South Australia

New information about citrus fertigation

A major investment in research into improved methods of applying water and nutrients to citrus has resulted in an important contribution to the science in this area as well as techniques that can be applied by growers to improve their operations.

Changing patterns of salt distribution in irrigated soils

The compilation of a clearer picture of the changing patterns of salt distribution in irrigated soil by Flinders University of SA student Megan Sebben under the supervision of the head of the South Australian Research and Development Institute’s Water Resources and Irrigated Crops Unit, Jim Cox.

Airborne scanners put native vegetation on the map

Airborne sensor technology able to gather information about what is visible on ground, such as vegetation, and what is not visible, such as canopy condition and plant water use, has been developed, trialled, and proven. The airborne imaging and vegetation analysis system is a significant breakthrough for rapid and cost-efficient collection of natural resource data. The new technology combines laser scanners and hyper-spectral scanners with other (more)...

Water resources in a changing climate: southern South Australia

Communicating Climate Change - Module 11

Water availability is a key issue in Australia. A changing climate will place greater demand on water resources. We need to factor the risks associated with climate change into the ways we use water. Key facts Around 89% of Australia’s total rainfall evaporates or is transpired by plants into the atmosphere. Only around 9% runs off into streams, rivers and storages. The remaining 2% drains below the root zone into groundwater aquifers and, from there, (more)...

Glimpsing South Australia’s future climate

Communicating Climate Change - Module 3

Climate change projections indicate that South Australia’s climate in the decades ahead will be different to that of the past. Farmers will need to modify their practices to manage the risks presented by the change in climate.

Observed climate change: South Australia

Communicating Climate Change - Module 3

Rainfall in South Australia can vary significantly from year to year, and over decades. This variability means that different generations of farmers can have quite different perceptions of what ‘normal rainfall’ is for the state’s agricultural regions. Since 1997, these agricultural regions have experienced a marked decline in growingseason (April–September) rainfall (Figure 1). This decline is mostly due to a drying trend in autumn, and, to a lesser extent, in winter (more)...

Weather drivers in South Australia

Communicating Climate Change - Module 1

The driving force behind our weather is the general circulation of the atmosphere, caused by unequal heating of the Earth’s surface. Energy from the sun causes uneven heating of land and sea surfaces near the equator and evaporation from tropical oceans. An extensive area of high pressure, known as the sub-tropical ridge, is a major feature of the general circulation of our atmosphere. It is a major influence on the climate of southern Australia. The position of the ridge varies with (more)...

Wheat and sheep production in a changing climate: South Australia

Communicating Climate Change - Module 4

Australia’s wheat - sheep production zone covers 35 million hectares in southern and eastern Australia. Its 15,700 wool-producing farms contain 55% of the nation’s sheep. Annual rainfall in the zone is 300-600 mm. Climate change threatens the productivity of Australia’s wheat and sheep industries. It reduces the value of historical climate knowledge and increases uncertainty about the bounds of future climates, making farm decisions more complex. While (more)...

Boneseed Rust: A highly promising candidate for biological control

This project investigated the use of Endophyllum osteospermi (a systemic rust fungus) in the biological control of boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera). This systemic South African rust fungus has been found to reduce growth and the reproduction of plants by causing extensive deformation of infected branches (witches’ broom). Boneseed is a Weed of National Significance, which occurs mainly in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. (more)...

Managing complex systems

Preliminary findings from Grain & Graze 2003 to 2008

Grain & Graze aims to offer ideas and ways of thinking about complex issues. This report explores strategic matters of interest to mixed farmers, teasing out the options and exploring how they vary in different circumstances. It doesn’t seek to provide precise answers; it highlights issues and options to be considered and gives more insight into how they can be tackled by individuals seeking to develop solutions to their own unique set of circumstances. (more)...

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