Works in this collection were published by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.
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Managing grey clays : to maximise production and sustainability
Greg Hamilton, Peter Fisher, Matt Baimbridge, Jennifer Bignell, Jessica Sheppard, and Rod Bowey
This bulletin discusses the identification, understanding and management of grey clay soils in the south-west of Western Australia.
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Mole drainage for increased productivity in the south west irrigation area
D L. Bennett, Richard George, and Bill Russell
Heavy soils, with low rates of soil-water movement, such as those found in the South-West Irrigation Area (SWIA), require closely spaced (2-6 m apart) subsoil drainage systems to provide sufficient water movement to control the effects of salt-waterlogging on pastures. Such close spacing using traditional ... Read more
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Producing pulses in the northern agricultural region
Peter White, Martin Harries, Mark Seymour, and Pam Burgess
Pulses, like most other temperate crops, are ideally suited to environments with mild temperatures, adequate rainfall and free draining soils that have a deep uniform profile, a medium to fine texture and slightly acid to neutral pH (6.5-7.5). Pulses when grown on these soils and ... Read more
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Producing pulses in the southern agricultural region
Peter White, Mark Seymour, Pam Burgess, and Martin Harries
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 ... Read more
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Roaded catchments to improve reliability of farm dams
David Stanton
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 ... Read more
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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, and Michael Poole
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 ... Read more
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You can help keep Western Australia free of pest animals
Marion Massam
Quite apart from their economic and environmental impacts, the sheer nuisance value that certain pest animals can create for people - even in the shelter of our own backyards - is reason enough to want to keep them out of Western Australia.
Currently our State ... Read more
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Common insect pests and diseases on vegetables in the home garden
Harald Hoffmann, Stewart Learmonth, and Peter Wood
Home gardeners frequently see insect pests and diseases affecting their vegetables. Usually they would have seen them in previous seasons, and the symptoms look familiar. However, there are occasions, when an unusual pest (not native to Western Australia) can occur. Exotic pests are a concern ... Read more
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Organic horticulture: strategic opportunities in Western Australia
Steven McCoy
This report considers the potential to develop organic horticulture in WA. The study examines key factors limiting industry scale and scope and identifies preferred soil types, regional locations, prospective crops and potential scale where organic production may offer comparative economic advantage.
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Subsurface acidity
Mike Bolland, Chris Gazey, Amanda Miller, Dave Gartner, and Julie-Anne Roche
Productive agriculture increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in soil, which acidifies the soil.
Aluminium is a component of many soil constituents, including clays and oxides, and is also present on the surfaces of soil organic matter. As the concentration of hydrogen ions in soil ... Read more
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Table grapes from Western Australia at a glance
Ian Cameron and Geraldine Pasqual
The high quality of Western Australian table grapes commands premium prices on both domestic and international markets. The industry has grown rapidly from 1992 to 2004, with production increasing from 2200t to 6500t and exports increasing rapidly from about 100t in 1992 to 1320t in ... Read more
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Topcrop W.A. state focus 2002-2003 wheat protein
Alison Slade and Jeremy Lemon
The State Focus program is supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in conjunction with TOPCROP to provide grower groups with a new learning concept. The concept was developed in Victoria and has been adopted by South Australia and Western Australia.
Wheat protein ... Read more
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Tramline farming systems technical manual
Bindi Webb, Paul Blackwell, Glen Riethmuller, and Jeremy Lemon
Tramline farming improves farm production and efficiency by controlling traffic and confining compaction to permanent tramlines and reducing overlap. This manual will help you develop your farming system to get the tramline farming benefits. The manual contains information on the principles and techniques of implementing ... Read more
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Wheatbelt waterwise = saltwise : gardening guide
John Colwill and Juana Roe
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 ... Read more
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Dam design for pastoral stock water supplies
J S. Addison, R J. Law, and G B. Eliot
These notes provide information on many components of water harvesting storage systems designed for use in semi-arid areas. The notion of a water harvesting and storage system is deliberately emphasised. No single design component can be considered in isolation if the goal of a drought-proof ... Read more
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Diseases of waxflower and their control
Aileen Reid
Waxflower is susceptible to a range of diseases. This outlines the main problems which occur in commercial plantations and presents measures to control them. Since chemicals for control of plant diseases are constantly changing, growers are advised to seek the latest available information.
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Managing Blackleg : A grower's guide to minimising risk from Blackleg disease of canola in Western Australia
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Blackleg is spread primarily by wind, with the heaviest spore fall out normally occurring within 500 metres of any canola residue. Each year canola residue continues to produce blackleg spores at a diminishing rate until the stubble has completely broken down (see Diagram 2). In ... Read more
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On-station production of native Speargrass hay in Western Australia
G L. Krebs, Robert R. Rouda, and S P. Van Wyngaarden
This report documents the practical and economic feasibility of on-station harvesting and production of speargrass hay and haylage and its subsequent feeding to cattle and sheep in the extensive regions of south-eastern Western Australia. Four hundred and ten bales weighing an average 275 kg were ... Read more
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Powdery mildew in wine grapes in Western Australia
Diana Fisher and Trevor Wicks Dr
Powdery mildew is caused by the fungal pathogen Uncinula necator. It is the most persistent fungal problem of grapes in WA and one of the most widespread fungal diseases of grapevines in the world. It is characterised by ash-grey to white powdery growth on green ... Read more
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Saltland pastures in Australia, a practical guide
E G. Barrett-Lennard, A D. Bathgate, and C V. Malcolm
Farmer choices for saltland pastures, Salinity and options for saltland in Australia - Factors affecting plant growth in saltland - Establishing saltland pastures - Grazing value of saltland pastures - Productivity of saltland pastures - Assessing the economic value of saltland pastures - Common names ... Read more
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Sorption of phosphorus by soils : how it is measured in Western Australia
Michael D A Bolland, D G. Allen, and N J. Barrow
Most soils used for agriculture in Western Australia had insufficient indigenous native phosphorus P for the introduced agricultural plant species used in the region so fertiliser P had to be applied. This bulletin covers how water-soluble P WSP fertilisers are made, and how the P ... Read more
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Successful field pea harvesting
Glen Riethmuller and Ian Pritchard
Many thousands of hectares of field peas are harvested trouble free each year. Growers experience together with recent machinery innovations and modifications have solved the majority of harvesting difficulties. Optimum harvesting conditions are in a crop of uniform density on a level soil surface with ... Read more
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Table & seed potatoes from Western Australia at a glance
Dr I McPharlin, Peter Dawson, and Rachel Lancaster
Western Australia is a leading national exporter of table potatoes, accounting for almost 40 per cent of Australian exports. The high quality of Western Australian potatoes commands premium prices on both national and international markets. Opportunities to export Certified potato seed, particularly to south east ... Read more
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Zone management in precision agriculture by matching fertiliser input to crop demand
Daya Patabendige, Mike Wong, and Bill Bowden
Growers in Western Australia who have been yield mapping since the mid 1990s have come to realise that grain yield varies across different zones of their paddocks in any given year, as well as between years depending on the seasonal conditions and crop type. This ... Read more
