can only compete if their product stands out from the crowd in terms of quality, presentation and uniqueness, however, it still has to represent good value for money.

Guidelines For Management Of Farmland Adjacent To The Busselton Wetlands, William Oldfield, Department Of Conservation And Land Management, Department Of Planning And Infrastructure

Bulletins 4000 -

The Busselton Wetlands are a chain of wetlands that lie parallel with the coastline of Geographe Bay, Western Australia and in close proximity to the town of Busselton. The main issues for the maintenance of quality of the wetlands are nutrient levels and habitat value. This guide outlines many of the current best practices related to farming around wetlands.

The Chickpea Book : A Technical Guide To Chickpea Production, Stephen Loss, Neil Brandon, K H M. Siddique

Bulletins 4000 -

The area of chickpea production in Australia has expanded rapidly in recent years especially in south-western Australia. This has been partly brought about by the keen interest of farmers and a concerted research effort and industry development by Agriculture Western Australia, The Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) and other institutions, in partnership with the Grains Research and Development Corporation and other industry funding bodies. Private consultants, grain traders and other industry groups have also contributed to the expansion of the industry.

Much of the local knowledge generated by these research and development projects has been published in various …

Legume Logic Number 92

Legume Logic

Contents

Stubble trouble?

Field Peas

Reminders

Lupin conference

Weed control in chickpea crops

Legume Logic Number 91

Legume Logic

Contents

Mice damage

CMV alert

Anthracnose prevention

Wodjil lupins

Chickpeas

Legume Logic Number 90

Legume Logic

Contents

A wider perspective

Seed or feed in the silo?

Pulse receivals (CBH 30/1/98)

Order inoculants now

Pulse market outlook

Albus proposals

Anthracnose seed test

Lupinus logicus vale

Grain pool outlook meetings

The Use Of Red Mud/Gypsum To Reduce Water Pollution From Sandy Soils Used For Vegetable Production, Ian Mcpharlin, W. J. Robertson, R. C. Jeffery

Research Reports

An important domestic and export vegetable industry is located on the sands of the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP) in Western Australia. The total value of the vegetable industry on the SCP was estimated at $90M in 1996/7 or about 50% of the total value of the industry. This vegetable production has been located on good quality sands such as the Spearwood and yellow Karrakatta sands, close to the coast, since the 1950s. However in recent years competition for this land for urban and industrial use has forced vegetable production onto soils with poorer water and phosphorus retention capacity such as …

Promising Pasture Plants From Overseas, John Lawson

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

Farmers from Northampton to Albany were among the 00 visitors to a spring field day at Agriculture Western Austrslis's Medina Research Station, where they saw a collection of promising new and different pasture legumes. These were the products of a highly succesful selection and breeding program based mainly on material collected overseas.

John Lawson highlights the overseas collection aspects of an exciting and rewarding program.

Options For Pest Management In Pastures, Phil Michael, Mike Grimm, Mike Hyder, Peter Doyle

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

Redlegged eath mit, blue oat ite, lucern flea and aphids damage pastures across southern Australia, and it has been estimated that they cause annual losses to the Australian wool industry alone of over $200 million.

Redlegged earth mite is without doubt the most serious of the four pests. Peter DoPhil Michael, Mike Grimm, Mike Hyder and Peter Doyle discuss intergrated management options to control these pests.

Registered Cultivars Of Subterranean Clover : Their Characteristics, Origin And Identification, W. J. Collins, Phil G. Nichols, M J. Barbetti, Co-Operative Research Centre For Legumes In Mediterranean Agriculture (Australia)

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin updates Bulletin No. 4083, which was written in 1984. Since tat time 11 new subterranean clover cultivars have been released, making a total of 33. This Bulletin is largely applicable across all subterranean clover areas of Australia. However specific mention is made in the text to applications in Western Australia.

Value Of Saltbush Questioned, Brian Warren, Tess Casson, Ed Barrett-Lennard

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

Over the last 20 years the Department of Agriculture has focused on finding plant species that can grow on salt/and to produce sheep feed, and on techniques for establishing plantations of saltbushes. Some research has been in response to farmer reports of success in using revegetated salt/and to provide autumn forage, while other work has resulted from the apparent importance of saltbushes in rangeland areas.

Objective measurements of wool production have been taken only recently. Three years research at Katanning indicates that while saltbush material is selected and eaten by sheep, its value for wool production is not high. It …

Nature Conservation In The Western Australian Wheatbelt, Max Abensperg-Traun

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

Growing concern about the survival of flora and fauna in the Western Australian wheatbelt prompted CSIRO scientists to start a long-term study to moniter trends in populations. Max Abensperg-Traun and his colleagues reportt on their findings so far.

Other On-Station Activities For Wool Pastoralists, Mark Stevens

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

The impact of low wool prices has been most severe on specialist wool growers who have little scope for diversification, particularly those in the pastoral area.

Although there are limited opportunities for new enterprises on all pastoral stations, individual pastoralists are examining other on-station activities to determine which ones might be suitable. In doing so, they are evaluating:

• location (proximity to a major highway or population centre);

• natural attractions (coast, gorges, river, wildflowers);

• natural resources (native fauna and flora); and

• water supply (quantity and reliability of good quality water).

Diversification In The Woolbelt, John Allen

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

The productivity and diversification initiative for wool growers incorporates two leves of diversification.

Greatest emphasis is placed on industry wide increases in cropping intensity and in the range of crop types grown.

The second level involves non-traditional, alternative enterprises, each offering prospects for expansion of a limited number of wool growing businesses, suited to particular parts of the woolbelt.

The alternative enterprises include floriculture, aquaculture, export hay, farm tourism, commercial timber, horticulture and new animal industries.

How Sustainable Is Grazing Sheep On Annual Pastures In The Woolbelt?, Don Mcfarlane, Richard George

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

Low wool prices have reduced the profitability of producing wool from clover-based annual pastures in the south-western woo/belt. The heavy reliance on one commodity is economically unsustainable for many farmers. But we should also consider how ecologically sustainable the practice is.

Shallow-rooted annual pastures contribute to widespread salinity in the area, annual legumes are acidifying the soils and making them water repellent, and bare, detached soils from heavy grazing cause sheet and rill erosion during autumn storms. In addition, stock are degrading remnant vegetation and destroying the soil's structure.

To counteract this degradation, the woo/belt needs more perennial pastures and …

Virus Diseases Of Subterranean Clover Pastures And Their Management, David Ferris, Roger Jones

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

In Western Australia and southern Australia generally, subterranean clover mottle (SCMV) and bean yellow mosaic (BYMV) are the most damaging virus diseases of subterranean clover pastures.

Although infected plants cannot be cured of virus infection, pastures can be managed to reduce both virus spread and persistence from year to year. Management options depend on which virus is present and include reseeding with resistant varieties; changing the pasture composition so that non-host species predominate; altering grazing practices to limit spread; and application of pesticide sprays to kill aphids.

Crops In The Woolbelt : Current Options And Emerging Prospects, Wal Anderson, Ross Gilmour, Robyn Mclean, Peter Nelson, K H.M Siddique, Paul Carmody, Ian Prtichard

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

It has traditionally been more profitable to grow sheep for wool in the medium rainfall parts of the south-west of Western Australia than to grow crops . Crop production has been difficult owing to the hilly terrain, the frequency of waterlogging, the high incidence of damaging frosts in some areas, the frequency of losses from diseases, difficulties with wet weather at harvest, and a lack of adapted crop varieties.

Advances over the past decade have made cropping on a limited scale potentially profitable in the woo/belt.

This article is intended to bring the various options for crop production to the …

Floriculture : A Blooming Business, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

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

Over the past 1O years, Western Australia's ornamental plant industry has experienced significant growth in value. The industry has expanded and adopted new technologies, but some enterprises have closed There have also been major changes reflecting the economic climate and conservation pressures.

The ornamental plant industry in this State is valued at more than $70 million annually. It encompasses three areas: nursery production, exotic cutflower production, and native cutllower production. The native cutflower industry is by far the largest growth sector.

Visions For Agriculture, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

This workshop grew out of a conversation between Maurice Barnes, a Trayning farmer and member of the Research Advisory Committee of the Dryland Research Institute, and Steve Porritt, the officer in charge of the Dryland Research Institute at Merredin. Maurice was interested in the idea of posing the question 'What would agriculture be like if we had known as much about this landscape in 1829 as we know now?', to a group of farmers and others interested in the central wheatbelt and its future. Maurice saw this question as a first step toward achieving some shared vision for the future …

'Living Soil' Seminar, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

Provides an opportunity for farmers and those involved in the agricultural service industry, to focus on what happens in the soil. Seminar reflects the interest detected amongst farmers in knowing more about the things that influence plant growth and a genuine concern about the environment.

Three New Late-Midseason Subterranean Clovers Released For High Rainfall Pastures, Phil Nichols, Donald Nicholas

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

Three new subterranean clovers - Denmark, Gou/bum and Leura - have been released in 1992 by the National Subterranean Clover Improvement Program. These subterranean clovers are black-seeded, have low oestrogen levels and improved disease resistance. Their release offers the potential for substantial improvements in pasture productivity in areas of southern Australia that have long growing seasons.

This article outlines some of the testing procedures and subsequent selection of these varieties and describes their characteristics and potential role in Western Australia.

Navail Spreadsheet, S J. Burgess

Agriculture reports

A computer program called NPDECIDE has been developed by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture to assist with decisions relating to the use of phosphorus fertiliser on cereal crops. NPDECIDE functions by estimating the response of the crop to combinations of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers, and by indicating the likely profit from the use of these materials. In order to carry out this task, NPDECIDE must be able to calculate the availability to the growing plants of nitrogen from the fertilisers and from organic material in the soil.

Revegetating Salt-Affected Land With Shrubs, Ed Barrett-Lennard, Fionnuala Frost, Steve Vlahos, Norm Richards

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

The establishment of salt-tolerant shrubs such as saltbush and bluebush on salt-affected land reduces the risk of soil erosion, and can also fit into farm programmes as a profitable enterprise. Salt-tolerant shrubs can be used as forage for sheep in summer and autumn, when the availability of annual pastures is low or annual pastures are just beginning to emerge. This article describes three methods for establishing shrubs on salt-affected land and what affects shrub establishment.

Protecting The Remnants, Glenis Ayling

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

Our native flora and fauna do best in their own environment, so one way of protecting them is to conserve and maintain areas of remnant vegetation throughout our farmlands. This is the aim of the Remnant Vegetation Protection Scheme in which the State Government helps private landholders to voluntarily fence off and manage areas of native vegetation on farms.

Examination And Development Of An Essential Oil Industry In The Ord River Irrigation Area Of North Western Australia, Jean M.V. Bonnardeaux

Research Reports

The project aimed at establishing an essential oil industry in the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA). This industry is particularly suited to the ORIA where transport costs often prohibit the development of some agricultural products. The oils are concentrated and highly valuable. In addition, the ORIA with its abundant water and high temperatures presents a unique opportunity to grow a wide range of crops for the production of essential oils used by the food, medicinal and perfume industries. Australia has therefore an opportunity to initiate a new industry capable of replacing imports and gaining access to world markets representing a …