Diagnosing crop and pasture problems with Detective Doug

There are numerous publications for diagnosing crop and pasture growth problems. Although they are excellent for experienced people, they can be time consuming and possibly misleading for the less experienced. Many guidebooks assume that the user has already decided that their problem falls into the category covered by their particular guidebook, for example, a disease, pest or herbicide problem. Guidebooks are often based on plant symptoms. However, in the field, symptoms vary and different problems can have similar symptoms. This bulletin presents a problem diagnosis method that uses plant symptoms and paddock clues. It can be used to draw up a short list of possible causes of an observed problem. Specialist decision aids can then be used to establish definitive causes. It has been presented for many years in training courses with the title Detective Doug.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1205/thumbnail.jp

Production of high-value wheats : one sustainable answer to the cost:price squeeze

Farmers and scientists alike over the past decade have sought to address the declining terms of farm trade (the cost.price squeeze) by increasing wheat yields in ways that will ensure both their economic and ecological survival. Nevertheless, costs have continued to increase as a proportion of the value of the product. Many farmers have increased their wheat yields substantially and the industry as a whole is more conscious of the quality of its product. Over the past 10 years or more there has been intense interest in, and considerable adoption of. conservation farming techniques such as minimum tillage, residue retention, cultivation on the contour, diverse rotations and tree planting. Yet in many places salinity has increased, soil erosion has continued, herbicide resistant grasses have appeared and soil fertility has possibly declined

Native vegetation in Western Australia is actively involved with soil formation

Many adverse situations in Western Australian agriculture have arisen because in the past we cleared native perennial vegetation below safe ecological limits in order to grow annual crops and pasture. In retrospect, we did not fully understand the functioning of the native ecosystems concerned and thus did not foresee the long-term consequences. Research into the survival techniques of native species provides important lessons for future farming. By understanding the behaviour of plants and soils we can maximise their use in a sustainable way. Knowledge of the water acquisition and storage strategies of native plants in seasonally dry areas may be critically important to reducing the impact of farming practices on land degradation and associated threats to biodiversity. Longer term applications of the research described in this bulletin may be the development of agricultural systems more in tune with native soils, leading to improvements in water-use efficiency, reduced recharge and salinity, and more economic and sustainable agriculture. Research has demonstrated that soil and landscape formation in Western Australia has been largely driven by the recently advanced ‘phytotarium concept’ (Verboom & Pate 2006a). We define this concept as the system whereby major plant species and their microbial associates bioengineer the soil profiles in which they occur to their own advantage so that they can monopolise water and nutrients. This not only supports their own survival but also determines the direction of ecosystem evolution in their particular geographical and climatic region.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1221/thumbnail.jp

Crop Updates 2010 - Crop Specific

This session covers twenty four papers from different authors: PLENARY 1. Challenges facing western Canadian cropping over the next 10 years, Hugh J Beckie, Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan CROP SPECIFIC Breeding 2. The challenge of breeding canola hybrids – new opportunities for WA growers, Wallace Cowling, Research Director, Canola Breeders Western Australia Pty Ltd 3. Chickpea 2009 crop variety testing of germplasm developed by DAFWA/CLIMA/ICRISAT/COGGO alliance. Khan, TN1,3, Adhikari, K1,3, Siddique, K2, Garlinge, J1, Smith, L1, Morgan, S1 and Boyd, C1 1Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA), 2Insititute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia (UWA), 3Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA), The University of Western Australia 4. PBA Pulse Breeding Australia – 2009 Field Pea Results, Ian Pritchard1, Chris Veitch1, Colin Boyd1, Stuart Morgan1, Alan Harris1 and Tony Leonforte2, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, 2Department of Primary Industries, Victoria 5. PBA Pulse Breeding Australia – 2009 Chickpea Results, Ian Pritchard1, Chris Veitch1, Colin Boyd1, Murray Blyth1, Shari Dougal1 and Kristy Hobson2 1Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, 2Department of Primary Industries, Victoria Decision Support 6. A tool for identifying problems in wheat paddocks, Ben Curtis and Doug Sawkins, Department of Agriculture and Food 7. DAFWA Seasonal Forecast for 2010, Stephens, D, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australian, Climate and Modelling Group Disease 8. Enhancement of black spot resistance in field pea, Kedar Adhikari, T Khan, S Morgan and C Boyd, Department of Agriculture and Food, 9. fungicide management of yellow spot in wheat, Ciara Beard, Kith Jayasena, Kazue Tanaka and Anne Smith, Department of Agriculture and Food 10. Resistance to infection by Beet western yellows virus in four Australian canola varieties, Brenda Coutts and Roger Jones, Department of Agriculture and Food 11. Yellow spot carryover risk from stubble in wheat-on-wheat rotations, Jean Galloway, Pip Payne and Tess Humphreys, Department of Agriculture and Food 12. Fungicides for the future: Management of Barley Powdery Mildew and Leaf Rust, Kith Jayasena, Kazue Tanaka and William MacLeod, Department of Agriculture and Food 13. 2009 canola disease survey and management options for blackleg and Sclerotinia in 2010, Ravjit Khangura, WJ MacLeod, M Aberra and H Mian, Department of Agriculture and Food 14. Impact of variety and fungicide on carryover of stubble borne inoculum and yellow spot severity in continuous wheat cropping, Geoff Thomas, Pip Payne, Tess Humphreys and Anne Smith, Department of Agriculture and Food 15. Limitations to the spread of Wheat streak mosaic virus by the Wheat curl mite in WA during 2009, Dusty Severtson, Peter Mangano, Brenda Coutts, Monica Kehoe and Roger Jones, Department of Agriculture and Food 16. Viable solutions for barley powdery mildew, Madeline A. Tucker, Australian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens, Murdoch University Marketing 17. The importance of varietal accreditation in a post-deregulation barley marketing environment, Neil Barker, Barley Australia 18. Can Australia wheat meet requirements for a new middle east market? Robert Loughman, Larisa Cato, Department of Agriculture and Food, and Ken Quail, BRI Australia VARIETY PERFORMANCE 19. Sowing rate and time for hybrid vs open-pollinated canola, Mohammad Amjad and Mark Seymour, Department of Agriculture and Food 20. HYOLA® National Hybrid vs OP Canola Hybrid F1 vs Retained Seed Generation Trial Results and recommendations for growers, Justin Kudnig, Mark Thompson, Anton Mannes, Michael Uttley, Chris Fletcher, Andrew Etherton, Nick Joyce and Kate Light, Pacific Seeds Australia 21. HYOLA® National Hybrid vs OP Canola Sowing Rate Trial Results and plant population recommendations for Australian growers, Justin Kudnig, Mark Thompson, Anton Mannes, Michael Uttley, Andrew Etherton, Chris Fletcher, Nick Joyce and Kate Light, Pacific Seeds Australia; Peter Hamblin, Agritech Research Young, NSW, Michael Lamond, Agrisearch, York, Western Australia 22. Desi chickpea agronomy for 2010, Alan Meldrum, Pulse Australia and Wayne Parker, Department of Agriculture and Food 23. New wheat varieties – exploit the benefits and avoid the pitfalls, Steve Penny, Sarah Ellis, Brenda Shackley, Christine Zaicou, Shahajahan Miyan, Darshan Sharma and Ben Curtis, Department of Agriculture and Food 24. The influence of genetics and environment on the level of seed alkaloid in narrow-leafed lupins, Greg Shea1, Bevan Buirchell1, David Harris2 and Bob French1, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2ChemCentr

Diagnosing crop and pasture problems with Detective Doug

There are numerous publications for diagnosing crop and pasture growth problems. Although they are excellent for experienced people, they can be time consuming and possibly misleading for the less experienced. Many guidebooks assume that the user has already decided that their problem falls into the category covered by their particular guidebook, for example, a disease, pest or herbicide problem. Guidebooks are often based on plant symptoms. However, in the field, symptoms vary and different problems can have similar symptoms. This bulletin presents a problem diagnosis method that uses plant symptoms and paddock clues. It can be used to draw up a short list of possible causes of an observed problem. Specialist decision aids can then be used to establish definitive causes. It has been presented for many years in training courses with the title Detective Doug.https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1205/thumbnail.jp

Production of high-value wheats : one sustainable answer to the cost:price squeeze

Farmers and scientists alike over the past decade have sought to address the declining terms of farm trade (the cost.price squeeze) by increasing wheat yields in ways that will ensure both their economic and ecological survival. Nevertheless, costs have continued to increase as a proportion of the value of the product. Many farmers have increased their wheat yields substantially and the industry as a whole is more conscious of the quality of its product. Over the past 10 years or more there has been intense interest in, and considerable adoption of. conservation farming techniques such as minimum tillage, residue retention, cultivation on the contour, diverse rotations and tree planting. Yet in many places salinity has increased, soil erosion has continued, herbicide resistant grasses have appeared and soil fertility has possibly declined

Native vegetation in Western Australia is actively involved with soil formation

Many adverse situations in Western Australian agriculture have arisen because in the past we cleared native perennial vegetation below safe ecological limits in order to grow annual crops and pasture. In retrospect, we did not fully understand the functioning of the native ecosystems concerned and thus did not foresee the long-term consequences. Research into the survival techniques of native species provides important lessons for future farming. By understanding the behaviour of plants and soils we can maximise their use in a sustainable way. Knowledge of the water acquisition and storage strategies of native plants in seasonally dry areas may be critically important to reducing the impact of farming practices on land degradation and associated threats to biodiversity. Longer term applications of the research described in this bulletin may be the development of agricultural systems more in tune with native soils, leading to improvements in water-use efficiency, reduced recharge and salinity, and more economic and sustainable agriculture. Research has demonstrated that soil and landscape formation in Western Australia has been largely driven by the recently advanced ‘phytotarium concept’ (Verboom & Pate 2006a). We define this concept as the system whereby major plant species and their microbial associates bioengineer the soil profiles in which they occur to their own advantage so that they can monopolise water and nutrients. This not only supports their own survival but also determines the direction of ecosystem evolution in their particular geographical and climatic region.https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1221/thumbnail.jp