All in Western Australia

Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions in the Fractured Rock Areas

mgabelle — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:18:50 +0000

An improved understanding of groundwater and surface water interactions in the Wilyabrup and Smiths Brook catchments of Western Australia has resulted from a research project funded by the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Researchers:

Fionnuala Hannon

Subjects

Subjects:

Water (General)

Keywords:

Catchments

Wilyabrup

Smiths Brook

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Location

State & NRM Region:

Western Australia

Locations:

Wilyabrup

Smiths Brook catchments

A virtual farming experience

superuser — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:33:57 +0000

Lawry Pitman is a farmer from Corrigin in Western Australia. Lawry served his community for many years at the national, state and local levels on community, industry and government committees covering topics as diverse as land management, farm safety and commodity groups.

IDs and People

Program:

Innovation

Program Theme:

Community Fellows

Research Type:

Community Fellow

Researchers:

Lawry Pitman

Subjects

Subjects:

Landscape Management

Governance and Markets

Project Information

Summary:

Now he’s using all his experience and knowledge, and his own property, to showcase sustainability. ‘To prove that we are sustainable we are attempting to measure and monitor all aspects of sustainability - economic, social and ecological. Benchmarks are being set with the help of Western Australian agencies and R&D corporations.

‘Progress, or deterioration will be communicated to the community through whatever means is required’ says Lawry.

Lawry is producing a CD-ROM describing the annual cycle, and costs and benefits of sustainable farm practice on a real life, working property.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Location

State & NRM Region:

Western Australia

Enhancing Noogoora Burr biocontrol in northern Australia

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:39:37 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Identifying biocontrol agents for priority weed species

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

CEN7

Host Organisation:

CSIRO Entomology

Researchers:

Dr Louise Morin

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Threats and Pests

Weeds

Keywords:

Weeds

weed

Noogoora burr

biocontrol

Project Information

Summary:

This project investigated ways to improve the biollgical control of the highly invasive weed Noogoora Burr (Xanthium occidentale). The project was designed to assemble the necessary information to support an application to release additional strains of the Noogoora Burr rust fungus to enhance the impact of biological control in northern Australia. The introduction of additional exotic rust strains better adapted to tropical conditions is being investigated as a means of controlling Noogoora Burr in tropical areas.

Outcomes:

Following field surveys carried out in tropical America, rust-infected material from 12 sites in Dominican Republic and Mexico was imported into the containment facility. No infection of Australian Noogoora burr accessions was obtained with the imported rust material. In contrast, plants inoculated with two Australian rust strains developed severe symptoms; confirming that experimental conditions were suitable for infection. As a result, it was not possible to establish cultures of exotic strains and perform host-specificity tests.

Microscopic examination of leaves inoculated with exotic rust-infected material revealed typical plant resistance responses. Xanthium specimens collected in Dominican Republic and Mexico were found to be morphologically and genetically different to Australian Noogoora burr accessions and other Xanthium spp. These genetic differences may explain why no infection occurred on Australian Noogoora burr inoculated with rust-infected material from tropical America.

A diagnostic microsatellite marker to differentiate between exotic and Australian rust strains was successfully developed to provide a tool for monitoring strain establishment after release. Baseline data on Noogoora burr populations and prevalence of biocontrol agents were collected at sites on three river systems in the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia. This data will be essential to assess the impact of additional strains of P. xanthii, should any be released in the future in Australia.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

Noogoora burr (Xanthium occidentale; ranked 28th during the WoNS process and an approved target for biocontrol) forms monocultures across the northern regions of Australia. The exotic rust fungus, Puccinia xanthii, illegally or accidentally introduced in the mid-1970s to Australia, has been highly effective in controlling Noogoora Burr in south-eastern Queensland, but has failed to have a major impact in tropical northern Australia (Morin et al., 1996).

Aims:

The project objectives were:

collect, characterise and test host-specificity of exotic strains of Puccinia xanthii that are better adapted to the tropical climate, and
gather baseline data of Noogoora burr populations in northern Australia.

Location

State & NRM Region:

Western Australia

Northern Territory

Changing Irrigation Systems and Management in the Harvey Irrigation Area

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:30:24 +0000

Project DAW45 was conducted over the Harvey irrigation seasons 2003-04 and 2004-05. Seasons in Harvey are relatively consistent extending usually from October to May.

The project was conducted in two stages to ensure adequate consideration of the issues and planning for the case study, along with integration with other related research work, prior to the commencement of the case study.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

DAW45

Host Organisation:

Boorara Management

Researchers:

Ken Moore

Subjects

Subjects:

Salinity

Soils

Primary Industries

Water (General)

Irrigation

Keywords:

Sustainability

agronomy

farm productivity

centre pivot

Project Information

Outcomes:

The Project has demonstrated, in a two-year on-farm case study during 2003-04 and 2004-05, that water savings can be achieved along with increased pasture production and better quality pasture through centre pivot irrigation. Associated with the economic benefits were minimal water and nutrient run-off thereby contributing to the sustainability of irrigation in the Harvey Water Irrigation Area.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

The essence of Project DAW45 evolved from the initial idea of an on-farm trial comparing centre pivot and surface irrigation; to a demonstration case study of the comparative performance of pivot and surface irrigation; to recognition that the greatest benefits will accrue to farmers and the HWIA by improving the performance of both centre pivot and existing surface irrigation.

Aims:

Bring innovation to irrigation systems and agronomy on-farm in the South West Irrigation Area that will increase water use efficiency and farm productivity, and reduce ecological impacts through factors such as water and nutrient seepage to the water table, downstream nutrient run-off and soil structural problems.
Demonstrate and document a model of integrated R&D and knowledge management through a strategic alliance that is capable of achieving sustainable irrigation on-farm and extended across the broader farming community and irrigation area with lessons.
Develop a learning and information exchange strategy to provide opportunities for SWIA irrigators to learn from other Australian irrigation areas and industries.
Demonstrate the energy efficiencies and overall energy balance of a pressurised gravity-fed piped system of irrigation water delivery.

Location

State & NRM Region:

Western Australia

Locations:

Harvey Irrigation Area

Improved Seasonal Forecasts for Wool Producers in Australia’s Pastoral Zone

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:34:58 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Land, Water and Wool

Program Theme:

Climate Variability

Research Type:

Demonstration Project

Research Scale:

State

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

QNR30

Subjects

Subjects:

Climate (General)

Livestock (Sheep)

Livestock (Pastoral)

Landscape Management

Keywords:

Woolgrowers

Land Management

Stocking Rate

Climate Variability

Pastures

Seasonal Forecasting

Project Information

Summary:

Much of Australia’s rangelands are characterised by extreme climate variability which represents a major challenge for woolgrowers. In order to maintain or increase productivity while minimising negative environmental impacts on the land, producers need access to reliable seasonal climate forecast (SCF) information at critical times for key management decisions.

Current Activities

Status:

Pending

Background

Aims:

The objective of Improved Seasonal Forecasts for Wool Producers in Australia’s Pastoral Zone was to support and provide tools for the regional Managing Climate Variability Sup-program projects. It aimed to make SCF products more relevant to producers and their advisors through pasture growth simulation and prediction using Aussie GRASS, a national spatial pasture growth program.

Location

State & NRM Region:

New South Wales

Queensland

South Australia

Western Australia

Victoria

Geographic Zone:

Broadacre: Wheat-Sheep

Broadacre: Pastoral