Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia
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Wild radish and its management in crops
No full textWild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is highly competitive in crops and can cause a yield loss of 10 to 90 %.
Wild radish has fibrous stems that make harvesting difficult by choking the header comb, it is an alternative host for numerous pests and diseases, and it can cause animal health problems when grazed
The role of rural circular migration in shaping weather risk management for smallholder farmers in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh
No full textCircular migration, defined as migration where migrants return to their original home area, has become an increasingly important component of rural livelihoods and can significantly impact the risk management strategies of smallholder agricultural households in the face of climate change. To unpack the associations between climate change, migration decisions, and agricultural outcomes for smallholder agricultural households, we use an embedded mixed methods approach that uses quantitative data from a structured household survey from over 2,000 rural households in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, along with qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions. We use these data to identify the influence of socio-economic, climate, and weather factors on long (≥12 months) and short-term (\u3c12 months) migration decisions and the impacts of migration on risk management strategies in agriculture. Our research shows that the drivers and effects of migration differ based on migration characteristics, including the length of time a family member migrates and whether the destination is domestic or international. We find that households with limited resources, such as constrained irrigation access, use short-term migration to cope with weather variability, whereas long-term migration is generally undertaken by wealthier households motivated to improve long-term economic outcomes. Considering the impacts of migration on risk management, we find that short-term migration of household members results in increased investment in agriculture, such as increasing inputs and adopting new varieties. In contrast, long-term and international migration is associated with disinvestments in agriculture, such as reduced cropped area and inputs. Our results highlight the importance of migration in shaping agricultural management practices amidst the challenges of climate change
Diversity of Gibberellin 2-oxidase genes in the barley genome offers opportunities for genetic improvement
No full textIntroduction
Gibberellin (GA) is a vital phytohormone in regulating plant growth and development. During the “Green Revolution”, modification of GA-related genes created semi-dwarfing phenotype in cereal crops but adversely affected grain weight. Gibberellin 2-oxidases (GA2oxs) in barley act as key catabolic enzymes in deactivating GA, but their functions are still less known. Objectives
This study investigates the physiological function of two HvGA2oxgenes in barley and identifies novel semi-dwarf alleles with minimum impacts on other agronomic traits. Methods
Virus-induced gene silencing and CRISPR/Cas9 technology were used to manipulate gene expression of HvGA2ox9 and HvGA2ox8ain barley and RNA-seq was conducted to compare the transcriptome between wild type and mutants. Also, field trials in multiple environments were performed to detect the functional haplotypes. Results
There were ten GA2oxs that distinctly expressed in shoot, tiller, inflorescence, grain, embryo and root. Knockdown of HvGA2ox9 did not affect plant height, while ga2ox8a mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 increased plant height and significantly altered seed width and weight due to the increased bioactive GA4 level. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism were significantly decreased in the inflorescence of ga2ox8a mutants. Furthermore, haplotype analysis revealed one naturally occurring HvGA2ox8ahaplotype was associated with decreased plant height, early flowering and wider and heavier seed. Conclusion
Our results demonstrate the potential of manipulating GA2ox genes to fine tune GA signalling and biofunctions in desired plant tissues and open a promising avenue for minimising the trade-off effects of Green Revolution semi-dwarfing genes on grain size and weight. The knowledge will promote the development of next generation barley cultivars with better adaptation to a changing climate
The history of biological control of skeleton weed in Western Australia
No full textSkeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea L.) biocontrol agents were sent to Western Australia (WA) in the 1970s and 1980s but little monitoring occurred after release. Field surveys of agents present were conducted recently in preparation for the introduction of the skeleton weed gall midge (Cystiphora schmidti Rubsaamen) or other agents that had been released previously in WA or the eastern states of Australia. The surveys found that a rust (Puccinia chondrillina Bubak & P.Syd) was already established in some areas, and the rust was identified as matching one of the originally introduced strains. This paper investigates the history of skeleton weed biocontrol agents in WA and complements work on their current distribution and the skeleton weed biotypes on which they occur, culminating in the release of the gall midge Cystiphora schmidti to strengthen biological control of skeleton weed in Western Australia
The three-horned bedstraw (Galium tricornutum) eradication program in Western Australia
No full textThere is an increasing shift toward obtaining greater agronomic oversight through automative agricultural farming technologies that provide economic and sustainable advantages. One area of improvement lies in the temporal and spatial detection of weeds and subsequent application of site-specific herbicide technologies in cropping systems. Targeted weed technologies provide significant advantages to the cropping system. Current machine sensing technologies rely on heavy capital investment outlay which has been a barrier for adoption for many growers. Drones are also being used in this capacity; however they have limitations such as flight duration which means for large fields it lacks scalability. New satellites are being launched with increasing frequency, all with greater resolution capabilities than previously offered. This proliferation of satellites presents a new opportunity for accessing higher-resolution data, potentially reaching levels where innovative weed detection technologies can be developed. These technologies could empower growers to identify and target individual and smaller patches of weeds with precision, facilitating the 115 application of targeted herbicide spraying. One of the significant benefits of utilising satellites to provide a \u27spot spray’ application map, is the lack of capital outlay required, and the ability to integrate with current machinery capabilities and the worldwide scalability of such technology. Such targeted weed management significantly reduces operational costs but also addresses sustainability concerns by minimizing herbicide usage. Growers will have more weed management options for handling hard to control weeds, utilising more expensive herbicide options on stubborn weed populations, or using alternative weed control technology, which enhances effectiveness while mitigating the development of herbicide resistance. Ultimately, WeedSAT, a new weed detection method developed by DataFarming in partnership with GRDC and the University of Sydney, has the potential to provide significant savings for growers while integrating sustainable agricultural practices
Soil testing for managing crop inputs to overcome soil acidity and alkalinity constraints
No full textResearch Angler Program Newsletter: Recognition of two decades of the Research Angler Program
No full textFor over two-decades, volunteer recreational fishers have been diligently filling in angler logbooks as part of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Research Angler Program (RAP). The program, which began in 2004, was initially designed as a tool to enhance data collection for estuarine finfish in the West Coast Bioregion.
Throughout time, the program expanded to collect data on all species, habitat types and bioregions, generating community involvement all over the state. To date, fishers have reported data on over 19,000 fishing trips and more than 450 different fish and invertebrate (crustaceans and molluscs) species.
Fishers participating in the program have made a significant contribution to the sustainable management of fish and invertebrate stocks in Western Australia (WA). Recreational fishers can gather large volumes of data over a much broader area than could be gathered by scientists alone.
Data such as regional and seasonal catch composition (species, size), distribution of effort and fisher behaviour (e.g. duration of fishing sessions) has improved the quality of stock assessments for various recreational species including Australian herring, black bream, blue swimmer crab, yellowfin whiting, spangled emperor and tailor.
This newsletter provides a summary of the data collected over the 20-year program from 2004 to 2024
Hymenopteran parasitoids of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)) in Australia, with the description of five new species in the families Braconidae and Eulophidae
No full textFall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an invasive pest of agricultural crops including sweet corn and maize. The moth was first recorded in Australia in January 2020 and is now considered established in most states and territories, and research is underway to develop management strategies. Extensive rearing of S. frugiperda larvae and eggs occurred from March 2020 to April 2023 to understand the parasitoid complex present in Australia and identify potential biological control agents. We report here on the hymenopteran parasitoids reared during this period, which were identified using a combination of morphology and COI DNA barcoding, and provide images, a key to species, and contextual information to facilitate future research. Twelve species of parasitoids from five families of Hymenoptera are formally reported as parasitising S. frugiperda in Australia. Five species are here described as new: Chelonus patbat Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), Chelonus trojanus Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), Coccygidium mellosiheroine Atkin-Zaldivar & Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), Coccygidium necatrix Atkin-Zaldivar & Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), and Euplectrus frugiperdata Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Eulophidae)
Procedures for rangeland condition assessment in the Pilbara and southern rangelands 2022
No full textTo define the procedures used in 2022 by DPIRD to complete rangeland condition assessment (RCA) in the Pilbara and southern rangelands region which has predominantly shrub-based pastures. For the rest of the pastoral estate, DPIRD uses the Procedures for RCA in the Kimberley which has grass pastures.
RCA is the process DPIRD uses to make systematic, lease level assessment of rangeland. Rangeland condition considers both the condition of pastures (as defined in the Pasture condition and management guide for the Pilbara rangelands or Southern rangelands pasture condition and management guides) and soils (as determined by erosion, using the erosion assessment method) on pastoral lands in Western Australia (WA). The methods have evolved over several decades of practice and are unique to WA.
RCAs generally report on the basis of pastoral stations, which may contain one or more pastoral leases and, on occasion, include land with other tenure types that is used for pastoral purposes.
The data collected during an RCA are used to report on rangeland condition at the lease and regional scales. The RCA aims to quantify the condition of rangeland landscapes and pastures and to use this and other information to assess the effectiveness of pastoral management. The RCA process is part of DPIRD\u27s regulatory compliance approach