Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Seepage Interceptor Drains And Topsoil Salinity, T R. Negus

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

The Department of Agriculture established 121 trials in its Narrogin advisory district starting in 1972 to measure the effect of bulldozer and grader built seepage interceptor banks and drains on the topsoil salinity of the land downslope of them.

After 14 years of moniterin, there was no evidence that seepage interceptor drains and banks reduced the top soil salinity on 10 of the 11 sites in the Pingelly, Brookton and Wickepin Shires.

Effect Of Agronomic Practices On Wheat Protein Levels, M G. Mason

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

High grain protein levels are preferred for many end-uses of wheat. However, there has been little or no incentive for farmers to use practices which would increase protein levels, because wheat payments are made without a price differential for proteinlevel, except where wheat could qualify for the Australian Hard grade.

Gypsum Use In The Wheatbelt, M R. Howell

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

One of the limitations to crop productivity in the wheatbelt is the poor structure of heavy textured soils. Many years of clearing and cultivation have caused the loss of soil organic matter and breakdown of soil aggregates - particles of sand, silt and clay - in the surface layers. This has led to the development of unstable soils with poor physical properties.

Although loss of soil structure is a serious problem, it can be reversed by altering the tillage practices that caused the problem. This improvement in soil structure and return to productivity can be a slow process. However gypsum …

Mogumber Drainage Works Succeed, L K. Lenane

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

The loss of arable farmland from soil erosion, waterlogging and salinity is a severe problem on some Western Australian farms.

When the arable land comprises only 40 per cent of the total area within the Mogumber Soil Conservation District, this loss is a real cause for concern. So too is the resulting damage to roads, siltation of railway culverts, and deaths of roadside trees from rising saline watertables.

However, drainage, contour and other works undertaken by the Mogumber Soil Conservation District have halted this degredation. Badly eroded areas that were fenced off now have a satisfactory ground cover. A wheat …

Field Peas In The Wheatbelt, R J. French

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

Plantings of lupins in the Western Australian wheatbelt increased rapidly in the late 1970s and early 980s as improved varieties became available and farmers realised the benefits to be gained from growing grain legumes. Grain legumes are useful not simply as alternative cash crops. They provide 'fixed' atmospheric nitrogewn to following cereal crops and act as a cleaning crop to break cereal disease cycles. They are also valuable sheep feed.

In 1975, throughout the wheatbelt, the Department of Agriculture began a comparison of several alternative legumes. The crops included field peas, faba beans, chickpeas, lentills and various vetches. Field peas …