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Herbicides, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Herbicides play a vital role in integrated weed management programs. Knowledge of the mechanisms and activity of herbicides will improve the impact and sustainability of herbicides as a weed management tactic. This fact sheet is a guide to the types of herbicides available and when and how they should be used.

1080 Summary Information, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia, Department Of Conservation And Land Management, Western Australia, Department Of Health, Western Australia

Biosecurity research reports

Fluoroacetate, the active ingredient of 1080, occurs naturally in toxic plants in Australia, South Africa, and South America. Manufactured I080 underpins most vertebrate pest control programs in Australia and New Zealand. Fluoroacetate occurs naturally in about 40 plant species in Australia with most of these plants restricted to the south-west of WA.

I080 was introduced to rabbit control programs in the early 1950s and therefore has a long history of proven effectiveness and safety in Australia. There have been few repo1ted problems associated with human safety, environmental persistence, bioaccumulation or impact on populations of non-target species.

In particular, I080 baits …

Bulletin 4307 - Grass Control In Pastures Using Herbicides, Alexandra Wallace

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin discusses three methods for herbicide control of grasses in pastures:

• pasture manipulation, in the early stages of pasture growth;
• spray-topping late in the growing season; and
• hay freezing, late in the growing season.

Understanding Fertilisers For Table Grapes, B. H. Goldspink, I. Cameron, J. Campbell-Clause, N. Lantzke, C. Gordon

Viticulture research reports

A course run by the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, August 1995.

The purpose of this publication is to clarify the role fertilisers play in commercial table grape production and to detail methods of selecting fertilisers. This selection process however is not easy as there are over 600 registered fertilisers in Western Australia.

In deciding which is the best fertiliser for a particular property many factors have to be considered. These include:

* Age of vine

* Rootstock

* Variety of table grape

* Soil type

* Soil chemistry

* Irrigation methods

* Previous fertiliser history Previous yield, vigour and …

How Arsenic Residues Get In Wool, Tony Martin, Robin Jacob, Marion Davies, Peter Rutherford

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

Wool can become contaminated with arsenic in various ways, and several different sources may each contribute to any individual arsenic residue problem.

• dipping sheep in an arsenical dip ( now illegal),

• dipping sheep in a non-arsenical dip in a contaminated dipping facility

• penning sheep on soil with high levels of arsenic before shearing.

Other possible sources include running sheep on land contaminated by gold mine tailings or exploration sites, and allowing sheep access to sites on the farm where arsenical compounds have been dumped, for example, rubbish dumps or sites where dip/sump sludge has been dumped.

Farmers …

The Nitrogen Response Of Wheat Crops Following Lupins, I C. Rowland, Mel Mason, John Hamblin

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

One of the many benefitsof growing narrow-leaved lupins in a crop rotation (Rowland et al 1988) in the increased yield of the following cereal crop as a result of the improved nitrogen level of the soil.

This article reports the results from 41 wheat/lupin rotation trials involving a range of nitrogen rates throughout the Western Australian agricultural area between 1978 and 1987. These trials allowed scientists to assess the interaction of nitrogen fertilization with previous cropping history and to estimate some of the contribution of the nitrogen and other effects of lupins within the crop rotations. The results provide some …

Intensive Animal Industries In The Peel-Harvey Catchment, R W. Payne

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

The Swan coastal plain to the north and south of Perth is attractive for the intensive production of pigs and poultry for several reasons. It is close to markets, feed manufacturers and labour; has a less extreme climate than inland areas; and is underlain by a large reserve of high quality groundwater.

Because these are all intensive operations, large quantaties of nutrient-rich waste are produced over a very small area. They can severely damage ground and surface waters unless steps are taken to control the wastes which they produce.

This article oulines both the nature of intensive aniamal industries in …

Soil Acidity On High Rainfall Pastures, J S. Yeates, D. A. Mcghie, I. R. Wilson

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

Most soils of the high rainfall area of south-western Western Australia are naturally acis.

The most acid group of soils, the peaty sands. have been routinely limed before subterranean clover pastures were established since research in the 1950s showed that poor Rhizobium nodulation could be overcome with the application of about 2 tonnes per hectare of coastal limesand.

Soil Acidity In The Eastern Wheatbelt, W M. Porter, I. R. Wilson

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

In Western Australia parts of the sandplain of the eastern wheatbelt are very acid and produce poor crops, It was not until the late 1970s that the effect of soil acidity on the productivity of the sandplain soils was examined in any detail.

Since then researchers have learnt a great deal about the nature of soil acidity in the eastern wheatbelt sandplain soils and can suggest management options for farmers.

This article discisses the problem of the very acid soils. It does not deal with the moderately acid, medium textured soils of the eastern wheatbelt. Although the acidity of these …

Soil Acidity And Liming In The Lower Great Southern, R N. Glencross, M. G. Clarke

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

In the 375 to 750 millimetre rainfall area of the Lower Great Southern, reports of loss of subterranean clover from established pastures, reduced carrying capacity for sheep and increasing soil acidity lead to the establishment in 1981 of a research programme into the effects of soil acidity on pasture productivity in that region.

Sulphur Needs Of Crops And Pastures, J S. Yeates

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

Sulphur deficiency has long been recognised as a potential problem of legume pastures in the higher rainfall areas (over 750 mm a year) of south-west Western Australia. Before the introduction of granulated superphosphate (about 1970), sulfer deficiencies commonly developed in spring on susceptible soils despite autumn applications of superphosphate (containing about 10.5 per cent sulphur).

In loww and medium rainfall areas sulphur deficiency is rarely reported, at least partly because of annual superphosphate applications. However large areas of the sandy-surfaced soils of Western Australia would become sulphur deficient for pastures and crops if sulphur inputsd in fertilisers were substantially reduced. …

Bulletin No 3993 - The Control Of Saffron Thistle, G. A. Pearce

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Saffron thistle is a primary noxious weed and is widespread throughout the drier parts of Western Australia. When growing in pasture its prickly growth habit discourages animals from grazing amongst it so that its presence results in the loss of feed. In crops it reduces yield and results in dockage when seed is found in harvested grain.

Chemical Firebreaks, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

MANY public bodies are making regular use of herbicides to create firebreaks. In Western Australia more than $200,000 is being spent on chemicals each year to protect property from fire.

In many situations where the buildings and property are of great value, the cost of the chemical becomes insignificant.

Cobalt : Its Use To Control Wasting Disease, Laurence C. Snook

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

FOR many years it was assumed that in Western Australia cobalt deficient areas were restricted to a coastal fringe which rarely extended more than 20 miles inland.

This has proved a costly false assumption. During recent years cobalt deficiency has been diagnosed over extensive areas of inland country.

Weed Research. 7. Weed Control Around The Yard, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

MANY farmers and city householders have weed problems around houses and sheds which can be readily overcome by treatment with appropriate herbicides.

The risk from fire through weeds and unslightly growth can easily be removed and an area free of any plant growth can be maintained with little effort for a considerable period.