Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia
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Barley and cereal yellow dwarf viruses and their management
No full textBarley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDV) and cereal yellow dwarf viruses (CYDV) damage cereal crops worldwide. These yellow dwarf viruses infect wheat, barley, oats and grasses and are transmitted by aphids.
This page describes these collective yellow dwarf viruses (barley and cereal yellow dwarf viruses), which damage cereals crops and advises on their diagnosis, monitoring, and management the viruses in the Western Australian (WA) grainbelt.
Growers are encouraged to check cereal crops for aphids on a regular basis, especially early in the season during autumn when winged aphids migrate into cereal crops during the crops’ most vulnerable growth phase. Early detection of the aphid vectors will allow management decisions to be made to minimise potential yield and quality losses
Investigating the impact of ENSO and IOD on the South West Land Division
No full textSince 2000, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO): El Niño events, have reduced May-June rainfall for some western parts of the South West Land Division (SWLD).
Since 2000, negative IOD events are associated with wetter May-June rainfall, while positive IOD, had drier rainfall, fewer nights below 2°C, and more days above 30°C in August-September.
Since 1960, when ENSO and IOD events combine, La Niña/negative IOD events have higher May-June rainfall. El Niño/positive IOD combined events influence August-September temperature with fewer nights below 2°C, and more widespread occurrence of days above 30°C in the SWLD.
Growers can check ENSO and IOD event forecasts prior to the season to understand the predicted season types to help planning alongside decision support tools such as stored soil water and break of season maps
Soil Quality: 8 Sodic and Alkaline Soil
No full textThe Soil Quality ebooks provide a valuable resource for farmers, agricultural professionals and students. Experts from their fields share current knowledge and best practice techniques in layers of easy-to-navigate information, allowing readers to choose the level of detail they require.
Book 8 Sodic and Alkaline Soil, explains the causes, implications and impact of sodicity and alkalinity on soil structure and stability – including transient salinity and waterlogging. Animations, illustrations and case studies help us to understand the characteristics, processes, and impact of these constraints – and provides a practical manual for landholders wanting to optimise sodic and alkaline soil to achieve integrated management solutions.https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/sq_ebooks/1007/thumbnail.jp
Ecological risk assessment for the Western Australian Large Pelagic Fish Resource
No full textIn December 2023, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, the Department) convened an ecological risk assessment (ERA) of the fisheries that access the Statewide Large Pelagic Fish Resource (Resource). This Resource comprises a range of tropical and temperate species including mackerels, billfish, kingfish, cobia, mahi mahi and tunas. This document contains the background information used to support the ERA risk scoring process, scoring from the workshop and a summary of the workshop discussions that were relevant to the risk scoring. This includes an overview of Western Australian commercial fisheries that access the Resource, with a focus on the Mackerel Managed Fishery. This report also includes information about recreational and charter fisheries that access the Resource. ERAs are conducted by the Department as part of its Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management framework. Accordingly, the ERA will consider the potential ecological impacts of harvesting of the Resource. This includes impacts of fishing on all relevant retained and bycatch (non-retained) species, endangered, threatened and protected species, aquatic habitats and the broader environment. Risk scores were determined during the ERA workshop, based on available scientific information and expert knowledge. The assessment will conform to the AS/NZS ISO 31000 risk management standard, and to the methodology adopted by the Department, which uses a consequence-likelihood analysis for estimating risk. A broad range of stakeholders were invited to participate in the ERA workshop, including representatives of the commercial, recreational, and charter fishing sectors, State and Commonwealth Government agencies, the conservation sector, universities, and DPIRD staff including fisheries managers, scientists, compliance officers and biosecurity personnel. In this ERA, forty-one ecological components were scored for risk. The vast majority (39) of ecological components were evaluated as low or negligible risks, which do not require any specific control measures. There were 2 medium risks, which were assessed as acceptable under the current monitoring regime and control measures that will be in place over the next five years. No components were scored as high or severe risks. It is recommended that the risks be reviewed in five years
Working group on recreational fishing surveys: outputs from 2023 meeting
No full textThe role of the ICES Working Group on Recreational Fisheries Surveys (WGRFS) is to compile and validate data from European countries\u27 recreational fisheries and contribute to the ICES advisory process regarding marine recreational fisheries (MRF) issues. In 2023, WGRFS actively engaged in various aspects of MRF, involving the consolidation and evaluation of national survey programs, validating new methodologies, offering guidance on data availability, quality, and usage, facilitating regional data gathering and storage, exploring human dimensions, and assessing workshops organized by the group. The sessions primarily aimed at information exchange, evaluating the quality of national survey programs, intersessional group activities, and scientific publication plans.
A wide array of topics was discussed, including the introduction of new national survey programs and their outcomes in countries like Australia, the French Caribbean, Germany, Italy, Latin America, Namibia, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and the USA. Insights on MRF were shared by the European Commission and representatives from the angling community. Updates were provided on the outcomes of the Regional Coordination Group (RCG) intersessional group on Recreational Fisheries. Presentations summarized the findings of stock assessments involving MRF. Using the WGRFS Quality Assurance Tool, assessments were conducted on two national survey schemes: Finland and the UK Catchwise. Issues with the approaches were highlighted, and recommendations were proposed for future enhancements.
The primary focus of the meeting centred on reviewing advances, formulating strategies, and setting the course for the intersessional groups (ISGs), which serve as the main delivery mechanism for WGRFS. The ISGs encompass governance, survey methodologies, quality assurance, regional coordination and data storage, catch and release, animal welfare, stock assessment and reconstruction, innovative methodologies, human dimensions, and communication and engagement. Due to the breadth of discussions and outcomes, a comprehensive summary is not feasible here, but detailed information is available within the main text.
The WGRFS has consistently produced results focused on several key areas: establishing an extensive network for sharing expertise, refining methodologies, enhancing the scientific profile, and providing scientific evidence to support the integration of recreational data in fisheries management
Fisheries Occasional Publication No.147 - Aquaculture Development Zones – Policy Position relating to Permitted Alternative Species
No full textThe purpose of this policy is to set out considerations relevant to the assessment of aquaculture proposals within Aquaculture Development Zones (ADZ) for species distinct from the group of species for which the ADZ was initially established (Alternative Species).https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/fr_fop/1065/thumbnail.jp
Manipulating larval rearing media to optimise mass production of the blow fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
No full textThe oviparous blow fly Calliphora vicina has shown potential as a managed pollinator to support honeybee (Apis mellifera) usage in Australian horticulture. A series of three laboratory-based studies reared newly hatched larvae of C. vicina on meatmeal with varying amounts of either whole egg powder, whole eggs (including shells), bran flakes, brewer\u27s yeast, fish paste or milk powder. The objective was to determine the best larval media for quick and efficient production of adult flies in a mass-rearing environment. Pure meatmeal or meatmeal with only brewer\u27s yeast added were the least productive media. Larvae fed meatmeal with either 10% or 20% whole dried egg powder had the fastest development to pupae, the highest pupation rate, the heaviest pupae and the highest subsequent adult eclosion. Larval media containing fish paste had the highest survival through to adult emergence (\u3e85%) of all the media treatments, which suggests that this ingredient is of value when mass rearing C. vicina. In addition, newly hatched larvae (n = 50) were reared on varying amounts of media (i.e., 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 g per larvae) to determine the minimum amount of media required to produce adults. Reductions in media per larvae resulted in smaller pupae and adults that emerged with no subsequent reduction in adult eclosion, indicating the adaptability of this fly to food deprivation. Replacing whole egg powder with whole eggs reduces the costs of rearing C. vicina larvae significantly. In order to rear 1 million adult C. vicina, these studies showed that 0.5 g of media per larvae is sufficient to produce high numbers of pupae with \u3e95% adult eclosion. Although larval development and pupation are optimal on media containing whole egg powder, its recent rapid rise in costs makes it far less economical compared with the use of discarded whole eggs from egg producers. Sourcing of seafood waste could also reduce media costs and improve production of C. vicina. The costs of each media required to realise 1 million adult C. vicina are between 1900 depending on the media ingredients
Agricultural groundcover update May 2024
No full textIn May, over 9% (1,410,000 ha) of the arable farmland in the south-west of Western Australia had less than 50% vegetative groundcover, which is inadequate to prevent wind erosion. Northern grainbelt had the highest risk of wind erosion and over 26% of this farmland had inadequate groundcover, predominantly found on landscapes known for sandy soils. About 1.3% (208,900 ha) of arable land had a high to very high risk of wind erosion because groundcover was less than 30%. Half of this land was in the West Midlands Ag Soil Zone
Strategic tillage for sustaining the productivity of broadacre cropping in the arid and semi-arid regions of Southern Australia
No full textConventional tillage, usually practised before every cropping cycle, was proven damaging and unsustainable and was replaced by conservation agriculture (CA) using no-till systems following the ‘dustbowls’ incident in the USA. However, the continuous practice of CA has brought new soil and agronomic challenges, such as soil water repellence, soil pH and nutrient stratification, subsoil acidity, compaction and herbicide resistance, threatening the sustainability of broadacre cropping again. In recent years, one-off deep strategic tillage (ST) has brought attention and shown promise in overcoming the challenges imposed by CA and improving the sustainability of broadacre cropping. Deep ST approaches are now available for applying and incorporating soil amendments such as agricultural lime to a targeted depth while treating soil water repellence and loosening the compacted subsoil. Some ST practices have also been proven to manage weed seed banks and decrease the demand for herbicide applications. Many farmers in southern Australia have adopted ST to address the above-mentioned soil and agronomic challenges. When ST is practised, care should be taken in selecting the right timing, soil conditions and depth of tillage for successful outcomes. Once ST is implemented, reestablishing CA would ensure the longevity of the benefits of ST.https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/books/1035/thumbnail.jp
Low-emission beef production in the Southern Rangelands of Western Australia: an analysis of herd structure and stocking rate experiencing droughts
No full textReconciling profitable cattle production with rangeland health and reduced emissions is a key challenge in the southern rangelands of Western Australia (WA). Stocking rate and herd structure selection are crucial decisions to achieve this balance. This study assessed the emission profiles of three contrasting herd structures (weaner production, live export, and slaughter production), and three stocking rates within a herd–carbon accounting modelling framework. The analysis considers the impact of varying drought frequencies on these cattle production systems. Herd models were developed for the semiarid southern WA rangelands. Stocking rates were set at 100%, 80% and 66% of the government recommended rate. Drought events (represented by Decile 2 rainfall years) were introduced at different frequencies within a 30-year simulation period. Slaughter production with a 66% stocking rate exhibited the lowest and most consistent carbon footprint, averaging around 15 kg CO2 equivalents/kg liveweight sold. Higher stocking rates and weaner production systems generally resulted in increased carbon footprint variability. Selecting a herd structure producing heavy steers and heifers for slaughter, combined with a conservative stocking rate (66% of recommended), offers a combined economic and environmental benefit for cattle production in the southern rangelands of WA. This strategy promotes financial sustainability while minimising emissions and enhancing resilience to drought events