Works in this collection were published by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia. The DAFWA library is gradually scanning and adding electronic copies to this collection, starting with the more recent material. However, reader requests to have electronic copies added will receive priority. Requests may be emailed to the DAFWA Library
For further information go to our department's website.
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Feeding and managing sheep in dry times
Ian McFarland, Mandy Curnow, Mike Hyder, Brian Ashton, and Danny Roberts
Feeding sheep is a significant cost to any sheep or mixed farm enterprise in southern Australia. The cost is usually managed by annually sourcing feed on-farm. However, this feed source can become scarce when we experience unusual dry spells within seasons (termed a 'dry season', ... Read more
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Growing chinese cabbage in Western Australia
John Burt, Dennis Phillips, and David Gatter
Chinese cabbage is a member of the Brassiceae family, which may be called brassicas, crucifers or cole crops. This includes various crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, turnips, swedes and weeds such as wild radish.
In general trade, the term Chinese cabbage ... Read more
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Nematodes in Western Australian vineyards
Vivien Vanstone and Neil Lantzke
Nematodes are worm-like microscopic animals that live in the soil. There are numerous soil-inhabiting nematode species, but not all are harmful to plants. Some nematodes are plant-parasitic, feeding on and damaging roots, including those of grapevine. Feeding activities of these nematodes reduce the vine’s ability ... Read more
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Perennial pastures for Western Australia
Geoff Allan Moore, Paul Sanford, and Tim Wiley
The aim of this project was to identify potential new perennial legumes and grasses to complement lucerne in phase farming and to identify the role and potential for perennial grasses in Western Australia.
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Phytophthora diseases of cutflower crops
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Phytophthora root rot is the most common soil borne disease causing plant death in native cut flower production. It is also a pathogen of exotic cutflower crops such as rose, lily, carnation, proteas and gerbera. The fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi, the cause of jarrah dieback is ... Read more
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Sampling and testing for plant pathogens
Aileen Reid
There are many methods used in the laboratory to determine whether Phytophthora or other fungi are present in growing media, water supply and diseased plants. These include:
• filtering water for spores
• baiting for fungi in growing media and water samples
• examining diseased ... Read more
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Surveillance of swarms and feral honey bees (Apis melliera) for the presence of American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae sub. sp. larvae) spores and their habitat preferences in Western Australia
Rob Manning, Ruth Cadman, Jeff Beard, and Chris Hawkins
Honey bees were first transported to Western Australia in 1841 (Barrett 1999) and in the years that followed the first feral honey bee swarms soon appeared in the Western Australian landscape. A brood disease of honey bees, American Foulbrood (AFB) became an economic nuisance in ... Read more
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The land is in your hands : a practical guide for owners of small rural landholdings in Western Australia
Department of Agriculture and Food, WA
This Bulletin discusses various aspects of managing a small farm or property in Western Australia, including soil and land care, vegetation and plant control on farm holdings, water resource management, biosecurity, plant, animal and insect pest control and livestock management.
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Water supplies for horticulture in the Lower Great Southern
D J. McFarlane Dr, Ruhi Ferdowsian, and Arjen Ryder
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Wild Dog Management: Best Practice Manual
Peter Thomson, Ken Rose, and State Wild Dog Management Advisory Committee
Wild dogs (all wild-living dogs including pure-bred dingoes, hybrids, and domestic dogs running wild) are one of the major pest species impacting on grazing industries across mainland Australia. In this Manual, the text refers to dingoes where the information is derived from studies of essentially ... Read more
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Wine from Western Australia at a glance
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Western Australia continues to enjoy a growing international reputation for the production of premium quality wines. Accolades at international wine exhibitions and in publications are abundant. Natural advantages such as the climate and soils, ideally suited to the production of premium quality wine grapes in ... Read more
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2005 Crop variety sowing guide for Western Australia
Jenny Garlinge
The Crop Variety Sowing Guide attempts to present all the information that is necessary for you to make the best choice of variety for each of the major crops. As well as varietal characteristics and performance, it contains information on herbicide resistance, disease, agronomic factors, ... Read more
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A Manual for raised bed farming in Western Australia
Derk Bakker, David Houlbrooke, Greg Hamilton, and Cliff Spann
This manual provides a complete set of information on the nature, location, occurrence and reasons for waterlogging and how to prevent it. The preventative technology, raised bed farming, is explained in terms of: how and why it works; the practical means of installing and maintaining ... Read more
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Code of practice for the use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals in Western Australia
Peter Rutherford
Agricultural and veterinary chemicals are a critically important input to modern farming systems. There is, however an increasing responsibility on the spray operator and his supervisor to use them with utmost safety. An effective way of providing the “rules” of safe chemical use is through ... Read more
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Common insect pests and diseases on fruit trees in the home garden
Harald Hoffmann, Glynn Ward, Stewart Learmonth, and Peter Wood
Home gardeners frequently see insect pests and diseases affecting their fruit trees. Usually they would have seen them in previous seasons, so the pests or diseases look familiar. However, there are occasions, when an unusual pest (not native to Western Australia) can occur. These exotic ... Read more
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Deep drains to manage groundwater
Neil Cox, Sylvia Tetlow, and Neil Coles
A channel that is 1.0 m to 3.0 m in depth is considered to be a deep drain. The drain is excavated to a depth that is sufficient to intercept the watertable in order to capture and convey that groundwater from flat, poorly drained land.
... Read more -
Farm dams in Western Australia
David Stanton
This bulletin provides practical information on the location and construction of dams on farms in Western Australia. Various types of dam, with diagrams and explanations, are included. Also discussed are the planning considerations, failures and problems, design, construction, maintenance, legal aspects, impacts and risks of ... Read more
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Feed grain report - current and future demand in Western Australia
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Authors: Martin Barbetti, Pam Burgess, Dave Eksteen, Trevor Lacey, Reg Lance, Peter Metcalfe, Dane Robertson, Greg Shea, Sofia Sipsas, Mark Sweetingham, Graham Walton, Peter White, Anne Wilkins
Markets are rapidly changing and new industries are emerging at a faster rate than previously recorded in history. ... Read more
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Harmful garden plants in Western Australia
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Many garden plants can cause harm. Some are commercially available and very popular; others are no longer readily available but still exist in older gardens; and yet others are favourite indoor ornamentals, cut-flowers, weeds, or even fruit and vegetables that we consume frequently, often without ... Read more
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Managing grey clays : to maximise production and sustainability
Greg Hamilton, Peter Fisher, Matt Baimbridge, Jennifer Bignell, Jessica Sheppard, and Rod Bowey
This bulletin discusses the identification, understanding and management of grey clay soils in the south-west of Western Australia.
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Mole drainage for increased productivity in the south west irrigation area
D L. Bennett, Richard George, and Bill Russell
Heavy soils, with low rates of soil-water movement, such as those found in the South-West Irrigation Area (SWIA), require closely spaced (2-6 m apart) subsoil drainage systems to provide sufficient water movement to control the effects of salt-waterlogging on pastures. Such close spacing using traditional ... Read more
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Producing pulses in the northern agricultural region
Peter White, Martin Harries, Mark Seymour, and Pam Burgess
Pulses, like most other temperate crops, are ideally suited to environments with mild temperatures, adequate rainfall and free draining soils that have a deep uniform profile, a medium to fine texture and slightly acid to neutral pH (6.5-7.5). Pulses when grown on these soils and ... Read more
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Producing pulses in the southern agricultural region
Peter White, Mark Seymour, Pam Burgess, and Martin Harries
The development of pulses in Western Australia has undergone tremendous advances over the past 12 years. From a tiny industry in the early 1990’s where the knowledge of both scientists and farmers was very limited, we now have a robust industry with production packages and ... Read more
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Roaded catchments to improve reliability of farm dams
David Stanton
Maintaining reliable on-farm water supplies is an on-going challenge for landholders throughout Western Australia. Improving reliability of dams by constructing a roaded catchment is one of the most cost-effective methods of improving the performance and reliability of a farm water supply.
A roaded catchment is ... Read more
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Successful cropping in the high rainfall zone of Western Australia : crop research and extension in the zone
Narelle Hill, Heping Zhang Dr., Tim Trezise, John Young, Natahan Moyes, Laurence Carslake, Neil C. Turner Dr, Walter Anderson, and Michael Poole
This manual is a review of all the relevant and current information relating to cropping systems in the high rainfall cropping zone (HRZ) of Western Australia. It functions partly as the final report summarising research results and extension activities and discusses recommendations and potential outcomes ... Read more