Primary Industries Development Research Highlights 2021

The Primary Industries Development Research Highlights 2021 showcases the breadth and depth of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s research and development activities over the past several years. Stories featured in Research Highlights 2021 stem from about 60 (of 140) current and recently-completed projects undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) 1100 scientists, technical experts and economists throughout the State. Explore our Research Highlights 2021. The publication demonstrates the innovative and applicable research that DPIRD and its collaborators and investment partners deliver to Western Australia. Download the Research Highlights 2021 here. Alternatively, a copy is available from DPIRD offices on request.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/books/1021/thumbnail.jp

Production of premium waxflowers

The cut flower trade is a highly competitive global market. Waxflowers are grown around the world—often in countries with lower cost structures or closer proximity to our main markets. Western Australian producers can only compete if their product stands out from the crowd in terms of quality, presentation and uniqueness, however, it still has to represent good value for money.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1272/thumbnail.jp

Arkansas Soybean Research Studies 2014

Arkansas is the leading soybean-producing state in the mid-southern United States. Arkansas ranked 10th in soybean production in 2015 when compared to the other soybean-producing states in the U.S. The state represents 4.0% of the total U.S. soybean production and 3.7% of the total acres planted to soybean in 2015. The 2015 state soybean average was 49 bushels per acres, 0.5 bushel per acres less than the state record soybean yield set in 2014 (Table 1). The top five soybean-producing counties in 2015 were Mississippi, Desha, Poinsett, Phillips, and Arkansas Counties. These five counties accounted for 35% of soybean production in Arkansas in 2015

Irrigation and drainage in the new millennium

Presented at the 2000 USCID international conference, Challenges facing irrigation and drainage in the new millennium on June 20-24 in Fort Collins, Colorado.Includes bibliographical references.The introduction of canal irrigation in the semi-arid regions of the Haryana State of India underlain with saline ground water in early sixties led to the rise in water levels at an annual rate of 0.3 to 1.0 m and secondary salinization adversely affecting crop production. To develop feasible technologies for the reclamation of such areas, a pilot study on sub-surface tile drainage systems was undertaken in an area at the Haryana Agricultural University Farm having shallow water levels and high salinity. The drains with three spacings (24, 48, 72 m) were placed at a depth of 2.5 m. The water levels, drainage rates and soil salinity data from the study area growing vegetable crops (eggplant, tomato and potato) were used to calibrate the Field Agricultural Irrigation and Drainage Simulation (FAIDS) model for the period 1985-1989 and validate it for the period 1989-93. A number of simulations were also carried out to finalize optimum drain configuration (spacing x depth) under existing agrohydrological conditions. The drain configurations of 75 m x 2 m (1st option) and 100 m x 2.5 m (2nd option) performed equally well based on salinity in the root zone and crop performance. In both the options, relative evapotranspiration (ETa/ETp) of 0.81 was attained during the third year of operation of the drainage system under normal rainfall conditions. The occurrence of a maximum one-day rainfall event (1 in 10 years) during the fifth year resulted in the failure of one out of three crops in both the options in that year indicating the necessity of integration of a surface drainage system with the subsurface drainage under abnormal rainfall events. The existing inland basin drainage conditions did not permit the disposal of drainage effluent. The reuse system was therefore, integrated with the drainage system. A model RESBAL was coupled with the calibrated and validated model FAIDS and run for eight years to optimally design a series of connected reservoirs for the disposal of drainage effluent from an area provided with a subsurface drainage system. The possibility of the reuse of the disposed water for irrigation, aqua culture and salt harvesting was also studied comprehensively in order to maintain proper salt balance in the root zone. On the basis of this study, subsurface drainage systems coupled with surface drainage systems are being extended in Haryana to over 2000 ha of the farmers' land severely affected with waterlogging and soil salinity using a tile-laying trenching machine

Irrigation and drainage in the new millennium

Presented at the 2000 USCID international conference, Challenges facing irrigation and drainage in the new millennium on June 20-24 in Fort Collins, Colorado.Includes bibliographical references.Pakistan owns the large contiguous canal network for irrigating the Indus plains encompassing an area of 16 million ha. The government has now embarked upon reforms to restructure the institutional set-up of irrigation and drainage. The major thrust of these reforms is to transfer the management of secondary and tertiary irrigation and drainage systems to the Farmers' Organizations (FOs), and also involve farmers in the decision making process at the primary level of the system. Important is that the farmers themselves have to appreciate the value of the change, take the initiative to interact with the government, and begin to play a significant role in the participatory management mode. Unless the grass-root level farmers participate in the proposed FOs, there is less likelihood for the social and financial viability of the reforms. The experience to date with the farmers' institutions in Pakistan shows that there has been limited success in establishing functional farmers organizations even at the tertiary level of the irrigation system. A number of professionals are skeptical about the successful establishment and functioning of the proposed FOs as a large proportion of water users are socially vulnerable, politically unorganized and economically weak. Substantially skewed distribution of productive assets necessitates concerted efforts in social organization to ensure that the majority of water users are free to participate. Thus, best practices of organizational methodologies need to be followed to ensure that the reforms are implemented successfully. The International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI) has been involved in pilot projects for organizing farmers for Distributary management, which proved successful in organizing farmers. These organizations are now anxiously waiting for the government's response to transfer the management responsibilities to FOs. This paper synthesizes the results of the pilot efforts and suggests guidelines for organizing fanners at secondary levels of the canal system and upscaling these organizations to entire river basins in Pakistan