Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia
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Natural revegetation and no grazing
No full textThe department recommends that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.
Natural revegetation and no grazing are only recommended for sites that are too saline, waterlogged and/or inundated for other treatments to succeed in the south-west of Western Australia. It is also the preferred option for the lowest possible cost
GreenFeed methane measuring machine
No full textThe Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) now has the cutting-edge GreenFeed machine which measures emissions from individual cows and sheep, allowing us to determine Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions more accurately in the paddock
Profitable improvement in rangeland conditions: Cunyu Station’s achievement of synonymous objectives in the highly variable southern rangelands of Western Australia
No full textThis case examines the objectives and management practices of Cunyu Station in Western Australia from 1990–2017. The owners’ objectives were to apply best practice knowledge augmented with localized management skills to rigorously adjust total grazing pressure (TGP) from all species (cattle, kangaroos, camels, horses, and donkeys) to levels commensurate with improved landscape conditions, minimized operating costs, and stable cash flows. A combination of infrastructure investment, feral herbivore control, use of the native apex predator (dingo) for kangaroo control, creation, and maintenance of around 18 months of ‘buffer’ pasture, and finishing 30-month-old steers on the Station were key management practices for successfully achieving these goals. This case is accompanied by modeling that validates the Station’s pasture ‘buffering’ approach by comparing profitability from stocking at different TGP rates by using 30 years of historical seasons and prices. This case demonstrates that improving livestock productivity, stable profitability, and improving range conditions/biodiversity can be synonymous. A key issue of financing the transition to this system is discussed
Alternative energy and protein feed sources for sheep and cattle
No full textDuring dry times and drought there are a wide range of alternative feedstuffs producers may consider using to maintain stock. Some of these feeds can have health risks associated with them and should not be used as the sole food source as they often lack sufficient energy and protein
Aphid feeding damage and its management in cereal crops
No full textAdult and nymph aphids suck sap from cereal crops, with large populations, especially in winter and spring, limiting grain yield and size. This page relates to feeding damage from oat aphid (Rhopalosiphon padi) and corn aphid (Rhopalosiphon maidis) in the absence of virus, and Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia)
Finding the safe planting window for blackspot
No full textThe Blackspot Manager disease risk forecaster model is an effective tool to help identify the best balance between early sowing and potential yield loss from blackspot. Blackspot can lead to significant crop losses. Field peas become infected when windborne spores are released from fruiting bodies on infected stubble. The timing of spore release is generally early in autumn, depending on summer and autumn rain events
Insect pests and their management in oats
No full textField pests
Damage from invertebrate pests is generally not a major factor for oat crops, however there is a zero tolerance to live pests in export hay.
Significant damage can occur if pest populations build up. Planning rotations to minimise pest carryover, timely sowing, adequate crop nutrition, and good control of weed and root diseases will assist in reducing the likelihood of crop damage by insect pests. Check crops regularly throughout their growth for field insects.
• Control redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea during the seedling stage if necessary.
• Aphids should be checked for and controlled from flag leaf stage and later in crops considered to be high yielding.
• Aphids can also transmit barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). If growing susceptible varieties in areas with moderate to high BYDV risk, consider using insecticide seed treatments.
• Unnecessary spray applications have been linked to resistance developing in non-target pests, such as redlegged earth mite.
Correct identification of the pests is critical for their successful management
Native budworm spraying threshold
No full textThe number of native budworm caterpillars in a crop is the major factor determining potential economic damage from the pest. Table 1 was generated with results from department trials to provide an estimate of potential loss from native budworm damage.
Crop loss (kilograms per hectare (kg/ha)) for each caterpillar netted in 10 sweeps (or found per square metre (m2 )) is shown in Table 1. One caterpillar netted in 10 sweeps is equivalent to about 20,000 caterpillars/ha for most pulse crops, assuming an even distribution over the cro
Sclerotinia stem rot and its management in lupins
No full textWith lupins being susceptible and grown in close rotation to canola, particularly in the northern Western Australia (WA) grainbelt, lupin growers are facing increasing pressure from the disease sclerotinia stem rot (caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum).
This page covers the disease symptoms, infection process, yield and quality impacts, and management in lupin crops
Turnip yellows virus and its management in canola
No full textTurnip yellows virus (TuYV; formerly beet western yellows virus) is an aphid-borne virus that causes yield and quality losses in key crop species, primarily canola but also chickpea, field pea, and lentil. It also infects and may cause damage in lupins, faba bean, mustard, and pasture legume species, such as lucerne and subterranean clover