Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA): Research LibraryNot a member yet
10920 research outputs found
Sort by
Narrow orchard systems for pome and stone fruit - a review
No full textThe main characteristics of Narrow Orchard Systems (NOS) are (i) narrow canopies, with (ii) multiple closely-spaced upright leaders and (iii) narrow inter-rows, regardless of tree spacing within the row. In NOS, planting density can be reduced compared with super-high and ultra-high density planting systems on dwarfing rootstocks, utilising a wider range of rootstock vigours coupled to proportional increases in both within-row tree spacing and upright leader number per tree. This paper reviews the development of NOS and results of research carried out on apple, pear, sweet cherry, peach, nectarine, apricot and plum in production regions worldwide. The history of orchard intensification and the evolution of narrow-canopy multileader orchard systems is presented. Implications of NOS for light interception and distribution, yield and fruit quality are discussed. These systems require a solid understanding of crop and cultivar fruiting and vegetative habits, and their interactions with rootstock, environment and management practices. Whilst NOS improve productivity (yield and fruit quality), labour use efficiency and mechanisation, they often require additional labour in the first two years from planting. They are robot-ready systems that will promote transition towards increased digitisation in horticulture. Current developments with new experiments and demonstrations carried out in Australia are discussed. With an increasing body of research supporting the advantages of NOS, this literature review summarises the latest findings and identifies some opportunities for further research and innovation
Genetics of phenological development and implications for seed yield in lentil
No full textUnderstanding phenology, its genetics and agronomic consequences, is critical for crop adaptation. Here we aim to (i) characterize lentil response to photoperiod with a focus on five loci: the lentil ELF3 orthologue Sn, two loci linked to clusters of lentil FT orthologues, and two loci without candidates in chromosomes 2 and 5 (Experiment 1: 36 lines, short and long days in a phytotron), and (ii) establish the phenology–yield relationship (Experiment 2: 25 lines, 11 field environments). A vintage perspective, where we quantify time trends in phenotype over three decades of breeding, links both experiments. Yield increased linearly from older to newer varieties at 29 kg ha–1 year–1 or 1.5% year–1, correlated negatively with flowering time in both winter- and summer-rainfall regimes, and decoupled from biomass in favourable environments. Time to flowering shortened from older to newer varieties at –0.56% year–1 in the field, and –0.42% year–1 (short days) and –0.99% year–1 (long days) in the phytotron. Early-flowering lines of diverse origin carried multiple early alleles for the five loci, indicating that at least some of these loci affect phenology additively. Current germplasm primarily features the early-flowering haplotype for an FTb cluster region, hence the potential to increase phenological diversity with yield implications
Grazing annual pastures – using feed on offer (FOO) as a guide
No full textGrazing management in winter and spring in South West Western Australia (SW WA) can manipulate the quality, quantity and composition of pasture. These pasture changes can increase livestock feed efficiency and productivity, reduce insect populations and improve pasture persistence. Seasonal grazing based on feed on offer (FOO) is described here to maximise stocking rate and pasture production.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends using feed measurements and feed budgeting to increase productivity and reduce livestock health risks
Improving lambing rates and changing turnoff times to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
No full textRunning a flock of sheep and raising lambs generates both direct (enteric fermentation) and indirect (lime, fertiliser, fuel, production of feed) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There are ways to reduce emissions through sheep reproduction
Harvesting, packing and storing bananas in the ORIA (Ord River Irrigation Area)
No full textFor bananas on the Ord River Irrigation Area, length of time to emergence and harvesting depend on air temperature, planting time and sucker management. Ratoon crops are much slower to reach maturity than new crops
Tar vine and its management
No full textTar vine (Boerhavia coccinea) is a common summer weed species that depletes soil moisture and nutrients, reducing the yield potential of the subsequent crop. It also acts as a green bridge for crop pests and disease
Zadoks growth scale
No full textZadoks growth scale is a 0-99 scale of development that is recognised internationally for research, advisory work, and farm practice, particularly to time the application of chemicals and fertilisers
Managing salinity: fence and volunteer pasture
No full textThis treatment is recommended for saline sites that can support a mix of salt tolerant species and some non-tolerant pasture species, where livestock are present. It may also be the preferred solution for farmers who wish to see an improvement in their land at low cost.
The department recommends that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan
Recreational fishing for Western Rock Lobster: estimates of participation, effort and catch in 2023/24
No full textThe Western Rock Lobster (WRL) (Panulirus cygnus) is the most commonly caught Rock Lobster (RL) species in Western Australia. Catches from the commercial and recreational sectors are required to determine and monitor Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC), Total Allowable Recreational Catch (TARC) and the proportion of Allowable Harvest Level (AHL) achieved. The TARC is set at 5% of the AHL and evaluated in the harvest strategy based on a 5-year average.
Data for the recreational sector are obtained using phone-recall surveys to provide annual estimates of participation, fishing effort and retained catch (by numbers) from recreational fishers who hold a RL licence. Average weight, obtained from boat ramp surveys, are used to convert estimates of retained catch by licensed fishers from numbers to recreational harvest (by weight). Tour Operator Returns (Charter Logbooks) provide a census of annual participation, effort and retained catch (by numbers) from charter fishing (where fishers are not required to hold a RL licence). Random length samples of WRL from tour operators are used to convert the retained catch from numbers to weight.
This report provides estimates of RL recreational fishing participation, effort and catch for 2023/24 (1 May 2023 – 30 April 2024). Participation in the RL recreational fishery (all species) by licensed fishers (RL licence holders aged five years and older) in 2023/24 was 61% or 31,156 fishers (95% CI 29,922 – 32,390). Participation was steady (i.e., the 95% CI overlapped between survey years) compared with phone-recall surveys conducted between 2018/19 and 2022/23.
The total fishing effort for RL recreational fishing (all species) by licensed fishers in 2023/24 was 502,836 days fished (95% CI 465,362 – 540,309), of which 77% or 386,098 days (349,488 – 422,708) was by potting and 23% or 116,738 days (100,031 – 133,445) by diving. This was steady compared with phone-recall surveys conducted between 2018/19 and 2022/23. The majority of fishing effort in 2023/24 occurred in the Metro-West Coast region (66%).
The recreational harvest of WRL by licensed fishers in 2023/24, based on an overall (i.e., combined across potting and diving) average weight of 623.9 g, was 469 t (95% CI 424 – 514), of which 76% or 358 t (317 – 400) was by potting and 24% or 111 t (89 – 133) by diving. This was steady compared with phone-recall surveys conducted between 2018/19 and 2022/23.
Recreational harvest of WRL from tour operators in 2023/24 was 20 t (based on an overall average weight of 525.4 g) and has increased annually from 9 t in 2018/19 to 17 t in 2021/22 and 2022/23. The majority of the recreational harvest in 2023/24 from tour operators was by potting (95%).
The 5-year average recreational harvest (for licensed and tour operators combined) was 504 t in 2023/24, which represents 4.7% of the AHL
Strategies for productivity, profitability, and greenhouse gas mitigation - a Western Australian perspective
No full textThis paper presents new estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from six of Western Australia’s (WA) agricultural industries, including pre-farm emissions from the manufacture of inputs such as fertilisers, chemicals and purchased feed. Total on-farm and pre-farm emissions are estimated to have been about 14.5– 15.2 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2e) per annum (p.a.) from 2019-20 to 2021-22. Emissions originated largely in the beef (5.3–5.6 Mt CO2e p.a.), grains (4.4–5.1 Mt CO2e p.a.) and sheep (3.8–4.0 Mt CO2e p.a.) industries. Methane from enteric fermentation accounted for about 45 % of estimated total emissions, with some indication that this share may be decreasing over time through lower livestock numbers and increasing grain production. As grain yields increase, pre-farm emissions will be increasingly important to the WA agriculture sector’s mitigation efforts. WA studies suggest that strategies exist that can improve the efficiency and profitability of agricultural businesses while delivering mitigation co-benefits