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Western Australian Regional Development Trust Annual Report 2024-25, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Western Australian Regional Development Trust Annual Reports

The Trust is an independent statutory advisory body to the Minister for Regional Development, established under the Royalties for Regions Act 2009 (Act).

The functions of the Trust are to provide advice and make recommendations to the minister:

• for the purposes of sections 5(2) and 9(1) of the Act; and
• on any other matter relating to the operation of the Fund that is referred to it by the minister.

In addition to its monitoring and advisory role, the Trust also works to engage and enhance relationships with key regional stakeholders and influencers to promote greater collaboration and innovation in the …

Influence Of Varying Levels Of Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum Inoculant On The Physicochemical Characteristics And Degradation Kinetics Of Corn Silage, Christian V. Lualhati, Kimberly Turaja, Le Chan P. Yu, Jonalyn M. Sandro, Angelica Maghirang Maria, Jimmy C. Espina Jr., Cedric M. Nerona, Reynald D. Amido, Mary Rose De Guia, Gerald Guadayo, Menandro M. Loresco, Arnel N. Del Barrio

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study evaluated the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as an inoculant on the physical (color, odor, texture), chemical characteristics (pH, total soluble sugars [TSS], Flieg point [FP], dry matter [DM], organic matter [OM], ash, crude protein [CP], neutral detergent fiber [NDF], acid detergent fiber [ADF], and hemicellulose), and fermentation kinetics of corn silage. Treatments were 0% (T1), 1% (T2), 2% (T3), and 3% (T4) concentration of L. plantarum applied to corn before ensiling for 21 d. Afterwards, an in situ experiment was immediately conducted to test the digestibility of corn silage at 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h …

A Co-Design Approach To Integrating Gender Into The Cacao Value Chain In Davao City, Philippines, Mia Barbara Aranas, Aileen Lapitan, Mitchiko Lopez, Nico Jayson Anastacio, Canesio Predo, Mara Faylon, Emmanuel Flores, Claire Estelle Cruz, Anjelyn Joy Enong

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

The specific needs and challenges of women and their contributions are often not integrated when developing interventions and policies targeted to improve agricultural value chains. Therefore, this study developed a codesign approach to creating solutions to improve gender relations in agri-food value chains. Specifically, it focused on the cacao value chain in Davao City, which is located in the southern Philippines. Co-design is a highly participatory approach in which solutions are designed with, and not just for, the people who have lived experiences of the problems being addressed. The approach emphasizes understanding gender-related barriers and opportunities to inform government interventions …

Procedures For Rangeland Condition Assessment In The Pilbara And Southern Rangelands 2025, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources published reports

This report defines the procedures used in 2025 by DPIRD to complete rangeland condition assessment (RCA) in the Pilbara and southern rangelands region which has predominantly shrub-based pastures. For the rest of the pastoral estate, DPIRD uses the Procedures for RCA in the Kimberley which has grass pastures.

RCA is the process DPIRD uses to make systematic, station-level assessment of rangeland. Rangeland condition considers both the condition of pastures (defined in the ‘Pasture condition guides for the Pilbara’ and ‘Pasture condition guides for the southern rangelands including the Gascoyne, Murchison and Goldfields-Nullarbor’) and soils as determined by erosion, using the …

Options For Fox Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Foxes can cause significant losses to some agricultural producers, and they prey on many native animals. The best option is to control foxes before they become a problem. This factsheet explains the available options fox control and when these options should be used

Crispr-Cas9 Gene Editing In Tomato: Development And Characterization Under Stress, Jun Guo

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Transcription factor (TF) families played essential roles in plant responses to abiotic stress, contributing significantly to stress tolerance and adaptation. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) TF family included 161 members in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Previous proteomic analysis identified TF bHLH148 (Solyc01g058670) as being upregulated under aluminum (Al) stress, suggesting a potential role in Al tolerance. To investigate this, CRISPR-Cas9 was used to generate SlbHLH148 knockout mutants in the ‘Black Vernissage’ tomato cultivar. Two homozygous T2 lines, Slbhlh148-1 and Slbhlh148-2, were confirmed to contain frameshift mutations that resulted in truncated proteins lacking the bHLH_AtIBH1_like domain, as shown by protein modeling. Phenotypic evaluation …

Understanding Glufosinate Resistance In Palmer Amaranth And Examination Of Additives For Improved Weed Control, Pamela Carvalho-Moore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation was to: 1) provide an in-depth review about the potential use of natural and synthetic glutathione S-transferase (GST) inhibitors to enhance herbicidal activity or induce crop safety; 2) determine if the addition of metabolic inhibitors to glufosinate is an effective approach to enhance weed control; 3) investigate the mechanism conferring resistance to glufosinate in a highly-resistant Palmer amaranth accession; 4) characterize the genomic rearrangement involved in glutamine synthetase 2 amplification in a Palmer amaranth accession resistant to both glufosinate and glyphosate; 5) quantify the distribution of glufosinate resistance among Palmer amaranth accessions within a 15-km …

Identification And Characterization Of Peptide Responsive Histone Modification Genes During Root Nodule Symbiosis In Medicago Truncatula, Shivani Dharam

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) is an essential but limiting macronutrient for crop growth in agroecosystems. Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) is a critical biological process where atmospheric Nitrogen is converted into ammonia by Nitrogen fixing the bacteria called rhizobia, forming mutualistic relationships with legume plants. These interactions are mediated by several signaling pathways and may involve epigenetic modifications like DNA methylations, histone modifications, where gene expression is altered without any change in DNA sequence. Histones are proteins provide structural support to DNA. However, genes encoding enzymes for these post translational modifications are poorly investigated in the Leguminosae family. This project aims to answer …

Effects Of Soil Profile Rebuilding Techniques On Soil Properties And Tree Growth, Diksha Tamang

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Urban land development usually results in compacted soils, creating unfavorable conditions for tree establishment and growth. Soil Profile Rebuilding (SPR) is an urban soil rehabilitation technique to address soil compaction on site. However, the impacts of SPR on urban soils and tree growth in the southeast region remain unexplored. To address this research gap, this study assessed the efficacy of the SPR techniques in improving degraded urban soils including soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, and tree growth. Twelve experimental plots (12.2 m L*0.5 m W; 5.6 m2) were established using a completely randomized experimental design (4 soil treatments; 3 …

Procedures For Rangeland Condition Assessment In The Kimberley 2025, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources published reports

This report defines the procedures used in 2025 by DPIRD to complete rangeland condition assessment (RCA) in the Kimberley region which has grass-based pastures. For the rest of the pastoral estate, DPIRD uses the Procedures for RCA in the Pilbara and southern rangelands which have predominantly shrub pastures.

RCA is the process DPIRD uses to make systematic, station-level assessment of rangeland. Rangeland condition considers both the condition of pastures (as defined in the 'Pasture condition guide for the Kimberley') and soils as determined by erosion, using the erosion assessment method on pastoral lands in Western Australia. The methods have evolved …

Feed Prices, Substitution Patterns, And Technical Efficiency In Feedlot Cattle, Andrew E. Anderson, James L. Mitchell, Jamie R. Luke

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

The cattle feeding industry is sandwiched between relatively volatile commodity markets, and efficiency is critical. Changing prices for feedstuffs may cause substitution and output effects, in turn impacting technical efficiency. Using Kansas feedlot data, we estimate the effects of feed prices on cattle performance, focusing on the feed conversion ratio, average daily gain, and days on feed. Results show that several feed prices do indeed impact technical efficiency. These results have implications for management adapting to changing feed prices. Further, there are policy implications for programs that may impact commodity prices.

Stock-To-Use Ratio And Price Of Rice: Deciphering The Relationships, Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb, Joohun Han, Willy Mulimbi, Durand-Morat Alvaro

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

The stock-to-use ratio (STU) is a widely utilized indicator to assess market conditions and forecast price movements for agricultural commodities. However, before drawing any conclusions, it is essential to empirically investigate the relationship between STU and commodity prices. Using rice as a case study, this research examines the empirical linkage between rice prices and STU, both collectively and individually across 16 leading rice-producing and consuming countries. To do so, the study first employs the panel vector autoregression approach to capture the dynamic interrelationships in a panel data setting, followed by vector autoregression estimation at the individual country level. The results …

Surface Water Irrigation Reservoirs Improve Groundwater Recovery In A Heavily Stressed Aquifer, Joshua Michael Blackstock, Obembe Odipo, Aaron Shew, Michele Reba, Joseph Massey, Phillip R. Owens, Christopher D. Delhom

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Expansion of irrigated cropland area in eastern Arkansas has led to the formation of regional cones of depression and creation of critical groundwater areas for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) in Arkansas. In response, use of surface water reservoirs for irrigation in the Grand Prairie critical groundwater area (GPCGA) has been implemented toward improving groundwater recovery, but effects of this strategy are unclear. We leverage publicly available satellite imagery and geospatial computational resources to estimate in GPCGA: (1) total surface water area on cropland and non-cropland potentially used for irrigation using a supervised classification model and (2) causal …

Identification And Functional Verification Of Powdery Mildew Resistant Genes In Hydrangea Macrophylla, Christina Jennings

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Ornamental plant production is a continuously expanding industry in the United States and worldwide. Hydrangea species are highly valued in ornamental plant production, especially bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). Powdery mildew is of particular interest on bigleaf hydrangea as there are no resistant varieties. The causal agent of powdery mildew of bigleaf hydrangea is Golovinomyces orontii (formerly Erysiphe polygoni). The goal of this research was to provide solutions for powdery mildew disease of hydrangea through improved chemical control, development of laboratory-based research systems, and identification of genes related to powdery mildew. A detached-leaf assay was developed and evaluations correlated to whole …

Genetic Profiling Of Tennessee Johnsongrass And Pigweed Accessions Per Weedicide Resistance And Agronomic Traits, Gouse Mohiddin Shaik

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Herbicide-resistant weeds pose an escalating threat to crop productivity in Tennessee, leading to notable economic losses and complicated conventional weed control strategies. Among the most persistent species, Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) and various Amaranthus species (pigweeds) have exhibited remarkable adaptability and increasing resistance to widely used herbicides. Addressing this growing issue necessitates a thorough understanding the genetic and biochemical mechanisms that drive herbicide resistance. This study conducted an extensive genetic analysis of Pigweed and Johnsongrass samples collected from a broad range of counties across Tennessee, ensuring representation from both the northern and southern portions of the state’s Eastern, Central, and Western …

An Economic Assessment Of Precision Conservation With On-Farm Precision Experiment Data, Karina A. Schoengold, Badri Khanal, Taro Mieno, David S. Bullock

Cornhusker Economics

Using a novel dataset that includes within field variation in productivity, we find that partial field retirement for a prairie strip can not only provide conservation benefits, but can also be economically beneficial. We note that these results are for a single field with one year of data, and that additional years of production and fields are essential to determine how much these results can be generalized. We also note that precision systems can be costly, and a comparison of outcomes with and without this information is essential to determine if investing in such systems is profitable. However, variable rate …

Mollusks From Crusader-Period ‘Akko, The Knights’ Hotel Site, Inbar Ktalav

'Atiqot

This study analyzes mollusk remains collected during the 2007 excavation season at the Knights’ Hotel site in ‘Akko, which was part of a Crusader-period residential neighborhood. A total of 538 shells were identified, including marine shells from the Mediterranean and Red Seas, freshwater shells and land snails. The analysis of these shells sheds light on the lives of the Crusader-period residents of ‘Akko, including their trade connections and use of shells for construction, ornamentation, pigment containers and raw material for the inlay industry.

The Metal Finds From ‘Akko, The Knights’ Hotel Site, Joppe Gosker

'Atiqot

The 2007 excavation at the Knights Hotel Site yielded about 170 metal finds, mostly iron or copper alloy, though silver and gilded items were also found. Some objects associated with warfare may have been linked to the final battle of ‘Akko in 1291 CE, but most of the finds relate to daily life, encompassing activities such as horse keeping, dress, foodways, medicine and construction. The dominance of Eastern-type arrowheads indicates that local traditions were sometimes adopted, certainly for the arrows if not the bows. Concerning dress accessories, the overall impression is of European traditions. It seems that the Franks preferred …

Fragments Of A Crusader-Period Chancel Screen From ‘Akko, The Knights’ Hotel Site, Vardit R. Shotten-Hallel

'Atiqot

The phrase ‘where [or: when] least expected’ is rarely used in archaeology. In fact, when excavating a cesspit, the opposite is often true. Cesspits are precisely where archaeologists expect to uncover hoards of household artifacts, like pottery and glass, or sometimes valuables, dislocated sculptures and even skeletons. In this regard, the excavation at the Knights’ Hotel site in ‘Akko is no exception. Four richly decorated marble fragments were found in a cesspit, integrated in the shaft’s wall as part of repair work. A stylistic analysis, and consideration of the historical context of their deposition, revealed an unexpected possibility regarding their …

Stone Objects From ‘Akko, The Knights’ Hotel Site, Anastasia Shapiro

'Atiqot

Four stone objects were retrieved during the 2007 excavation season at the Knights’ Hotel site: three whetstones and one bead. Besides the routine registration of measurements and visual description, the specimens were examined under a binocular microscope at ×20 and ×40 magnifications, with the aid of 5% dilute hydrochloric acid and a steel needle. This procedure made it possible to define the lithology of the rock that the objects were made of and to trace use features like minor scratches, which usually receive little attention.