Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Planting Trees To Control Salinity, Nick Schofield, Phil Scott

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

Dense tree plantings covering at least 30 per cent of cleared land can lower groundwater levels by two metres or more in 10 years from the time of planting. This sizeable drop can be expected at sites receiving 700 to 800 mm of rain a year. Research by the Water Authority of Western Australia shows the most promising strategy when using trees is to put dense plantings on the discharge zone and on lower to midslopes. This strategy is successful where groundwaters contain less than 30,000 milligrams per litre total soluble salts (TSS).

This article discusses research in the 450 …

Windbreaks Prove Their Worth, Tim Negus

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

Strong winds in the south-west of Western Australia in April 1991 carted tonnes of top soil from stubbles, over-grazed pastures, and recently prepared cropping land. However, where there were windbreaks, downwind protection into the paddock was up to 10 to 20 times the height of the windbreaks. On May 1, 1991, the author inspected farm land for damage from Narrogin to the Dongolocking area, to Harrismith, up the rabbit-proof fence to West Corrigin and back to Narrogin via Kweda. He found the extent of soil erosion varied, and that some tree species planted in windbreaks gave better protection than others

Drainage Of Sandplain Seeps For Salinity Control And Stock Water Supplies, Richard George, Peter Frantom

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

Sandplain seeps are derived from a shallow groundwater system which flows from the deep sandplain soils upslope. Seeps result in small areas of salinity and waterlogging, which can be the focus of soil erosion. Sandplain seeps may represent as much as 10 per cent of Western Australia's salt problem in the drier agricultural area. Several drainage experiments conducted between 1986 and 1989 determined the best methods of reclaiming sandplain seeps.

This article discusses the results of these drainage experiments. It comments on the most suitable method for reclaiming sandplain seeps and developing them for stock water supplies.

Land Capability Study For Horticulture In The Swan Valley, J M. Campbell-Clause, Geoff Allan Moore

Land resources series

The Swan Valley is an important agricultural, recreational, tourist and heritage area in which there are a number of competing land uses because of its location close to Perth. The traditional agricultural use, mainly centred around the viticulture industry, has to compete with tourist development, urban encroachment, hobby farms and clay extraction. The major objective of this report was to identify any areas of prime horticultural land which should be retained for that purpose. A land capability study was done using the existing soil series map of the Swan Valley (Pym 1955), which covers most of the Swan Valley Policy …

Background Papers To Wawa's South-West Irrigation District Strategy Study, G J. Luke, I Af Laing, P R. George, G R. Olney, R L. Taylor, I F. Wilkinson, P T. Arkell

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

The Mallee Road Catchment Project, Rachel Siewert, S Abbott, National Soil Conservation Program (Australia), R A. Nulsen

Resource management technical reports

The Mallee Road Sump catchment is a 30,000 ha catchment located immediately south of a major drainage divide in the central southern agricultural region of Western Australia. The catchment has been largely developed for agriculture over the last 25 years and is now showing development of secondary land salinization. Agronomic trials have shown that it is possible to considerably increase plant production in the area and simultaneously reduce recharge to the groundwaters.

Variable Quality Of Saltbush Seed Influences Establishment, Stephen Vlahos, Donald Nicholas, Clive Malcolm

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

Farmers are using niche seeders to direct-seed saltbushes (Atriplex spp.) cheaply on large areas of salt affected land. While many factors influence successful establishment of these shrubs, fanners can control the quality of the seed they use. Too often, the lack of knowledge of saltbush seed quality has resulted in extremely poor establishment. The importance of seed quality is well recognized in the establishment of grain crops and pastures, but it is often overlooked when farmers buy or select seed of saltbush. If farmers know the quality of the seed they buy, they can make appropriate adjustments to the sowing …

Manual Of Field Techniques In Hydrology, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia. Division Of Resource Management

Agriculture reports

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To The Soils Of The Narrogin Advisory District, T C. Stoneman, Department Of Agriculture And Food, National Soil Conservation Program (Australia)

Bulletins 4000 -

Descriptions, illustrations and notes on eight common soils / compiled by T.C. Stoneman.

An Introduction To The Soils Of The Katanning Advisory District, T C. Stoneman, National Soil Conservation Program (Australia)

Bulletins 4000 -

With descriptions, illustrations and notes on eight common soils.

Kings Park Soil Survey, J A. Bessell-Browne

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Horticultural Capability Study Of Soils Adjacent To Plantations At Carnarvon, Western Australia, M R. Wells, J A. Bessell-Browne

Resource management technical reports

A detailed soil survey and horticultural capability assessment was undertaken over 1,804 ha of land adjacent to existing plantations on levees of the Gascoyne River near Carnarvon. The study provides mapped land resource data and advice in relation to land management and the possibility of further land release for horticulture. In the assessment of horticultural capability primary consideration has been given to the risk of erosion during flood events, to salinity, and to soil drainage conditions.

The Impact Of Mining And Mining Exploration On Range Resources And Pastoral Pursuits In The Pilbara, Gascoyne, Murchison And Goldfields Regions Of Western Australia, H J. Pringle, G A. Carter, J L. James, R E Y O'Connor

Resource management technical reports

Mining activity occurs very widely over relatively small areas of the rangelands. However, it is an intense landuse which can create significant offsite effects. Mining activity is most common around metamorphic 'greenstone' belts and broad drainages. Pastoralists reported both benefits and adverse affects as a consequence of mining activity. The main grievances related to unnecessary and excessive disturbance of pastoral land and the failure of operators to inform the pastoralist of their intentions.

Catchment Drainage : Three Case Studies, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia. Division Of Resource Management, J E P Green

Resource management technical reports

Three areas were visited, namely the Coobidge creek catchment in Esperance, the Koolanooka-Bowgada Catchment near Morawa and the Petan Creek Catchment (Winchester catchment) near Carnamah. Each area was advised independently through separate reports and the three reports are collated herein for future reference.

Toward Better Minimum Tillage For South-Coastal Sandplain Soils, W L. Crabtree

Resource management technical reports

Seventeen farmers compared their conventional cropping practices with some form of minimum tillage cropping. The minimum tilled crops yielded 21 percent less grain than the conventionally sown crops. The reasons for these decreased yields were in most cases related to inexperienced management. The minimum tilled treatments usually had very poor weed kill strategies which often resulted in large weeds at sowing, very cloddy seed-beds, and numerous insects in the young crops.

Using Pumps And Syphons To Control Salinity At A Saline Seep In The Wallatin Creek Catchment, Richard J. George Dr, P W C Frantom

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Pea And Faba Bean Symbiosis With Rhizobium., J. Evans, C. Wallace, N. Dobrowolski

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 89WH55, 89KA57, 89M26, 90A12, 90A13, 90M59, 90M60

Location: Merredin, Konnongorring, Dalwallinu, Wongan Hills, Kojonup, Avondale Research Station.

To undertake relevant field studies to establish whether there are constraints to pea and bean symbiosis, arising from management, environment or genetics, and affecting crop N accumulation and productivity.

Trial 90BA60

Using Le-mat (omethoate) insecticide and legume inoculant on seed.

Location: Badgingarra Research Station,

To measure the effect of Lemat on the nodulation and growth of medics and luceme.

Deep Ripping, R. J. Jarvis

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 88Ba11,12

Deep ripping at two depths in lupin/oat/wheat rotation on newish land.

Location: Badgingarra Research Station

Sited on the new block of Badgingarra Research Station, these trials aim at examining the response to new rippings each cereal year as well as the response over time to the residual effect of ripping. The rotation is the normal one applied on the Research Station.

Trial 89KO1

Location: Mount Barker Research Station.

Deep ripping for barley and lupins - Kojaneerup Block of MBRS.

Yields not significantly different by A.O.V., however lupin yield declined as the previous year's barley yield increased due to …

Evaluation And Development Of Pasture Species For Deep Sandy Soils In Low To Medium Rainfall Areas., B. J. Nutt

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90EC1

Effect of species and maturity on dry matter production and water use of annual medic on deep sandplain soil.

Location: East Chapman.

All medic cultivars were preferentially grazed compared to Paros serradella which did not allow a proper comparison between the two species in the grazed treatment. 2. Poor nodulation in Harbinger due to incompatability with the current Group A inoculant (R. meliloti strain WSM 540) resulted in poor-growth-and-low-seed-yield. - 3. Water use was directly related to maturity or time taken to flower ; total water extraction (mm) = 1.48 * days to flower - 41.1 R2 = …

Economics Of Summer Weed Control., T. Piper

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Aims: To test various chemical options for summer weed control; measuring their efficacy, the amount of soil moisture conserved, and follow-up crop yield. A full season cost-benefit could then be produced. Summer rains were widespread in 1990, and summer weed sites were plentiful.

Trial 90A3

Location: Avondale.

This site had adequate moisture for most of the summer. Weeds were growing well when sprayed, and were readily controlled. (df. Wongan Hills). 2,4-D/diuron gave excellent control at the time of spraying but follow-up germinations marred the result.

Trial 90M6

Location: Merredin.

All treatments have failed at this site. Large doublegee and melons …

Cranola Rapseed Variety Assessment. Cranola Agronomy. Linseed. Tillage., J. D. Warren

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90AB15. 90N68, 90EB39

Canola : assessment of early maturing Stage 2 lines.

Location: Katanning, Newdegate Research Station, East Beverley Annex

Production of Canola in medium rainfall zones offers the opportunity for a rapid expansion of the industry. However presently recommended varieties take too long to mature for the area's shorter growing season. The Stage 2 trials assess Canola lines selected on the basis of earliness from the remnants of Dr Roy's now defunct rapeseed breeding programme as well as selections from Eastern States breeding programmes. The trials arc conducted at three sites to account for environmental effects on cultivar …

Can Kangaroos Survive In The Wheatbelt?, Graham Arnold

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

One of the costs of agricultural development in Western Australia over the past 100 years has been the loss of most of the native vegetation and, consequently, massive reductions in the numbers of most of our native fauna. Thirteen mammal species are extinct and many bird and mammal species are extinct in some areas. These losses will increase as remnant native vegetation degrades under the impact of nutrients washed and blown from farmland, from the invasion by weeds and from grazing sheep.

Even kangaroos are affected. Unless the community manages remnant vegetation to minimise degradation and enhance the regeneration of …

Phosphorus Retention Of Sandy Horticultural Soils On The Swan Coastal Plain, Ian Mcpharlin, Neil Delroy, Bob Jeffery, Greg Dellar, Maurice Eales

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

Soils can be ranked according to their phosphorus retention capacity by the phosphorus retention index (PRI). This is the ratio of phosphorus adsorbed by soil to that remaining in solution under a set of standard conditions. Although it is a laboratory measurement, the PRI seems to be a good indication of what happens in practice.

Shallow Drains For Reducing Waterlogging And Salinity On Clay Flats, Don Mcfarlane, Tim Negus, Arjen Ryder

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

Flooding, waterlogging and salinity are problems which commonly occur together on the broad valleys of the wheatbelt. Drainage lines often become poorly defined once they reach the valleys and flood waters spread out, causing inundation and waterlogging. This excess water needs to be controlled because it contributes to salinity

Phosphorus Nutrition., M. D. Bolland, M. J. Baker

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Evaluation of soil test for phosphate on sandy soils.

Results presented for this project, commenced in 1988, which started as a joint project between the Department of Agriculture and Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, School of Agriculture, University of Western Australia.

In the field experiments, 10 levels of superphosphate (three replicates) were applied in May 1988, and 10 levels of superphosphate (also three replicates) were applied in May 1989 onto an adjacent area to the 1988 treatments. Colwell P I(soil test values) and yield data are presented for 1988 and 1989 for the 1988 treatments layed out in 1988, and …

Phosphorus And Sulphur Nutrition Of Pastures In High Rainfall Areas., M. D. Bolland, M. F. Clarke

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

J.S.Yeates and M.F.Clarke started these experiments. In January 1990 M.D.A. Bolland replaced J.S. Yeates (who became Regional Manager of the Northern Agricultural Region) as the Research Officer responsible for the management of the long-term experiments, and to continue the research on the topic.

In the experiments the fertilizers wee applied in autumn (March-April) in the years listed in the tables.

Trial 80AL4

Location: Cuthbert.

A new experiment was started in 1989 to compare two partially acidulated rock phosphate (PARP) fertilizers with ordinary (single) superphosphate (OSP).

Trial 84AL32

Location: Denmark

The fertilizers compared are ordinary (single) superphosphate (OSP). New (pre 1990) …

Rhizoctonia Bare Patch Of Cereals And Lupins. Sterile Red Fungus (Srf) And Control Of Take-All Disease In Wheat., G. C. Macnish

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 86E31

Rhizoctonia strains and paddock history.

Location: Esperance Downs Research Station ( Paddock C5)

To determine the effects of pasture, cultivation and cropping on Rhizoctonia root rot, Rhizoctonia patch and distribution of patch and non-patch strains of R. spp

Trial 88E39

Rhizoctonia patch mini-plot establishment area.

Location: Esperance Downs Research Station ( Paddock N1B)

To examine the effects of cultivation and minimum tillage in patches in lupins and to provide sites for mini-plot experiment.

Trial 88KO15

Rhizoctonia bare patch establishment area.

Location: Kojaneerup annex.

To establish an area (with a known history) for future research.

Trial 89E12

Rhizoctonia bare …

Virus Diseases In Lupins., R. Jones, Simon Mckirdy, A. R. Baker, J. Stevenson

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90BA12, 90WH17, 90A6, 90MT13

Location: Badgingarra, Wongan Hills, Avondale and Mt Barker.

Cucumber Mosaic Virus - Effect of different levels of infection in seed sown.

Trials were done at Badgingarra and Wongan Hills in which plots were sown with seed of cv. Gungurru which transmitted CMV at rates of 5,, l' and O,. The plots were separated by 30 m wide cereal buffers. The intended plant density of 45 plants/sq m (seeding rate 80 kg/ha) was not achieved at either site because of non-wetting soil problems (Table 1). Establishment of CMV infected seedlings as opposed to healthy ones was …

Leaf Diseases Of Wheat, R. Loughman, Geoff Thomas, J. A. Bathgate, W. R. Smith

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90PE10

Strategic variety mixtures to reduce septoria diseases of wheat. Evaluation of wheat lines for suitability to mixing for septoria control.

Location: Mt. Barker Research Station

To determine components of partial resistance to both Septoria species to ensure that lines with components that are complimentary are chosen for evaluation as mixtures for Septoria control.

Trial 90MT12 and 90ME10

Assessing effects of a paired variety mixture to reduce Septoria.

Location: Borden and Mt Barker Research Station.

To assess the effects of a variety mixture on Septoria diseases.

Trial 90MT11 and 90JE9

Evaluating variety mixtures to reduce septoria, using a range …

Tactical Nitrogen For Wheat., J. W. Bowden, S. J. Burgess, Ian Fillery

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90NO104, 90NO111, 90NO112, 90MO53

Associated Work: 90N0105,111,112, 90M053,54, 55 and 56

Wheat responses to levels, sources and times of application of nitrogen.

Location: Southern Brook, Regan's Ford

This project characterizes the dynamics of nitrogen supply to a wheat crop at each of the sites on which various methods of making fertilizer recommendation were tested. It supposedly provides the "optimum" nitrogen fertilizer regime as well as detailed information on nitrogen supply and demand so that results can be made transferable to other situations.

Trial 90NO105, 90NO112, 90M054

Related trials: 90N0104, 105,111,112; 90M053,54,55 and 56

Tactical nitrogen application for wheat.

Location: …