Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Comparative Assessment Of Crops To Use Potential Additional Water Resources In The Warren–Donnelly Catchments, James Dee, Ananda Ghose

Bulletins 4000 -

Through the Royalties for Regions funded Southern Forests Water Futures Project, the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia undertook a study to understand the economic benefits of developing new water resources in the Warren–Donnelly catchments in the south-west of Western Australia.

The Warren–Donnelly catchments have long been associated with intensive horticultural activities. The major perennial crops are pome fruit (apples and pears), avocados, stone fruit and wine grapes. The major annual crops are ware potatoes, seed potatoes, processing potatoes and brassica crops for the Perth Market over summer. There are emerging new industries including truffles, summer strawberry production, processing …

Water Balance Of Flooded Rice In The Tropics, Siva Sivapalan

Books & book chapters

Department of Agriculture and Food, WA staff member authored "Water Balance of Flooded Rice in the Tropics" in the publication Irrigation and Drainage - Sustainable Strategies and Systems’, edited by Muhammad Salik Javaid, published by INTECH, May 2015

Chapter Summary: Excess groundwater recharge rates under irrigated agriculture may lead to problems such as rising watertable, waterlogging and salinity. In irrigated areas, growers may need to manage this water and hence, understanding what leakage is attributed to what crops will become more important. In this study, evaporation, transpiration, and deep percolation losses were estimated for ponded rice culture, using a …

The Agronomy Jigsaw: Finding The Pieces That Maximise Water Use Efficiency, David Hall, Paul Galloway, Jeremy Lemon, Ben Curtis, Andrew Van Burgel, Kelly Kong, Nigel Metz,

Bulletins 4000 -

The Agronomy Jigsaw project is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) in collaboration with the South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA) and Precision Agronomics Australia (PAA). The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded the project under the water use efficiency initiative (DAW193).

Improving water use efficiency (WUE) is the key to increasing crop production in dryland agriculture. In southern Western Australia (WA), water use efficiencies of wheat can vary from 8 to 22kg/mm/ha. The purpose of the Agronomy Jigsaw project is to understand this variation at paddock level: What are the main …

Water Supplies For Horticulture In The Lower Great Southern, D J. Mcfarlane Dr, Ruhi Ferdowsian, Arjen Ryder

Bulletins 4000 -

No abstract provided.

Successful Cropping In The High Rainfall Zone Of Western Australia : Crop Research And Extension In The Zone, Narelle Hill, Heping Zhang Dr., Tim Trezise, John Young, Natahan Moyes, Laurence Carslake, Neil C. Turner Dr, Walter Anderson, Michael Poole

Bulletins 4000 -

This manual is a review of all the relevant and current information relating to cropping systems in the high rainfall cropping zone (HRZ) of Western Australia. It functions partly as the final report summarising research results and extension activities and discusses recommendations and potential outcomes of two 5-year GRDC-funded projects (DAW 673 and CSP 302), that aimed to increase the productivity of southern high rainfall cropping systems.

Roaded Catchments To Improve Reliability Of Farm Dams, David Stanton

Bulletins 4000 -

Maintaining reliable on-farm water supplies is an on-going challenge for landholders throughout Western Australia. Improving reliability of dams by constructing a roaded catchment is one of the most cost-effective methods of improving the performance and reliability of a farm water supply.

A roaded catchment is a water-harvesting structure designed to increase the amount of run-off from the catchment above a dam. The 'roads' of a roaded catchment are parallel ridges of earth with batters (or side slopes) that cause run-off to be directed into troughs or channels. The surface is lined with clay and compacted to make it smooth and …

Producing Pulses In The Southern Agricultural Region, Peter White, Mark Seymour, Pam Burgess, Martin Harries

Bulletins 4000 -

The development of pulses in Western Australia has undergone tremendous advances over the past 12 years. From a tiny industry in the early 1990’s where the knowledge of both scientists and farmers was very limited, we now have a robust industry with production packages and improved varieties for all the grain legumes species that are well suited to our environment.

This book, which is both comprehensive and practical, collates much of the information gathered through pulse research and commercial experience over the past 10 years and will be valuable to all pulse growers, agronomists, students and industry advisors alike. The …

Farm Dams In Western Australia, David Stanton

Bulletins 4000 -

This bulletin provides practical information on the location and construction of dams on farms in Western Australia. Various types of dam, with diagrams and explanations, are included. Also discussed are the planning considerations, failures and problems, design, construction, maintenance, legal aspects, impacts and risks of dams.

Wheatbelt Waterwise = Saltwise : Gardening Guide, John Colwill, Juana Roe

Bulletins 4000 -

As a result of agricultural clearing, many country towns are now feeling the effects of rising groundwater and the salt that it carries. Salinity has been identified as Australia’s number one environmental problem. While most people think that salinity means land lost to agriculture, it also poses a serious threat to many country towns. A report for the Department of Agriculture in 2001 highlighted the need for simple and cost-effective salinity management strategies to be adopted in wheatbelt towns. These included water recycling, revegetation and more efficient water use.

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.

Fertigation Of Vegetables In Western Australia, J Burt

Bulletins 4000 -

Fertigation is the technique of using soluble fertilisers to supply essential nutrients to vegetables through sprinkler or trickle irrigation systems, or by means of a boom spray. It is ideally suited to most horticultural areas in Western Australia, especially the sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain that have a poor capacity to retain nutrients.

Before and after planting, nutrients are often applied to vegetables on soils of the Swan Coastal Plain by applications of poultry manure* or solid fertilisers. After planting, fertigation is a safe and effective method of applying top-dressings of nutrients to crops, especially after the rows …

Scott Coastal Plain A Strategy For A Sustainable Future, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

The Scott Coastal Plain has significant attributes that make it an area of State and regional significance for agricultural production. The climate, availability of good quality groundwater for irrigation, and large lot sizes provide opportunities for mechanised horticultural production which other parts of the State may not have.

An estimate of the area that could be used for each agricultural land use has been developed, at a broad study area level. The figures presented in this report show that diversified production combining tree plantation and/or irrigation (cropping or hay/silage) with grazing enterprises provides for potential increases in gross margins and …

South West Hydrological Information Package : Understanding And Managing Hydrological Issues On Agricultural Land In The South West Of Western Australia, Peter J. Tille, T W. Mathwin, Richard J. George Dr

Bulletins 4000 -

This manual reviews current knowledge of the hydrological issues that affect, or are affected by, agriculture in the catchments of the south west of Western Australia.

Soil Factors Influencing Eutrophication. In Soilguide. A Handbook For Understanding And Managing Agricultural Soils. (Ed. Geoff Moore), David Weaver, Robert Summers

Bulletins 4000 -

Eutrophication is essentially the nutrient enrichment of waterways leading to algal growth. It must be controlled to maintain sustainable agricultural systems and the main mechanisms of control are stabilising catchment processes and reducing nutrient output.

Eutrophication can be defined as 'the nutrient enrichment of waters which results in the stimulation of an array of symptomatic changes, among which increased production of algae and macrophytes, deterioration of water quality and other symptomatic changes, are found to be undesirable and interfere with water uses' (OECD 1982). The word eutrophic is a Greek word that means 'well fed'. The food referred to is …

Environmental Guidelines For New And Existing Piggeries, A Latto, John Noonan, R. J. Taylor

Bulletins 4000 -

These guidelines apply to the management of Western Australia piggeries in Western Australia, including intensive Growing pigs under intensive conditions where the and extensive operations, straw-based housing and animals spend their entire life cycle indoors, is an combinations of these (otherwise referred to as semi- important part of the Western Australian and intensive housing).

The Wheat Book : Principles And Practice, W K. Anderson, J R. Garlinge

Bulletins 4000 -

Contents : Environment / revised by J. Cramb, J. Courtney and P. Tille - The structure and development of the cereal plant / revised by T.L. Setter and G. Carlton - Germination, vegetative and reproductive growth / revised by T.L. Setter and G. Carlton - Crop water use / D. Tennant - Nutrition / revised by M.D.A. Bolland, R.F. Brennan, J.W. Bowden, M.G. Mason, N.K. Edwards, M.M. Riley and S.W. Gartrell - Wheat in farming systems / revised by B. Bowden, P. Blackwell, P. Carmody, M. Ewing, R. Kingwell, R. L ghman, I. McFarlane, P. Michael, P. Nelson, I. Pritchard, …

A Guide To Mechanical Range Regeneration, J. Addison

Bulletins 4000 -

The main objective of this Bulletin is to describe mechanical methods of promoting rangeland regeneration and how to determine which is the most appropriate to use on any particular site. Mechanical regeneration methods are not 'quick fix' but may be used to advantage in some rangeland regeneration strategies.

Selecting And Developing Reliable Bore Sites In The Eastern Wheatbelt, Richard George

Bulletins 4000 -

In the Western Australian wheatbelt, groundwater supplies contribute about 40 per cent of the on-farm livestock requirements and occasionally domestic water supply systems. The first part of this Bulletin comments on sites suitable for both high yielding bores and also those which yield water suitable for livestock. The second part outlines techniques for constructing and developing a bore. Throughout this Bulletin livestock quality water, for adult sheep, is defined as groundwater of less than 12,000 mg/L (or 850 grains per gallon) which has not been subject to localized pollution. For other livestock, the maximum salinities range from 2,600 mg/L for …

Spacing Water Points In The Southern Pastoral Areas Of Western Australia, Don Burnside, Adrian Williams, Peter Curry

Bulletins 4000 -

An inadequate distribution of watering points in our pastoral lands, particularly in the saltbush/bluebush pasture, has caused localisized land degradation close to waters and reduced animal productivity (particularly in stressful times). From experimentation and observation, some generalised recommendations for water supply distribution in pastoral areas can be made.