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Skeleton weed in Western Australia : control program 2022/23
No full texthttps://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1289/thumbnail.jp
Framework for sustainable pastoral management - Revised edition
No full textThis Framework for sustainable pastoral management, revised edition (the Framework) describes the contemporary risk-based approach that is now being used within Western Australia (WA) to ensure management of the State’s pastoral estate meets the principles of ecologically sustainable development (ESD). Development of the Framework was undertaken as part of the Pastoral Lands Reform project initiated by the WA Government in response to the Office of the Auditor General’s (OAG 2017) report, Management of pastoral lands in Western Australia. The Framework was developed by DPIRD with input from the Interagency Steering Committee (ISC – which included senior representatives of the WA Government agencies with direct responsibilities for management of the pastoral estate) plus an Industry Reference Group (IRG – which included representatives from the Pastoral Lands Board and pastoral industry bodies). The Framework has already been formally noted by the WA State Cabinet as an integral part of the pastoral land reform process needed to address the Auditor General’s recommendations. A key element of the Framework is that it recognises the wide suite of legislative, regulatory and other requirements that the pastoral industry will need to meet to satisfy the WA and broader international community’s growing expectations about what is now known as environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibilities. The focus for this edition of the Framework has been to detail the risk-based systems and management processes that will be used to address land condition issues. It, does, however, outline how this approach can be used to expand the scope and progressively cover all the identified OAG, ESD and ESG requirements of WA’s pastoral industry
Swiftly evolving CRISPR genome editing: a revolution in genetic engineering for developing stress-resilient crops
No full textEnvironmental stresses adversely impact crop production, crop quality, and product safety. Climate change is predicted to exacerbate the impacts of stresses on current cropping systems with multilateral impacts on crop productivity and yield, biodiversity, soil fertility, microbial activity, and carbon sequestration. Transforming crop production systems and developing stress and climate- resilient crops are paramount to alleviate pervasive food and nutrition security and food safety issues and achieve a world free from hunger and malnutrition. Modern breeding techniques have been the key to transforming crop production systems and developing stress- and climate-resilient crops. As a rapidly evolving technology, the Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR method is a leading choice for genome editing and a possible major contributor to solving environmental and food insecurity issues. Here, a background on the stressors with far-reaching impacts on food security has been provided, and the principles and advances in classical genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9) that generate DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) have been reviewed. Base editing and prime editing platforms, which are DSB- and template-free, enabling targeted base substitutions, have been discussed. The application of such tools for trait improvement has been evaluated to develop stress resilient crops and high-throughput mutant libraries. Recent developments in the regulatory landscape for genome-edited crops in various countries have been examined. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives toward crop improvement have been highlighted
Recreational fishing pressure impacts the density and behaviour of the western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus, George): evidence from small, no-take marine reserves
No full textIt is unknown whether lobster behaviour is sensitive to fishing, as has been previously suggested for fish. This study investigated the impacts of recreational fishing on the wariness of western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus, George) through comparisons between fished sites and no-take reserves (NTRs) at Rottnest Island. We used visual census to survey the density and size structure of lobster at sites inside and outside three comparable NTRs, and baited remote underwater video to study the behaviour of lobster at comparable sites. The density of legal-sized P. cygnus was twice as high within NTRs (0.34 ± 0.05) than fished sites (0.16 ± 0.03). P. cygnus also spent less time with bait in fished sites (0.42 ± 0.15 min) than NTRs (1.15 ± 0.28 min). This study provides the first evidence that behaviour of decapods, namely P. cygnus, is sensitive to noninjury-related disturbance associated with recreational fishing, with higher wariness in fished areas. Investigation is required into potentially confounding biotic and abiotic factors to further explore the applicability of lobster wariness as an indicator for fishing pressure
Bedstraw eradication program 2021/22: annual report to grain growers
No full textThree-horned bedstraw is a competitive weed that can cause considerable yield loss in crops, and its seeds contaminate fodder and grain. To stop the weed becoming established in Western Australia and impacting production, WA grain/seed/hay growers (via the Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme) fund the Bedstraw Eradication Program
Modelling canola yield for current cultivars and early sowing times in Western Australia
No full textTime of sowing canola trials, including very early sowings in March, were used to validate the APSIM Canola model for current cultivars and Western Australian conditions. The model satisfactorily simulated flowering dates for a range of sowing dates with RMSE of 6-10 days across cultivars. The RMSE for grain yield was large (400-500 kg/ha), but the general trend of yield decline with delay in sowing was satisfactorily simulated. Simulation for yield was better for open pollinated cultivars than for hybrid cultivars. The model can be used to explore the yield response to sowing times but more work is needed to account for the extended flowering and grain filling period in modern hybrid canola cultivars under favourable spring conditions
Cereal and oil seed crops response to organic nitrogen when grown in rotation with annual aerial-seeded pasture legumes
No full textNitrogen fixation from pasture legumes is a fundamental process that contributes to the profitability and sustainability of dryland agricultural systems. The aim of this research was to determine whether well-managed pastures, based on aerial-seeding pasture legumes, could partially or wholly meet the nitrogen (N) requirements of subsequent grain crops in an annual rotation. Fifteen experiments were conducted in Western Australia with wheat, barley or canola crops grown in a rotation that included the pasture legume species French serradella (Ornithopus sativus), biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus), bladder clover (Trifolium spumosum), annual medics (Medicago spp.) and the non-aerial seeded subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum). After the pasture phase, five rates of inorganic N fertilizer (Urea, applied at 0, 23, 46, 69 and 92 kg/ha) were applied to subsequent cereal and oil seed crops. The yields of wheat grown after serradella, biserrula and bladder clover, without the use of applied N fertilizer, were consistent with the target yields for growing conditions of the trials (2.3 to 5.4 t/ha). Crop yields after phases of these pasture legume species were similar or higher than those following subterranean clover or annual medics. The results of this study suggest a single season of a legume-dominant pasture may provide sufficient organic N in the soil to grow at least one crop, without the need for inorganic N fertilizer application. This has implications for reducing inorganic N requirements and the carbon footprint of cropping in dryland agricultural systems
Optimal sheep stocking rates for broad-acre farm businesses in Western Australia: a review
No full textSheep stocking rate influences farm profit significantly; however determining the optimal stocking rate is a difficult task. In this paper, we address this challenge through three main steps. First, we review the definition of stocking rate; second, we examine prior research relevant to the review topic and highlight the factors that need to be considered when determining the optimal stocking rate; and third, we make recommendations for improvements in research on establishing the optimal sheep stocking rate. Inconsistency in the definition of stocking rate can lead to miscommunication among researchers, advisers and farmers. If 10 dry sheep equivalents (DSE)/ha is optimal for one flock, it may not be optimal for another flock because the DSE measure does not fully capture the nuances of different patterns of nutritional requirements among sheep classes and feed availabilities and their respective prices and costs. The optimal stocking rate occurs when the marginal economic benefit of an additional animal equals its marginal cost. Determining this point requires an understanding of the quantity and quality of feed available throughout the year, the optimal liveweight profile throughout the year, the impact of seasonal variation, the impact of labour availability, the cost of alternative feeds, prices of livestock and livestock products, the risk preferences of the farmer, and any emission policies relating to greenhouse gases. Farmers tend to use their own judgement to set their stocking rates, with the aim of maximising utility. However, the complexities listed make it a challenging task. Thus, researchers have used various simulation and programming models to aid decision-making over optimal stocking rates, but most farmers continue to rely on their own personal judgement. Moreover, often a focus of this modelling is for sheep systems in eastern Australia. Generalising this research across Australia is difficult due to differences in climatic conditions and markets across Australia. Often farmers are unaware of the profits they are foregoing when choosing either an overly conservative or excessive stocking rate. Our research has shown that foregone income of up to AUD50 per hectare can occur when a stocking rate 30% below or above the optimum is selected. Thus, despite the complexities that underpin the stocking rate decision, we believe that there are potential rewards from further research on the optimisation of stocking rates
Hyporthodus griseofasciatus (Perciformes: Epinephelidae), a new species of deep-water grouper from the west coast of Australia
No full textA new species of deep-water epinephelid fish is described from the west coast of Australia based on 14 specimens, 99–595 mm standard length. Hyporthodus griseofasciatus sp. nov. is endemic to Western Australia from Barrow Island to Two Peoples Bay in depths of 76–470 m. It has a series of eight grey bands alternating with eight brown bands along the body and the soft dorsal, soft anal and caudal fin margins are pale cream to white. It is distinguished from its nearest congener, H. ergastularius, by the presence of a star-like pattern of radiating lines on the head versus an overall brownish colour in the latter as well as significant differences in the quantitative analyses of 25 morphological characters. The two species have allopatric distributions on either side of the Australian continent. H. griseofasciatus is distinguished from H. octofasciatus by several grey bands being distinctly narrower than other grey bands (vs. all grey bands subequal in the latter) and the presence of broad white margins on the dorsal, caudal and anal fins (vs. narrow or absent in the latter). Some scale counts appear to also differ. Analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 sequences revealed reciprocally monophyletic clades with fixed differences and genetic distances typical of recently diverged species of fishes