Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Managing For Stubble Retention, Linda Leonard

Bulletins 4000 -

One of the objectives of sustainable farming systems is to retain as much cover on the soil as possible – this helps to maintain soil structure and protects the soil from erosion.

Improving productivity, maintaining soil structure, and stabilising fragile soils are some of the desired aims of farming. Sound rotations, reduced tillage, effective use of herbicides, maintenance of ground cover and careful management of stock are part of the management process used in achieving these goals.

This Bulletin provides an introduction to stubble retention systems. Its purpose is to create an awareness of the benefits and principles of stubble …

Napier-King Land Conservation District : Land Management Manual, Peter Hocking

All other publications

With the discovery of the role of trace elements, large tracts of land in the south west of Western Australia, previously regarded as unsuitable for agriculture, were cleared in the 1950s and 1960s. Much of this land was taken up as Conditional Purchase Blocks, a scheme which enabled conversion of unalienated crown land to freehold title providing a set proportion of the block was 'developed'.

However, the removal of the natural deep rooted vegetation and its replacement with pasture species (up to 90% of privately owned land in the Napier-King LCD area is cleared) has not been without problems. The …

Installing Photographic Rangeland Monitoring Sites In Grassland Environments, Andrew Mclaughlin

Agriculture reports

Photographic monitoring offers pastoralists an inexpensive management tool that can help to better understand how varying management practices affect the rangeland. Using a monitoring system also helps take the guesswork out of knowing what changes to vegetation and soils have occurred over time.

Conservation For Production : Kings Rocks Catchment Report, William Oldfield

Agriculture reports

The aim of this report is to bring together current information on the land and ideas which will provide landholders of the King Rocks catchment group with a basis to make more informed decisions about managing the land. The report contains information on how the landscape was formed, how areas become degraded, what are the present recommended ways of fixing land degradation and what are the most productive means of farming the land.

Sheep And Wool Industries Need To Improve Their Performance, Rob Kelly, Tim Marshall

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

Today in Western Australia, sheep are run at slightly higher stocking rates, are achieving greater lambing percentages (up JO per cent) and higher wool cuts per animal ( up 0. 6 kg greasy) than in the 1960s. When all components of production are considered, the productivity of sheep fanns has increased by 2. 7 per cent per year over the past 35 years.

The challenge of the next decade is to achieve substantially greater rates of improvement than for past years if the sheep and wool industries are to maintain their significant place in Western Australian agriculture.

Managing Bushland On The Farm, Penny Hussey

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

Since the time of European settlement in Western Australia, the replacement of native vegetation with crops and pastures has led to problems for both agricultural production and nature conservation. The most obvious of these are hydrological changes leading to salinisation and waterlogging, and the extinction of some native plants and animals.

Protection of remaining remnants of native bushland, together with revegetation, is increasingly seen as important ways of achieving sustainable agriculture and maintaining our unique wildlife.

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.

Saving The Catchments Of Albany's Harbours, Ashley Prout

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

Fertiliser, particularly phosphorus, running off farm land is a major source of nutrient entering Albany's harbours. Oyster Harbour, which has a large rural catchment, is especially at risk.

The build-up in nutrients in the harbours has caused nuisance algal growth since the early 1970s and subseuent death of more than half the seagrass beds, which are vital to the areas marine life.

The Department of Agriculture, at the request of the Environmental protection Authority, has developed and promoted catchment management plans that enable rural land holders to reduce the amount of run-off into the harbours without necessarily sacrificing farm productivity. …

Improving Sustainable Production From Water Repellent Sands, Paul Blackwell

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

The agricultural management of water repellent ( non-wetting) sands is difficult, and production from them is mostly low. However, there are ways to make them more productive.

Furrow sowing and the incorporation of dispersive clay are two likely methods to make these soils easier to manage, more productive and more profitable than they are now.

This article discusses several aspects of our research on water repellent sands. In addition, some of the costs and benefits of alternative management strategies are outlined.

Data Set And Code Definitions For Soil Profile Description : Dawa Regional Mapping Program, B R. Purdie

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Esperance Land Resource Survey, Tim D. Overheu, P G. Muller, S T. Gee, Geoff Allan Moore

Land resources series

The climate, geology, landforms, soils, native vegetation and land uses of the Esperance agricultural district of Western Australia are described, while the soil landscapes of the survey area of about 336,000 ha, covered by the Esperance and Merivale 1:100,000 topographic map sheets, are described in detail. The survey area represents most of the features and problems of the district, especially those of the Esperance sandplain for more resource information. An appropriate mapping scale was chosen from a preliminary survey of five farms on the Esperance sandplain. The study identifies five major land systems which are divided into map units on …

Controlling Wind Erosion In Field Pea Stubbles, Jeff Russell

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

The area sown to field peas in Western Australia's eastern wheatbelt has increased from 4000 ha in 1985 to about 35, 000 ha in 1992.

While field peas can be grown on soil types not suited to lupins, their stubble is highly fragile and prone to wind erosion, even at low grazing pressure. This is one reason why some farmers are hesitant to grow field peas.

Haroest losses of field peas can also be high; levels of JOO to 200 kg/ha of seed on the ground are not uncommon. For this reason farmers believe the stubbles should be grazed.

Farmers …

A Review Of Four On-Farm Water Supply Demonstration Farms, M H M Casey, I A F Laing

Resource management technical reports

In March 1982, the Western Australian Government allocated $100,000 to the Department of Agriculture to demonstrate appropriate, reliable, on-farm conservation technology on four farms in the north-eastern wheatbelt. The Government grant was matched dollar for dollar with the farmers funds with a maximum of $25,000 grant to any one farm. The demonstrations used existing techniques, such as dams and roaded catchments, to establish permanent drought-proof water supplies.

Digital Information In The Peel-Harvey Catchment Area, Dennis Van Gool

Agriculture reports

This paper presents a summary of the main features of the digital mapping data available in the Peel-Harvey Catchment area. This type of information is essential for Geographic Information System (GIS) users to assess projects involving the use of digital data such as plotting of mapped themes, topological overlays, area calculations and reporting.

Honey Production In Western Australia, Rob Manning

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

the first ever survey of the potential production and value of apiary products from the south-west of Western Australia has shown beekeepers are collecting only 10 per cent of the potential honey crop.

The biggeest losses in honey production are caused by the enviroment, such as protracted drought, and extreme temperatures, heavy rain and cyclones during flowering. Fire, apiary sites leased but not used, and logging of forests also reduce the availability of apiary sites for honey production.

Soils Of The Northam Advisory District. Volume 3. The Darling Range And West Kokeby Zones, Ian Fulton, Neil Clifton Lantzke

Bulletins 4000 -

This manual describes the soils of the Department of Agriculture's Northam advisory district. Information is provided on the characteristics of each soil, its capability is discussed and yield estimates for the major land uses are given.

Designed for use by farmers and Department of Agriculture staff, the manual’s primary aims are to:

- Assist with the identification of the advisory district’s soils types

- Match land use with soil quality

- Improve farm productivity and efficiency

- Reduce the incidence of land degradation