Crop Updates 2006 - Cadoux and Calingiri

This session covers nine papers from different authors Performance of oaten hay varieties in Western Australian environments, Raj Malik and Kellie Winfield, Department of Agriculture Performance of dwarf potential milling varieties in Western Australian environments, Raj Malik and Kellie Winfield, Department of Agriculture 2006 Seasonal outlook, David Stephens, Michael Meuleners and Kari-Lee Falconer, Department of Agriculture Matching nitrogen supply to crop demand in high rainfall cropping, Bill Bowden, Narelle Simpson Department of Agriculture An overview of the potential for a Biofuels Industry in Western Australia, Anne Wilkins and Nathan Hancock, Department of Agriculture IWM performs over 5 years in 33 focus paddocks, Peter Newman and Glen Adam, Department of Agriculture Analysis of a wheat-pasture rotation in the 330mm annual rainfall zone using the STEP model, Andrew Blake and Caroline Peak Department of Agriculture What lies beneath? – Understanding constraints to productivity below the soil surface, Stephen Davies and Chris Gazey Department of agriculture, Bob Gilkes, Dan Evans and Tania Liaghati, University of Western Australia Managing the Unmanageable, Bill Bowden, Department of Agricultur

Crop Updates 2006 - Katanning

This session covers sixteen papers from different authors 2006 SEASONAL OUTLOOK, David Stephens and Michael Meuleners, Department of Agriculture Review of climate model summaries reported in the Department of Agriculture’s growing season outlooks, Meredith Fairbanks, Department of Agriculture Farmers commodity outlook 2006, Thomas Schulz, Department of Agriculture Why is salinity such a difficult problem for plant breeders? T J Flowers, TD Colmer, University of Western Australia Matching nitrogen supply to wheat demand in 2005, Narelle Simpson, Ron McTaggart, Wal Anderson, Lionel Martin and Dave Allen, Department of Agriculture Wheat varieties in 2006, Brenda Shackley, Department of Agriculture Performance of dwarf potential milling oat varieties in Western Australian environments, Raj Malik and Kellie Winfield, Department of Agriculture Field pea lessons for 2006, Rodger Beermir, Department of Agriculture Better returns from Durum wheat, Shahahan Miyan, Department of Agriculture Summer weeds can reduce grain yield and protein, Dr. Abul Hashem, Department of Agriculture, Dr Shahab Pathan, Department of Agriculture, Vikki Osten, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Management of Summer Weeds, Alex Douglas, Department of Agriculture Frost or Friction, Garren Knell, Steve Curtin, Wade Longmuir, Consult Ag Pty Ltd PROFITING FROM MARGINAL LAND SEMINAR Producing Bio-Diesel and rubber from marginal land?? Dr Henry Brockman, Department of Agriculture SGSL Producer network – on ground implementation of saltbush based pastures, Justin Hardy, Arjen Ryder, John Paul Collins and Jessica Johns, Department of Agriculture Enhancing the profitability of “Edenia” using saltbush and perenials, SGSL Producer case study, John Pepall, Jinka’s Hill LCDC Investment in saltland pastures, Allan Herbert, Department of Agricultur

Crop Updates 2007 - Farming Systems

This session covers forty papers from different authors: 1. Quality Assurance and industry stewardship, David Jeffries, Better Farm IQ Manager, Cooperative Bulk Handling 2. Sothis: Trifolium dasyurum (Eastern Star clover), A. Loi, B.J. Nutt and C.K. Revell, Department of Agriculture and Food 3. Poor performing patches of the paddock – to ameliorate or live with low yield? Yvette Oliver1, Michael Robertson1, Bill Bowden2, Kit Leake3and Ashley Bonser3, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems1, Department of Food and Agriculture2, Kellerberrin Farmer3 4. What evidence is there that PA can pay? Michael Robertson, CSIRO Floreat, Ian Maling, SilverFox Solutions and Bindi Isbister, Department of Agriculture and Food 5.The journey is great, but does PA pay? Garren Knell, ConsultAg; Alison Slade, Department of Agriculture and Food, CFIG 6. 2007 Seasonal outlook, David Stephens and Michael Meuleners, Department of Agriculture and Food 7. Towards building farmer capacity to better manage climate risk, David Beard and Nicolyn Short, Department of Agriculture and Food 8. A NAR farmers view of his farming system in 2015, Rob Grima, Department of Agriculture and Food 9. Biofuels opportunities in Australia, Ingrid Richardson, Food and Agribusiness Research, Rabobank 10. The groundwater depth on the hydrological benefits of lucerne and the subsequent recharge values, Ruhi Ferdowsian1and Geoff Bee2; 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Landholder, Laurinya, Jerramungup 11. Subsoil constraints to crop production in the high rainfall zone of Western Australia, Daniel Evans1, Bob Gilkes1, Senthold Asseng2and Jim Dixon3; 1University of Western Australia, 2CSIRO Plant Industry, 3Department of Agriculture and Food 12. Prospects for lucerne in the WA wheatbelt, Michael Robertson, CSIRO Floreat, Felicity Byrne and Mike Ewing, CRC for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity, Dennis van Gool, Department of Agriculture and Food 13. Nitrous oxide emissions from a cropped soil in the Western Australian grainbelt, Louise Barton1, Ralf Kiese2, David Gatter3, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl2, Renee Buck1, Christoph Hinz1and Daniel Murphy1,1School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 2Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, 3The Department of Agriculture and Food 14. Managing seasonal risk is an important part of farm management but is highly complex and therefore needs a ‘horses for courses’ approach, Cameron Weeks, Planfarm / Mingenew-Irwin Group, Dr Michael Robertson, Dr Yvette Oliver, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and Dr Meredith Fairbanks, Department of Agriculture and Food 15. Novel use application of clopyralid in lupins, John Peirce, and Brad Rayner Department of Agriculture and Food 16. Long season wheat on the South Coast – Feed and grain in a dry year – a 2006 case study, Sandy White, Department of Agriculture and Food 17. Wheat yield response to potassium and the residual value of PKS fertiliser drilled at different depths, Paul Damon1, Bill Bowden2, Qifu Ma1 and Zed Rengel1; Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia1, Department of Agriculture and Food2 18. Saltbush as a sponge for summer rain, Ed Barrett-Lennard and Meir Altman, Department of Agriculture and Food and CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity 19. Building strong working relationships between grower groups and their industry partners, Tracey M. Gianatti, Grower Group Alliance 20. To graze or not to graze – the question of tactical grazing of cereal crops, Lindsay Bell and Michael Robertson, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems 21. Can legume pastures and sheep replace lupins? Ben Webb and Caroline Peek, Department of Agriculture and Food 22. EverGraze – livestock and perennial pasture performance during a drought year, Paul Sanford, Department of Agriculture and Food, and CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity 23. Crop survival in challenging times, Paul Blackwell1, Glen Riethmuller1, Darshan Sharma1and Mike Collins21Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Okura Plantations, Kirikiri New Zealand 24. Soil health constraints to production potential – a precision guided project, Frank D’Emden, and David Hall, Department of Agriculture and Food 25. A review of pest and disease occurrence in 2006, Mangano, G.P. and Severtson, D.L., Department of Agriculture and Food 26. e-weed – an information resource on seasonal weed management issues, Vanessa Stewart and Julie Roche, Department of Agriculture and Food 27. Review of Pesticide Legislation and Policies in Western Australia, Peter Rutherford, BSc (Agric.), Pesticide Legislation Review, Office of the Chief Medical Adviser, WA Department of Health 28. Future wheat yields in the West Australian wheatbelt, Imma Farré and Ian Foster, Department of Agriculture and Food, Stephen Charles, CSIRO Land and Water 29. Organic matter in WA arable soils: What’s active and what’s not, Frances Hoyle, Department of Agriculture and Food, Australia and Daniel Murphy, UWA 30. Soil quality indicators in Western Australian farming systems, D.V. Murphy1, N. Milton1, M. Osman1, F.C. Hoyle2, L.K Abbott1, W.R. Cookson1and S. Darmawanto1; 1UWA, 2Department of Agriculture and Food 31. Impact of stubble on input efficiencies, Geoff Anderson, formerly employed by Department of Agriculture and Food 32. Mixed farming vs All crop – true profit, not just gross margins, Rob Sands and David McCarthy, FARMANCO Management Consultants, Western Australia 33. Evaluation of Local Farmer Group Network – group leaders’ surveys 2005 and 2006, Paul Carmody, Local Farmer Group Network, Network Coordinator, UWA 34. Seeding rate and nitrogen application and timing effects in wheat, J. Russell, Department of Agriculture and Food, J. Eyres, G. Fosbery and A. Roe, ConsultAg, Northam 35. Foliar fungicide application and disease control in barley, J. Russell, Department of Agriculture and Food, J. Eyres, G. Fosbery and A. Roe, ConsultAg, Northam 36. Brown manuring effects on a following wheat crop in the central wheatbelt, , J. Russell, Department of Agriculture and Food, J. Eyres, G. Fosbery and A. Roe, ConsultAg, Northam 37. Management of annual pastures in mixed farming systems – transition from a dry season, Dr Clinton Revell and Dr Phil Nichols; Department of Agriculture and Food 38. The value of new annual pastures in mixed farm businesses of the wheatbelt, Dr Clinton Revell1, Mr Andrew Bathgate2and Dr Phil Nichols1; 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Farming Systems Analysis Service, Albany 39. The influence of winter SOI and Indian Ocean SST on WA winter rainfall, Meredith Fairbanks and Ian Foster, Department of Agriculture and Food 40. Market outlook – Grains, Anne Wilkins, Market Analyst, Grains, Department of Agriculture and Foo

The South Pacific trough: a crucial component of low-frequency pressure variations that determine ENSO development and strength

Much ENSO research and modelling has recently focussed on air-sea interactions along the equator and high-frequency wind and pressure changes. At a larger scale, van Loon (1984) proposed that the weakening of the Pacific trades between April-July prior to El Niño occurred as an enhanced surface trough in the westerlies developed in the South Pacific. This enhancement of the annual cycle (with a stronger high pressure over Australia) was proposed to: 1) direct southerly wind anomalies up into the western equatorial Pacific to the east of Australia, thereby contributing to westerly anomalies, and 2) direct south-westerly winds against the South Pacific high, thus weakening the high and the southeast trades moving back towards the western Pacific, i.e. a combined effect on the trades. Here, we explore temporal and spatial aspects of El Niño development by comparing composite anomaly sequences of sea-level pressure (SLP), surface winds and SST leading into strong, weak and late developing events. We confirm the traditional view that the Southern Oscillation is, to first order, a standing oscillation with geographically fixed nodes and antinodes. This oscillation of low pressure between south-eastern Australia and the central South Pacific is more pronounced leading into stronger El Niño events, with a resultant stronger pressure gradient between the regions early in year (0). We therefore confirm the South Pacific troughs combined effect on the Pacific trades, and find that the maximum warming in Nino 3 occurs between April-July when the trough is most influential in the annual cycle. An El Niño will not develop, or continue into a second austral summer, without a high pressure over Indo-Australia and an enhanced South Pacific trough extending low pressure up to the eastern equatorial Pacific. Composites of stronger El Niño events suggest that there is a more self sustaining propagation of low pressure and associated westerly wind anomalies from the Australian region in year (-1) into the Pacific in year (0). This progression appears to be linked to an eastward progression of warm SST anomalies along the equator that bi-furcates into the South Pacific Convergence Zone and northern Pacific subtropics early in year (0). Significant low pressure anomalies in the North and South Pacific midlatitudes appear critical in MJJ (0) to provide the large scale forcing required for significant Pacific warming. The larger spatial extent of warm SST and negative MSLP anomalies in strong events suggest that the planetary waves in the northern subtropics also become involved and compliment the southern hemisphere. In contrast, weaker El Niño events had a weaker and less distinct eastward progression of low pressure and SST anomalies and much less support from the northern midlatitudes between May-October (0). The timing of ridge strengthening in the North and South Pacific was also found to determine whether an El Niño developed into a La Niño or neutral conditions. Reference: van Loon, H., 1984: The Southern Oscillation. Part III, Associations with the trades and with the trough in the westerlies of the South Pacific Ocean. Mon. Wea. Rev., 112, 947-954..Pages: 633-63

Early unsupervised drinking: reducing the risks. The school health and alcohol harm reduction project

The School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project (SHAHRP) aimed to reduce alcohol related harm by enhancing students' abilities to identify and deal with high-risk drinking situations and issues. The SHAHRP study involved a quasiexperimental research design, incorporating intervention and control groups and measuring change over a 32-month period. The study occurred in metropolitan, government secondary schools (13 - 17-year-olds) in Perth, Western Australia. The 14 intervention and control schools involved in the SHAHRP study represent approximately 23% of government secondary schools in the Perth metropolitan area. The sample was selected using cluster sampling, with stratification by socio-economic area, and involved over 2300 intervention and control students from junior secondary schools. The retention rate of the study was 75.9% over 32 months. The intervention incorporated evidence-based approaches to enhance potential for behaviour change in the target population. The intervention was a classroom-based programme, with an explicit harm minimization goal, and was conducted in two phases over a 2-year period. The results were analysed by baseline context of alcohol use to assess the impact of the programme on students with varying experience with alcohol. Knowledge and attitudes were modified simultaneously after the first phase of the intervention in all baseline context of use groups. The programme had little behavioural impact on baseline supervised drinkers; however, baseline non-drinkers and unsupervised drinkers were less likely to consume alcohol in a risky manner, compared to their corresponding control groups. In line with programme goals, early unsupervised drinkers from the intervention group were also significantly less likely to experience harm associated with their own use of alcohol compared to the corresponding control group. Unsupervised drinkers experienced 18.4% less alcohol-related harm after participating in both phases of the programme and this difference was maintained (19.4% difference) 17 months after the completion of the programme. This study indicates that a school drug education programme needs to be offered in several phases, that programme components may need to be included to cater for the differing baseline context of use groups, and that early unsupervised drinkers experience less alcoholrelated harm after participating in a harm reduction programme. [McBride N, Farringdon F, Midford R, Meuleners L, Phillips M. Early unsupervised drinking—reducing the risks. The School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project. Drug Alcohol Rev 2003;22:263 - 276

Technique [Volume 89, Issue 4]

Austen's Pride and Prejudice remembered as timeless classicBenefits of FraternitiesBeyond the White and GoldBreaking the Bubbleby the numbersCourt sodomy ruling could impact policyDante's Down the Hatch certainly a unique experienceEarleywine named interim coachFaces in the CrowdHewitt signs on for 5 more yearsHot or NotIt's Official: Miami and Virginia Tech are inNews BriefsOur Views: Consensus Opinion"Chicken McNuggets made me obese"Sport ShortsStop complaining, enjoy collegeTech community mourns loss of Ivan Allen, Jr.TECHNOLOGY SQUARE: "College town" kicks off with bookstoreTech's international population grows despite restrictionsWhy do we stress about so many choices

Technique [Volume 89, Issue 4]

Austen's Pride and Prejudice remembered as timeless classicBenefits of FraternitiesBeyond the White and GoldBreaking the Bubbleby the numbersCourt sodomy ruling could impact policyDante's Down the Hatch certainly a unique experienceEarleywine named interim coachFaces in the CrowdHewitt signs on for 5 more yearsHot or NotIt's Official: Miami and Virginia Tech are inNews BriefsOur Views: Consensus Opinion"Chicken McNuggets made me obese"Sport ShortsStop complaining, enjoy collegeTech community mourns loss of Ivan Allen, Jr.TECHNOLOGY SQUARE: "College town" kicks off with bookstoreTech's international population grows despite restrictionsWhy do we stress about so many choices

Technique [Volume 89, Issue 30]

April Fool's web prank well-receivedBreaking the Bubbleby the numbersClough tours campus in annual safety walkCouncil Clippings Senate and HouseEntertainment BriefsFaces at Georgia TechFire victims rebuild with community's helpFor SGA presidential candidates flyers, publicity only part of campaign costsHewitt signs on for six more yearsHistory of April Fool's jokesHorizon's Drawer Boy showcases pleasures of simple lifeMidseason report: Jackets headed in right directionNews BriefsOUR VIEWS Consensus OpinionOUR VIEWS Hot or NotOwings pursues national championship instead of prosPhuong captures SGA presidencyPiedmont hosts annual Dogwood FestivalPolice report few disturbances after gameRare change of heart as profs push back tests, homework for NCAA championship gameRHA seeks funding for newspapersSet education to lofty goals, not moneySports ShortsSwan song recommends campus involvementTech bands battle it out at Couch...Two BitsWillis, Perry reunite in Yards reduxYOUR VIEWS Letters to the Edito

Crop Updates 2006 - Cadoux and Calingiri

This session covers nine papers from different authors Performance of oaten hay varieties in Western Australian environments, Raj Malik and Kellie Winfield, Department of Agriculture Performance of dwarf potential milling varieties in Western Australian environments, Raj Malik and Kellie Winfield, Department of Agriculture 2006 Seasonal outlook, David Stephens, Michael Meuleners and Kari-Lee Falconer, Department of Agriculture Matching nitrogen supply to crop demand in high rainfall cropping, Bill Bowden, Narelle Simpson Department of Agriculture An overview of the potential for a Biofuels Industry in Western Australia, Anne Wilkins and Nathan Hancock, Department of Agriculture IWM performs over 5 years in 33 focus paddocks, Peter Newman and Glen Adam, Department of Agriculture Analysis of a wheat-pasture rotation in the 330mm annual rainfall zone using the STEP model, Andrew Blake and Caroline Peak Department of Agriculture What lies beneath? – Understanding constraints to productivity below the soil surface, Stephen Davies and Chris Gazey Department of agriculture, Bob Gilkes, Dan Evans and Tania Liaghati, University of Western Australia Managing the Unmanageable, Bill Bowden, Department of Agricultur