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1
Rieger, Mary A., Chris Preston, and Stephen B. Powles. "Risks of gene flow from transgenic herbicide-resistant canola (Brassica napus) to weedy relatives in southern Australian cropping systems." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, no. 2 (1999): 115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/a97138.
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It is likely that transgenic canola expressing genes encoding resistance to glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium will be introduced into the Australian cropping system in the next few years. One risk associated with the introduction of such cultivars is the release of herbicide resistance genes into weedy relatives of canola. This review examines the currently available experimental information regarding the possibility of gene flow from canola to weedy relatives. Three species are identified as having the potential to outcross with canola, Brassica juncea, B. rapa, and Raphanus raphanistrum. Two of these species are not yet widespread weeds of the southern Australian cropping zone. In contrast, R. raphanistrum is already a major weed in Australia with existing resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Information is urgently needed to determine whether successful hybrids between B. napus and R. raphanistrum can be produced under Australian conditions. Major deficiencies in the existing information are identified in relation to some other important weed species within the southern Australian cropping zone. Further studies are required to determine the out-crossing potential of canola to B. tournefortii, Diplotaxis tenuifolia, Sisymbrium officinale, and S. orientale if transgenic canola is to be safely and responsibly introduced into Australia.
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Chapman, AL, JD Sturtz, AL Cogle, WS Mollah, and RJ Bateman. "Farming systems in the Australian semi-arid tropics-a recent history." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 36, no. 8 (1996): 915. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9960915.
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The recent history of dryland farming in the Australian semi-arid tropics is discussed briefly against the background of national and state policies, established following World War II, aimed at increasing the population and development of northern Australia. Some reference is also made to irrigation as a means of overcoming limitations imposed by rainfall and to complement dryland farming systems. The environmental and socio-economic constraints whch have so far limited commercial agriculture in the Australian semi-arid tropics are highlighted. Efforts, particularly in north-west Australia, to develop sustainable farming systems based on legume pasture leys and livestock production in conjunction with annual cropping, as a basis for closer settlement, are reviewed. These attempts, which began in the 1960s and stemmed from earlier post-war agricultural research in the region, initially relied on a pasture legume (Stylosanthes humilis cv. Townsville stylo) and conventional tillage. Farming system development continues today using new legume species (e.g. Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano and Centrosema pascuorum cv. Cavalcade) and no-tillage cropping technology. This paper documents the history of agricultural and research development, and commercial practice in the Australian semi-arid tropics.
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Russell, JS, and PN Jones. "Continuous, alternate and double crop systems on a Vertisol in subtropical Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 36, no. 7 (1996): 823. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9960823.
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Three cropping systems using 5 crop species were compared over a 10-year period on a cracking clay soil (Vertisol) in the sub-humid subtropics of eastern Australia. The 3 cropping systems were continuous (the same crop every year), alternate (the same crop every second year) and double (a winter and summer crop in the one year). There were 2 cereal crops (sorghum and wheat) and 3 grain legumes (chickpea, green gram and black gram). The effect of cropping system was measured in terms of grain and protein yields and changes in soil organic carbon (surface 0-10 cm) and nitrogen concentrations. Summer and winter rainfall was below average in 8 and 5 years out of 10, respectively. Grain yield of cereal monocultures was about twice that of legume monocultures. The potential for double cropping, despite the generally below-average rainfall, was clearly shown with the highest grain and protein yields coming from the combination of green gram (summer) and wheat (winter). Averaged over 10 years, wheat yield (1460 kg/ha. year) was identical in the continuous and alternate cropping systems. Sorghum yields were marginally higher with alternate cropping (1340 kg/ha. year) than continuous cropping (1050 kg/ha. year). With double cropping, average wheat yields were 1081 and 698 kg/ha when combined with green and black gram, respectively. Black gram gave half the average yield of either green gram or chickpea (about 300 v. 600 kg/ha). This was attributed to the indeterminate nature of the crop in an environment with variable rainfall and to the detrimental effect of above-average rainfall during harvest time. Soil nitrogen and carbon levels, with initial values of 0.22 and 2.96%, were reduced at the end of 10 years by 16 and 27% respectively. Their rate of decline did not differ between cropping systems.
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Cogle, AL, RJ Bateman, and DH Heiner. "Conservation cropping systems for the semi-arid tropics of North Queensland, Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31, no. 4 (1991): 515. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9910515.
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A farming systems project was commenced in the semi-arid tropics of north-eastern Australia to assess the cropping potential and reliability of a newly developing region. Emphasis was placed on evaluation of conservation cropping systems, since it was expected that these would be the most successful and protective uses of the land. This paper discusses the agronomy of peanuts, maize and sorghum grown under different conservative cropping practices (reduced tillage, no tillage, ley) on the soil (red earth) most likely to be developed for large-scale cropping in the region. Crop yields with all practices were limited by establishment difficulties including high soil temperatures, poor weed control and climatic variability. Reduced tillage was more successful than no tillage due to higher yields in dry years; however, in wet years no tillage produced similar yields. The ley cropping system may have some advantages in this environment for integrated production and resource protection.
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Thomas, Dean T., Roger A. Lawes, Katrien Descheemaeker, and Andrew D. Moore. "Selection of crop cultivars suited to the location combined with astute management can reduce crop yield penalties in pasture cropping systems." Crop and Pasture Science 65, no. 10 (2014): 1022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp13436.
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Pasture cropping is an emerging farming-systems practice of southern Australia, in which winter grain crops are sown into an established stand of a winter-dormant, summer-growing perennial pasture. There is a pressing need to define times, locations and climates that are suitable for pasture cropping. To evaluate effects of management interventions, agro-environment, and possible interactions on crop and pasture productivity associated with pasture cropping, an AusFarm® simulation model was built to describe a pasture-cropping system based on annual crop and subtropical grass. The model was parameterised using data from field research on pasture cropping with barley cv. Buloke and a C4 subtropical grass, Gatton panic (Panicum maximum cv. Gatton), conducted at Moora, Western Australia. The simulation was run over 50 years using the historical climate data of five southern Australian locations (Cunderdin, Jerdacuttup, Mingenew, and Moora in Western Australia, and Karoonda in South Australia). Two wheat cultivars and one barley crop were considered for each location, to examine the impact of crop phenology on this farming system. Jerdacuttup and Moora favoured pasture cropping, with average barley-yield penalties of 10 and 12%. These locations were characterised by colder growing seasons, more plant-available water at anthesis, and more winter–spring rain. The cereal crops did not rely on stored soil moisture, growing instead on incident rain. The winter–spring growth of the Gatton panic pasture was highest at Mingenew. This generated a high yield penalty, 38% loss under pasture cropping, compared with the other locations. Changing the efficacy of a herbicide application to the pasture when the crop was sown had a strong effect on yield. Yield penalties at Moora and Mingenew reduced to 7 and 29%, respectively, when the proportion of live biomass killed by the herbicide was doubled. Utilisation of soil moisture by the Gatton panic pasture during summer and early autumn had little effect on subsequent grain yield, whereas reduced pasture growth during the winter–spring growing period had a substantial effect on crop yield. Pasture cropping can therefore succeed in agro-climatic regions where crops can be grown on incident rain and pasture growth is suppressed through low temperature or herbicide. Perennial pasture growth should be minimised during the crop growing period through the management of crop sowing date, nitrogen fertiliser application and C4 grass suppression to minimise the effect on stored soil water at crop anthesis.
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Speirs, Simon D., Doug J. Reuter, Ken I. Peverill, and Ross F. Brennan. "Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia: an overview." Crop and Pasture Science 64, no. 5 (2013): 417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp13034.
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Australian grain production depends on applied fertiliser, particularly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and to a lesser extent potassium (K) and sulfur (S). Despite this dependence, soil testing is used sparingly as a tool to underpin fertiliser decisions. Some grain producers typically conduct soil tests at least once every 3 years on a selection of individual fields, but it is broadly understood that many grain producers use soil testing rarely or not at all. The choice by many grain producers not to support fertiliser decisions by soil testing relates to several factors. One key factor has been a perception that soil test interpretation criteria, previously published separately before collation by K. I. Peverill, L. A. Sparrow, and D. J. Reuter, may be biased or unreliable. The current paper provides an overview of research findings, presented in this special edition of Crop & Pasture Science, describing a national approach to the collation of all available and statistically valid N, P, K, and S response trials for cereal, oilseed, and pulse crops in Australia. It provides an overview of the process adopted to make this single national dataset available to both the grains and fertiliser industries. The process to build adoption has formed an integral component of the approach, as calibration data derived from the national database are being used to underpin soil test interpretation as part of fertiliser recommendations made through Fertcare to grain producers in Australia.
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Lefroy, Edward, and Torbjörn Rydberg. "Emergy evaluation of three cropping systems in southwestern Australia." Ecological Modelling 161, no. 3 (March 2003): 195–211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3800(02)00341-1.
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Rovira, AD. "Dryland mediterranean farming systems in Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 32, no. 7 (1992): 801. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9920801.
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The mediterranean region of Australia extends from Geraldton in Western Australia across southern Australia into western and northern Victoria. This region experiences hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, with 300-600 mm annual rainfall. In the dryland farming zone, the cereal-livestock farming system dominates and produces 30-35% of Australia's total agricultural production. The major soils in the region are deep, coarse-textured sands and sandy loams, duplex soils with coarse-textured sands over clay (generally low in nutrients and organic matter), and fine-textured red-brown earths of low hydraulic conductivity. Major soil problems in the region include sodicity, salinity, soil structural degradation, nutrient deficiencies, boron toxicity, acidity, waterlogging, inadequate nitrogen nutrition, water-repellence, and root diseases. These problems have been exacerbated by excessive clearing of trees, increased frequency of cropping, reduced area sown to pastures, declining pasture production, and a decline in nutrient levels. With improved soil management there is potential for increased productivity from dryland farming areas of the region and improved ecological sustainability.
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Brackin, Richard, Scott Buckley, Rhys Pirie, and Francois Visser. "Predicting nitrogen mineralisation in Australian irrigated cotton cropping systems." Soil Research 57, no. 3 (2019): 247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr18207.
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Cotton cropping systems in Australia have poor nitrogen (N) use efficiency, largely due to over-application of N fertiliser. The N mineralisation from soil organic N reserves is often overlooked, or underestimated despite recent studies indicating that it may contribute the majority of N exported with the crop. Predicting N mineralisation is a major challenge for agricultural industries worldwide, as direct measurements are time-consuming and expensive, but there is considerable debate as to the most reliable methods for indirect estimation. Additionally, laboratory incubations assess potential (rather than actual) mineralisation, and may not be representative of N cycling rates in the field. We collected 177 samples from most major Australian cotton growing regions, and assessed their mineralisation potential using ex situ laboratory incubations, along with an assessment of potential indicators routinely measured in soil nutrient tests. Additionally, at three unfertilised sites we conducted in situ assessment of mineralisation by quantifying soil N at the beginning of the growing season, and soil and crop N at the end of the season. We found that Australian cotton cropping soils had substantial mineralisation potential, and that soil total N and total carbon were correlated with mineralisation, and have potential to be used for prediction. Other potential indicators such as carbon dioxide production and ammonium and nitrate concentrations were not correlated with mineralisation. In parallel studies of ex situ and in situ mineralisation, we found ex situ laboratory incubations overestimated mineralisation by 1.7 times on average. We discuss findings in terms of management implications for Australian cotton farming systems.
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Owen, Mechelle J., and Stephen B. Powles. "The frequency of herbicide-resistant wild oat (Avena spp.) populations remains stable in Western Australian cropping fields." Crop and Pasture Science 67, no. 5 (2016): 520. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp15295.
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Avena is a problematic weed of cropping regions of southern Australia and many areas of the world. In 2010, a random survey was conducted across 14 million hectares of the Western Australian grain belt to monitor the change in herbicide resistance levels by comparing resistance frequency results with a survey conducted in 2005. Screening Avena populations with herbicides commonly used to control this weed revealed that 48% of Avena populations displayed resistance to the commonly used acetyl-Co A carboxylase-inhibiting herbicides, which was lower than that found in 2005 (71%). The broad-spectrum herbicides glyphosate and paraquat provided good control of all Avena populations. Resistance to acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides and to flamprop were detected for the first time in Western Australia in this survey. Therefore, a wide range of weed management options that target all phases of the cropping program are needed to sustain these cropping systems in the future.
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Shabbir, Asad, Bhagirath S. Chauhan, and Michael J. Walsh. "Biology and management of Echinochloa colona and E. crus-galli in the northern grain regions of Australia." Crop and Pasture Science 70, no. 11 (2019): 917. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp19261.
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Echinochloa colona and E. crus-galli are two important annual grass weeds distributed throughout the summer cropping regions of Australia. Both species are highly problematic weeds, responsible for yield losses of up to 50% in summer grain crops. The success of Echinochloa species as weeds is attributed to their rapid growth, prolific seed production, seed dormancy and adaptability to a wide range of environments. Importantly, E. colona has evolved resistance to glyphosate in Australia, with resistant populations now widespread across the summer cropping regions. Fallow management of E. colona with glyphosate alone is risky in terms of increasing the chance of resistance and highly unsustainable; other control strategies (residual herbicides, strategic tillage, etc.) should be considered to complement herbicides. This review provides a summary of current information on the biology, ecology and management of Echinochloa species. The knowledge gaps and research opportunities identified will have pragmatic implications for the management of these species in Australian grain cropping systems.
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Moore, Joseph R., James E. Pratley, Leslie A. Weston, Wade J. Mace, John C. Broster, and Karen A. Kirkby. "Epichloë occultans infection in Australian Lolium rigidum is associated with cropping history and environment but not with herbicide resistance status of host plant." Crop and Pasture Science 69, no. 6 (2018): 642. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp17455.
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Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.) is a troublesome invasive plant in southern Australian cropping systems and is typically infected with a fungal endophyte, Epichloë occultans. Potential links between herbicide resistance and endophyte infection were investigated in this study. We surveyed 391 ryegrass populations from geographically distinct, naturalised pasture and cropping areas across southern Australia and compared frequencies of seed-borne endophyte infection in the collected seed samples from mature annual ryegrass. Data on herbicide resistance from similar seedlots were cross-referenced with endophyte infection frequency to examine the potential relationship between herbicide resistance and endophyte infection. Seeds from cropping paddocks exhibited a significantly higher frequency of endophyte infection than pasture paddocks sampled from the same region. Frequencies of endophyte infection in annual ryegrass declined across Australia during 2001–09, whereas the opposite trend was observed during 2009–12. Impacts of the Australian Millennium Drought, the correspondingly altered rainfall patterns and environmental selection pressures have a role in determining observed endophyte infection frequencies. However, there was no significant correlation between endophyte frequency and herbicide resistance in the populations evaluated. Differences in endophyte infection frequencies were associated with farming practices, and require further examination to determine causative selection pressures encountered in Australian field settings.
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McNeill, A. M., and C. M. Penfold. "Agronomic management options for phosphorus in Australian dryland organic and low-input cropping systems." Crop and Pasture Science 60, no. 2 (2009): 163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp07381.
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Maintenance of available phosphorus (P) is a problem faced by both conventional and organic systems but it is exacerbated in the latter given that manufactured inorganic sources of P fertiliser are not permitted under the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements certification guidelines. The focus of this paper is a discussion of potential agronomic strategies to assist in sustainable management of the soil P resource in organic and low-input broadacre farming systems within the Australian rain-fed cereal–livestock belt. The paper considers three broad strategies for agronomic management of P in this context and draws on reported research from overseas and within Australia. An analysis of the current knowledge suggests that the option most likely to ensure that soluble P is not a limitation in the system is the importation of allowable inputs that contain P from off-farm, although for much of the Australian cereal–livestock belt the immediate issue may be access to economically viable sources. Research targeted at quantifying the economic and biological benefits to the whole-farm system associated with the adoption of these practices is required. Improving the P-use efficiency of the system by incorporating species into rotation or intercropping systems that are able to use P from less soluble sources has been a successful strategy in parts of the world with climate similar to much of the Australian cereal–sheep belt, and deserves further research effort in Australia. Agronomic management to maximise quantity and quality of pasture and crop plant residues undoubtedly builds labile soil organic matter and facilitates P cycling, but the strategy may be of limited benefit in low-rainfall areas that do not have the capacity to produce large biomass inputs. Evidence that organic or low-input systems naturally increase the numbers and diversity of soil organisms is sparse and published studies from Australian systems suggest that P nutrition is not enhanced. However, seed and soil microbial inoculants to facilitate improved P uptake have been developed and are currently being field tested in Australia. Progress in selection and breeding for cereal genotypes that are more P efficient and other plant genotypes that can use less labile P sources, is gaining momentum but still remains a long-term prospect, and may involve genetic modification which will not be acceptable for organic systems.
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Poole, M. L., Neil C. Turner, and J. M. Young. "Sustainable cropping systems for high rainfall areas of southwestern Australia." Agricultural Water Management 53, no. 1-3 (February 2002): 201–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0378-3774(01)00165-2.
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Bajwa, Ali Ahsan, Sajid Latif, Catherine Borger, Nadeem Iqbal, Md Asaduzzaman, Hanwen Wu, and Michael Walsh. "The Remarkable Journey of a Weed: Biology and Management of Annual Ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) in Conservation Cropping Systems of Australia." Plants 10, no. 8 (July 22, 2021): 1505. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants10081505.
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Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.), traditionally utilised as a pasture species, has become the most problematic and difficult-to-control weed across grain production regions in Australia. Annual ryegrass has been favoured by the adoption of conservation tillage systems due to its genetic diversity, prolific seed production, widespread dispersal, flexible germination requirements and competitive growth habit. The widespread evolution of herbicide resistance in annual ryegrass has made its management within these systems extremely difficult. The negative impacts of this weed on grain production systems result in annual revenue losses exceeding $93 million (AUD) for Australian grain growers. No single method of management provides effective and enduring control hence the need of integrated weed management programs is widely accepted and practiced in Australian cropping. Although annual ryegrass is an extensively researched weed, a comprehensive review of the biology and management of this weed in conservation cropping systems has not been conducted. This review presents an up-to-date account of knowledge on the biology, ecology and management of annual ryegrass in an Australian context. This comprehensive account provides pragmatic information for further research and suitable management of annual ryegrass.
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Dalal, R. C., and K. Y. Chan. "Soil organic matter in rainfed cropping systems of the Australian cereal belt." Soil Research 39, no. 3 (2001): 435. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr99042.
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The Australian cereal belt stretches as an arc from north-eastern Australia to south-western Australia (24˚S–40˚S and 125˚E–147˚E), with mean annual temperatures from 14˚C (temperate) to 26˚C (subtropical), and with annual rainfall ranging from 250 mm to 1500 mm. The predominant soil types of the cereal belt include Chromosols, Kandosols, Sodosols, and Vertosols, with significant areas of Ferrosols, Kurosols, Podosols, and Dermosols, covering approximately 20 Mha of arable cropping and 21 Mha of ley pastures. Cultivation and cropping has led to a substantial loss of soil organic matter (SOM) from the Australian cereal belt; the long-term SOM loss often exceeds 60% from the top 0–0.1 m depth after 50 years of cereal cropping. Loss of labile components of SOM such as sand-size or particulate SOM, microbial biomass, and mineralisable nitrogen has been even higher, thus resulting in greater loss in soil productivity than that assessed from the loss of total SOM alone. Since SOM is heterogeneous in nature, the significance and functions of its various components are ambiguous. It is essential that the relationship between levels of total SOM or its identif iable components and the most affected soil properties be established and then quantif ied before the concentrations or amounts of SOM and/or its components can be used as a performance indicator. There is also a need for experimentally verifiable soil organic C pools in modelling the dynamics and management of SOM. Furthermore, the interaction of environmental pollutants added to soil, soil microbial biodiversity, and SOM is poorly understood and therefore requires further study. Biophysically appropriate and cost-effective management practices for cereal cropping lands are required for restoring and maintaining organic matter for sustainable agriculture and restoration of degraded lands. The additional benefit of SOM restoration will be an increase in the long-term greenhouse C sink, which has the potentialto reduce greenhouse emissions by about 50 Mt CO2 equivalents/year over a 20-year period, although current improved agricultural practices can only sequester an estimated 23% of the potential soil C sink.
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Drummond, Frank, and Beth Choate. "Ants as biological control agents in agricultural cropping systems." Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews 4, no. 2 (2011): 157–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187498311x571979.
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AbstractAnts positively impact agricultural systems by rapidly consuming large numbers of pest insects, disturbing pests during feeding and oviposition, and increasing soil quality and nutrients. The ability of ants to control pest species has been recognized since the year 300 A.D. and farmers continue to conserve and promote ant populations in agricultural systems worldwide. Naturally occurring ant species in milpas, mango, citrus, coconut, cashews, and cotton control many pest insects. Through judicious insecticide application and changes in management practices such as tillage, and other manipulations of vegetation and crop structure, beneficial ant populations are conserved in a variety of agroecosystems. The first recorded example of biological control was the manipulation of ants throughout citrus orchards in Asia. Augmentation continues in citrus, and methods of ant introduction have been developed in Malaysian and Indonesian cocoa plantations, as well as to control sweet potato and banana weevils in Cuba. Ant species have been formally incorporated into other integrated pest management programs for cashew in Australia, cocoa in Papua New Guinea, and mango in Australia and Vietnam. With efforts to reduce chemical pesticide input in agricultural systems, research evaluating the ability of generalist ant species to control pest insects must continue.
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Fisher, James, Peter Tozer, and Doug Abrecht. "Livestock in no-till cropping systems - a story of trade-offs." Animal Production Science 52, no. 4 (2012): 197. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an11123.
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The trade-offs of incorporating livestock into no-till cropping systems were examined with respect to ground cover, water balance, nutrient cycling, pest management, whole-farm economics and farmer preferences. The hypothesis that livestock and no-till cropping enterprises may co-exist was investigated using a review of scientific literature and technical reports, information from farmer focus groups and an economic analysis based on case study data from farm consultants. The scientific review focussed on work from Australia, especially western and southern Australia, but also included research related to systems in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland and some related international work. The focus groups and case studies were from the cereal-sheep systems of western and southern Australia. It was concluded that the use of livestock in a no-till system is determined by the productive capacity of the land, the relative profitability of cropping and livestock, the management of herbicide-resistant weeds, sensitivity of soil to damage from grazing and trampling and the farmer’s passion, preference and willingness to apply increased management to livestock. Livestock are an important source of farm diversification and risk management. While net farm income tends to decline as the proportion of livestock increases, variation in net farm income also decreases, reducing volatility in revenue. Livestock need to comprise above 10–15% of net farm income to provide a positive impact on variability of return. Adaptation of mixed-farming systems through rotational grazing, temporary agistment of livestock or removal to non-cropping areas are all management options that may be utilised to remove or reduce potential negative impacts, improve integration and to realise triple-bottom-line gains.
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French, RJ. "Changes in Cropping Systems at the Boundaries of the Pastoral and Cropping Zones in Southern Australia." Rangeland Journal 15, no. 1 (1993): 117. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9930117.
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A history of cropping at the margins between arable and pastoral lands is examined. Assessment is made of the climatic factors that caused the abandonment of cropping. These criteria are then used to assess the likelihood that future cropping will persist along the present pastoral margins in different states of Australia. A minimum requirement is that the ratio of water use to evaporation in the growing season should exceed 0.3. An analysis of past climatic data should also be made to identify sequences of years when rainfall was both above and below average. Periods of above-average rainfall can lead to undue optimism for future cropping. Simple climatic models are required so that farmers can use them to predict the rainfall in the growing season and thereby make appropriate management decisions. Farming is a complex technical and financial business and farmers will need skills in monitoring, measuring and recording factors that influence their livelihood.
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Horne, Paul A. "Carabids as potential indicators of sustainable farming systems." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, no. 4 (2007): 455. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea05265.
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Carabid beetles are important biological control agents in a range of agricultural crops throughout the world. This paper outlines the history of carabid research in Australia to provide a point of reference with European and USA studies. The ecological and applied agricultural knowledge of the Australian fauna lags far behind that of Europe and the USA but we are now at the point of using the available knowledge to assess agricultural ecosystems. This paper describes how aspects of the biology and ecology of the Australian carabid fauna differ from that described in published work on other carabid populations. In particular, this paper describes how it may be possible to identify dominant (key) species in particular ecosystems (such as pasture or cropping) and use these species as indicators of ecosystem health.
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Gupta, V. V. S. R., M. M. Roper, and D. K. Roget. "Potential for non-symbiotic N2-fixation in different agroecological zones of southern Australia." Soil Research 44, no. 4 (2006): 343. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr05122.
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Nitrogen fixation by symbiotic and non-symbiotic bacteria can be a significant source of nitrogen in cropping systems. However, contributions from non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation (NSNF) are dependent on available carbon in the soil and environmental conditions (soil moisture and temperature). In Australia, measurements of NSNF have been made in the field by quantifying nitrogenase activity. These studies have included determinations of the moisture and temperature requirements for NSNF and for crop residue decomposition that supplies carbon to NSNF bacteria. Other studies have determined the N input by NSNF using N budget calculations. These data together with information about carbon supply and environmental conditions were used to estimate potential NSNF in the cropping zones of southern Australia. Using the ArcviewGIS Spatial Analyst (v3.1), maps of Australia showing estimates of NSNF in different cropping zones as determined by rainfall and temperature or carbon availability were generated. In Western Australia (represented by Wongan Hills) and South Australia (represented by Avon), where summers are dry, estimates of NSNF were generally low (10–15 kg N/ha from January to June) due to limitations of soil moisture. In New South Wales, particularly in the north where summer rainfall patterns develop (represented by Gunnedah), the warm, moist conditions produced higher estimates of NSNF (totaling 32–38 kg N/ha from January to June). In this region, the majority of estimated NSNF occurred in January and February leading to the depletion of carbon supplies and reduced NSNF in autumn (March–June). Information about potential supplies of N from NSNF across the cropping zones should be useful for researchers to select and study areas that are most likely to benefit from NSNF. It should also help agronomists and extension officers explain changes in N status within paddocks or within specific farming systems and to provide more accurate advice on N fertiliser requirements, particularly in low-input farming systems.
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Robertson, Fiona, Doug Crawford, Debra Partington, Ivanah Oliver, David Rees, Colin Aumann, Roger Armstrong, et al. "Soil organic carbon in cropping and pasture systems of Victoria, Australia." Soil Research 54, no. 1 (2016): 64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr15008.
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Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in agricultural soils through changes to management may help to mitigate rising greenhouse gas emissions and sustain agricultural productivity and environmental conditions. However, in order to improve assessment of the potential for increasing SOC storage in the agricultural lands of Victoria, Australia, further information is required on current SOC levels and how they are related to environmental conditions, soil properties and agricultural management. Therefore, we measured stocks of SOC at 615 sites in pasture and cropping systems in Victoria, encompassing eight regions, five soil orders and four management classes (continuous cropping, crop–pasture rotation, sheep or beef pasture, and dairy pasture), and explored relationships between the C stocks and environment, soil and management. The results showed an extremely wide range in SOC, from 2 to 239 t C/ha (0–30 cm). Most of this variation was attributable to climate; almost 80% of the variation in SOC stock was related to annual rainfall or vapour pressure deficit (i.e. humidity). Texture-related soil properties accounted for a small, additional amount of variation in SOC. After accounting for climate, differences in SOC between management classes were small and often not significant. Management practices such as stubble retention, minimum cultivation, perennial pasture species, rotational grazing and fertiliser inputs were not significantly related to SOC stock. The relationships between SOC and environment, soil and management were scale-dependent. Within individual regions, the apparent influence of climate and soil properties on SOC stock varied, and in some regions, much of the variation in SOC stock remained unexplained. The results suggest that, across Victoria, there is a general hierarchy of influence on SOC stock: climate > soil properties > management class > management practices.
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Smith, Chris J., Val O. Snow, Ray Leuning, and David Hsu. "Nitrogen Balance of Effluent Irrigated Silage Cropping Systems in Southern Australia." Scientific World JOURNAL 1 (2001): 35–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2001.335.
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The nitrogen (N) balance in a double-cropped, effluent spray irrigation system was examined for several years in southern Australia. The amounts of N added by irrigation, removed in the crop, and lost by ammonia (NH3) volatilisation, denitrification, and leaching were measured. Results from the project provide pig producers with the knowledge necessary to evaluate the efficiency of such systems for managing N, and enable sustainable effluent reuse practices to be developed. Oats were grown through the winter (May to November) without irrigation, and irrigated maize was grown during the summer/autumn (December to April). Approximately 18 mm of effluent was applied every 3 days. The effluent was alkaline (pH 8.3) and the average ammoniacal-N (NH4++ NH3) concentration was 430 mg N/l (range: 320 to 679 mg N/l). Mineral N in the 0- to 1.7-m layer tended to increase during the irrigation season and decrease during the winter/spring. About 2000 kg N/ha was found in the profile to a depth of 2 m in October 2000. N removed in the aboveground biomass (oats + maize) was 590 and 570 kg N/ha/year, equivalent to ≈25% of the applied N. Average NH3volatilisation during the daytime (6:00 to 19:00) was 2.74 kg N/ha, while volatilisation at night (19:00 to 6:00) was 0.4 kg N/ha, giving a total of 3.1 kg N/ha/day. This represents ≈12% of the N loading, assuming that these rates apply throughout the season. The balance of the N accumulated in the soil profile during the irrigation season, as 15N-labelled N studies confirmed. The high recovery of the15N-labelled N, and the comparable distribution of 15N and Br in the soil profile, implied that there was little loss of N by denitrification, even though the soil was wet enough for leaching of both tracers.
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Bell, Lindsay W., Andrew T. James, Mary Ann Augustin, Artur Rombenso, David Blyth, Cedric Simon, Thomas J. V. Higgins, and Jose M. Barrero. "A Niche for Cowpea in Sub-Tropical Australia?" Agronomy 11, no. 8 (August 19, 2021): 1654. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081654.
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Pulses have emerged as important rotation crops in Australia. Some are in demand in agricultural production systems due to their high potential market value, because of their roles as grain or forage crops, their nitrogen fixation capability, and because they provide a disease break or improve soil health. While several pulse crops have been identified for winter-season cropping, there are few adapted legumes apart from mungbean that are appropriate for dryland summer cropping. Currently, short-duration crops of mungbean are commonly used, but yields are highly variable and susceptible to drought. Here, we propose that cowpea has the potential to become an alternative rotation crop in dryland summer cropping zones, providing a competitive and profitable alternative pulse crop option where its drought tolerance could enable better performance under inconsistent in-crop rainfall. We demonstrate that cowpea has nutritional properties and putative uses that could prove valuable in emerging plant-based protein and aquaculture markets.
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Malik, Raj S., Mark Seymour, Robert J. French, John A. Kirkegaard, Roger A. Lawes, and Mark A. Liebig. "Dynamic crop sequencing in Western Australian cropping systems." Crop and Pasture Science 66, no. 6 (2015): 594. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp14097.
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During the last two decades in Western Australia, the traditional mixed farming system has been increasingly displaced by intensive crop sequences dominated by wheat. Intensive wheat sequences are usually maintained by using suitable breaks, including pasture, fallow, or alternative cereal, oilseed and legume crops, to control weeds and disease, or maintain the supply of nitrogen to crops. New cereal fungicide options may also assist to maintain intensive cereal systems by suppressing soilborne cereal diseases. To guide the successful diversification of intensive cereal systems, we evaluated the effect of a 2-year experimental matrix of 10 different sequence options. Wheat in the sequence was treated with the fluquinconazole fungicide Jockey (wheat + J) to control soilborne pathogens, or with the usual seed dressing of flutriafol fungicide (wheat – J), used for control of bunts and smuts only. The sequences were wheat + J, wheat – J, barley, grain oats, oaten hay, canola, lupin, field pea, oat–vetch green manure, bare fallow) in which all treatment combinations were grown in year 2 following the same 10 treatments in year 1. In year 3, wheat + J was grown across the entire area as the test crop. In year 2, grain yields of all crops were reduced when crops were grown on their own residues, including wheat (22% reduction), canola (46%), lupin (40%) and field pea (51%). Wheat + J significantly outyielded wheat – J by 300 kg ha–1 in year 1 (14% increase) and 535 kg ha–1 in year 2 (26% increase). Wheat + J was more responsive to break crops than wheat – J in both year 1 and year 2. Break crops sown in year 1, such as canola, fallow, field pea, lupin and oaten hay, continued to have a positive effect on year 3 wheat + J yields. This study has highlighted the importance of break crops to following cereal crops, and provided an example in which a seed-dressing fungicide fluquinconazole in the presence of low levels of disease consistently improved wheat yields.
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Young, R. R., B. Wilson, S. Harden, and A. Bernardi. "Accumulation of soil carbon under zero tillage cropping and perennial vegetation on the Liverpool Plains, eastern Australia." Soil Research 47, no. 3 (2009): 273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr08104.
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Australian agriculture contributes an estimated 16% of all national greenhouse gas emissions, and considerable attention is now focused on management approaches that reduce net emissions. One area of potential is the modification of cropping practices to increase soil carbon storage. Here, we report short–medium term changes in soil carbon under zero tillage cropping systems and perennial vegetation, both in a replicated field experiment and on nearby farmers’ paddocks, on carbon-depleted Black Vertosols in the upper Liverpool Plains catchment. Soil organic carbon stocks (CS) remained unchanged under both zero tillage long fallow wheat–sorghum rotations and zero tillage continuous winter cereal in a replicated field experiment from 1994 to 2000. There was some evidence of accumulation of CS under intensive (>1 crop/year) zero tillage response cropping. There was significant accumulation of CS (~0.35 Mg/ha.year) under 3 types of perennial pasture, despite removal of aerial biomass with each harvest. Significant accumulation was detected in the 0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, and 0.2–0.4 m depth increments under lucerne and the top 2 increments under mixed pastures of lucerne and phalaris and of C3 and C4 perennial grasses. Average annual rainfall for the period of observations was 772 mm, greater than the 40-year average of 680 mm. A comparison of major attributes of cropping systems and perennial pastures showed no association between aerial biomass production and accumulation rates of CS but a positive correlation between the residence times of established plants and accumulation rates of CS. CS also remained unchanged (1998/2000–07) under zero tillage cropping on nearby farms, irrespective of paddock history before 1998/2000 (zero tillage cropping, traditional cropping, or ~10 years of sown perennial pasture). These results are consistent with previous work in Queensland and central western New South Wales suggesting that the climate (warm, semi-arid temperate, semi-arid subtropical) of much of the inland cropping country in eastern Australia is not conducive to accumulation of soil carbon under continuous cropping, although they do suggest that CS may accumulate under several years of healthy perennial pastures in rotation with zero tillage cropping.
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Cogle, A. L., M. A. Keating, P. A. Langford, J. Gunton, and I. S. Webb. "Runoff, soil loss, and nutrient transport from cropping systems on Red Ferrosols in tropical northern Australia." Soil Research 49, no. 1 (2011): 87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr10069.
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Runoff, soil loss, and nutrient loss were assessed on a Red Ferrosol in tropical Australia over 3 years. The experiment was conducted using bounded, 100-m2 field plots cropped to peanuts, maize, or grass. A bare plot, without cover or crop, was also instigated as an extreme treatment. Results showed the importance of cover in reducing runoff, soil loss, and nutrient loss from these soils. Runoff ranged from 13% of incident rainfall for the conventional cultivation to 29% under bare conditions during the highest rainfall year, and was well correlated with event rainfall and rainfall energy. Soil loss ranged from 30 t/ha.year under bare conditions to <6 t/ha.year under cropping. Nutrient losses of 35 kg N and 35 kg P/ha.year under bare conditions and 17 kg N and 11 kg P/ha.year under cropping were measured. Soil carbon analyses showed a relationship with treatment runoff, suggesting that soil properties influenced the rainfall runoff response. The cropping systems model PERFECT was calibrated using runoff, soil loss, and soil water data. Runoff and soil loss showed good agreement with observed data in the calibration, and soil water and yield had reasonable agreement. Long-term runs using historical weather data showed the episodic nature of runoff and soil loss events in this region and emphasise the need to manage land using protective measures such as conservation cropping practices. Farmers involved in related, action-learning activities wished to incorporate conservation cropping findings into their systems but also needed clear production benefits to hasten practice change.
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Walsh, Michael J., John C. Broster, and Stephen B. Powles. "iHSD Mill Efficacy on the Seeds of Australian Cropping System Weeds." Weed Technology 32, no. 2 (November 20, 2017): 103–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/wet.2017.95.
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AbstractIn Australia, widespread evolution of multi-resistant weed populations has driven the development and adoption of harvest weed seed control (HWSC). However, due to incompatibility of commonly used HWSC systems with highly productive conservation cropping systems, better HWSC systems are in demand. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD) mill on the seeds of Australia’s major crop weeds during wheat chaff processing. Also examined were the impacts of chaff type and moisture content on weed seed destruction efficacy. Initially, the iHSD mill speed of 3,000 rpm was identified as the most effective at destroying rigid ryegrass seeds present in wheat chaff. Subsequent testing determined that the iHSD mill was highly effective (>95% seed kill) on all Australian crop weeds examined. Rigid ryegrass seed kill was found to be highest for lupin chaff and lowest in barley, with wheat and canola chaff intermediate. Similarly, wheat chaff moisture reduced rigid ryegrass seed kill when moisture level exceeded 12%. The broad potential of the iHSD mill was evident, in that the reductions in efficacy due to wide-ranging differences in chaff type and moisture content were relatively small (≤10%). The results from these studies confirm the high efficacy and widespread suitability of the iHSD for use in Australian crop production systems. Additionally, as this system allows the conservation of all harvest residues, it is the best HWSC technique for conservation cropping systems.
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Swarts, Nigel, Kelvin Montagu, Garth Oliver, Liam Southam-Rogers, Marcus Hardie, Ross Corkrey, Gordon Rogers, and Dugald Close. "Benchmarking nitrous oxide emissions in deciduous tree cropping systems." Soil Research 54, no. 5 (2016): 500. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr15326.
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Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions contribute 6% of the global warming effect and are derived from the activity of soil-based microorganisms involved in nitrification and denitrification processes. There is a paucity of greenhouse gas emissions data for Australia’s horticulture industry. In this study we investigated N2O flux from two deciduous fruit tree crops, apples and cherries, in two predominant growing regions in eastern Australia, the Huon Valley in southern Tasmania (Lucaston – apples and Lower Longley – cherries), and high altitude northern New South Wales (Orange – apples and Young – cherries). Estimated from manual chamber measurements over a 12-month period, average daily emissions were very low ranging from 0.78gN2O-Nha–1day–1 in the apple orchard at Lucaston to 1.86gN2O-Nha–1day–1 in the cherry orchard in Lower Longley. Daily emissions were up to 50% higher in summer (maximum 5.27gN2O-Nha–1day–1 at Lower Longley) than winter (maximum 2.47gN2O-Nha–1day–1 at Young) across the four trial orchards. N2O emissions were ~40% greater in the inter-row than the tree line for each orchard. Daily flux rates were used as a loss estimate for annual emissions, which ranged from 298gN2O-Nha–1year–1 at Lucaston to 736gN2O-Nha–1year–1 at Lower Longley. Emissions were poorly correlated with soil temperature, volumetric water content, water filled porosity, gravimetric water content and matric potential – with inconsistent patterns between sites, within the tree line and inter-row and between seasons. Stepwise linear regression models for the Lucaston site accounted for less than 10% of the variance in N2O emissions, for which soil temperature was the strongest predictor. N2O emissions in deciduous tree crops were among the lowest recorded for Australian agriculture, most likely due to low rates of N fertiliser, cool temperate growing conditions and highly efficient drip irrigation systems. We recommend that optimising nutrient use efficiency with improved drainage and a reduction in soil compaction in the inter-row will facilitate further mitigation of N2O emissions.
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Hulugalle, N. R., T. B. Weaver, L. A. Finlay, and V. Heimoana. "Soil organic carbon concentrations and storage in irrigated cotton cropping systems sown on permanent beds in a Vertosol with restricted subsoil drainage." Crop and Pasture Science 64, no. 8 (2013): 799. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp12374.
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Long-term studies of soil organic carbon dynamics in two- and three-crop rotations in irrigated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) based cropping systems under varying stubble management practices in Australian Vertosols are relatively few. Our objective was to quantify soil organic carbon dynamics during a 9-year period in four irrigated, cotton-based cropping systems sown on permanent beds in a Vertosol with restricted subsoil drainage near Narrabri in north-western New South Wales, Australia. The experimental treatments were: cotton–cotton (CC); cotton–vetch (Vicia villosa Roth. in 2002–06, Vicia benghalensis L. in 2007–11) (CV); cotton–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), where wheat stubble was incorporated (CW); and cotton–wheat–vetch, where wheat stubble was retained as in-situ mulch (CWV). Vetch was terminated during or just before flowering by a combination of mowing and contact herbicides, and the residues were retained as in situ mulch. Estimates of carbon sequestered by above- and below-ground biomass inputs were in the order CWV >> CW = CV > CC. Carbon concentrations in the 0–1.2 m depth and carbon storage in the 0–0.3 and 0–1.2 m depths were similar among all cropping systems. Net carbon sequestration rates did not differ among cropping systems and did not change significantly with time in the 0–0.3 m depth, but net losses occurred in the 0–1.2 m depth. The discrepancy between measured and estimated values of sequestered carbon suggests that either the value of 5% used to estimate carbon sequestration from biomass inputs was an overestimate for this site, or post-sequestration losses may have been high. The latter has not been investigated in Australian Vertosols. Future research efforts should identify the cause and quantify the magnitude of these losses of organic carbon from soil.
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Yeates, S. J., G. R. Strickland, and P. R. Grundy. "Can sustainable cotton production systems be developed for tropical northern Australia?" Crop and Pasture Science 64, no. 12 (2013): 1127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp13220.
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This article reviews research coordinated by the Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) that investigated production issues for irrigated cotton at five targeted sites in tropical northern Australia, north of 21°S from Broome in Western Australia to the Burdekin in Queensland. The biotic and abiotic issues for cotton production were investigated with the aim of defining the potential limitations and, where appropriate, building a sustainable technical foundation for a future industry if it were to follow. Key lessons from the Cotton CRC research effort were: (1) limitations thought to be associated with cotton production in northern Australia can be overcome by developing a deep understanding of biotic and environmental constraints, then tailoring and validating production practices; and (2) transplanting of southern farming practices without consideration of local pest, soil and climatic factors is unlikely to succeed. Two grower guides were published which synthesised the research for new growers into a rational blueprint for sustainable cotton production in each region. In addition to crop production and environmental impact issues, the project identified the following as key elements needed to establish new cropping regions in tropical Australia: rigorous quantification of suitable land and sustainable water yields; support from governments; a long-term funding model for locally based research; the inclusion of traditional owners; and development of human capacity.
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Baker, Jeanine, and Christopher Preston. "Canola (Brassica napus L.) seedbank declines rapidly in farmer-managed fields in South Australia." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59, no. 8 (2008): 780. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar07436.
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Canola is an important crop in southern Australia, where it is used as part of the crop rotation to manage cereal diseases, improve wheat yields, and assist in integrated weed management programs. The potential release of herbicide-tolerant transgenic cultivars into Australia has raised concerns that volunteer canola may itself become an uncontrollable weed. This study examined the persistence of the canola seedbank in farmer-managed fields in 3 geographical areas of the South Australian cropping region for up to 3.5 years after the last canola crop was grown. In total, 66 fields from minimum- and no-tillage farms were sampled for number of canola seed/m2 and the percentage of those that germinated. ANOVA analysis indicated that time since the last harvest and cultivation method were both significant factors affecting the number of seed/m2 present. Neither time since harvest nor cultivation method was significant for number of germinated canola seeds, although time since harvest approached significance at the 5% level. This demonstrates that the canola seedbank and the number of volunteers decline rapidly in managed cropping systems in southern Australia. Therefore, it is unlikely that herbicide-tolerant canola will become a major weed if volunteers are managed carefully.
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Nachimuthu, G., M. J. Bell, and N. V. Halpin. "Carbon losses in terrestrial hydrological pathways in sugarcane cropping systems of Australia." Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 71, no. 5 (September 1, 2016): 109A—113A. http://dx.doi.org/10.2489/jswc.71.5.109a.
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Nachimuthu, Gunasekhar, Michael J. Bell, and Neil V. Halpin. "Nitrogen losses in terrestrial hydrological pathways in sugarcane cropping systems of Australia." Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 72, no. 2 (2017): 32A—35A. http://dx.doi.org/10.2489/jswc.72.2.32a.
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Chauhan, Yashvir, Samantha Allard, Rex Williams, Brett Williams, Sagadevan Mundree, Karine Chenu, and N. C. Rachaputi. "Characterisation of chickpea cropping systems in Australia for major abiotic production constraints." Field Crops Research 204 (March 2017): 120–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.01.008.
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Connor, David J. "Designing cropping systems for efficient use of limited water in southern Australia." European Journal of Agronomy 21, no. 4 (December 2004): 419–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2004.07.004.
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Siddique, K. H. M., and J. Sykes. "Pulse production in Australia past, present and future." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, no. 1 (1997): 103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea96068.
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Summary. Several cool- and warm-season pulse crops (grain legumes) are grown in rotation with cereals and pasture forming sustainable farming systems in Australia. Australian pulse production has increased rapidly over the past 25 years to about 2 x 106 t/year, mainly because of the increase in the area and yield of lupin production for stockfeed purposes. Pulses currently comprise only 10% of the cropping areas of Australia and this could be expanded to 16% as there are large areas of soil types suitable for a range of pulse crops and new better-adapted pulse varieties are becoming available. Cool-season pulses will continue to dominate pulse production in Australia and the majority of the expansion will probably come from chickpea and faba bean industries. There appears to be no major constraint to pulse production in Australia that cannot be addressed by breeders, agronomists and farmers. Of the current major pulse crops, field pea faces the most number of difficulties, in particular the lack of disease management options. A recent strategic plan of the Australian pulse industry predicts the production of 4 x 106 t/year by 2005 but this will largely depend upon export demand and pulse prices. It is predicted that the growth in pulse production will come from increased productivity in the existing areas, from 1.0 to 1.4 t/ha, through improvements in crop management and the development of superior varieties. The area of pulse production will also expand by an additional 1.2 x 106 ha probably yielding 1.0 t/ha. If trends in grazing stock prices continue, the increased area under pulse production will mostly come at the expense of those areas under unimproved pasture and continuous cereal cropping.
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Kleemann, Samuel G. L., and Gurjeet S. Gill. "Population Ecology and Management of Rigid Brome (Bromus rigidus) in Australian Cropping Systems." Weed Science 57, no. 2 (April 2009): 202–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/ws-08-121.1.
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Rigid brome is a problematic weed of southern Australian cropping systems. Increased knowledge about the ecology of rigid brome and the influence of management strategies on its seedbank dynamics could facilitate development of more effective weed control programs. A field study was undertaken to investigate seedbank persistence and the influence of different management strategies on rigid brome control at Lock in South Australia during 2003 to 2005. Seeds of rigid brome were found to persist in the soil for up to 3 yr, with > 20% of the seedbank persisting from one season to the next. Therefore, a single year management program against this weed species is likely to be ineffective and could result in rapid buildup in weed infestations. However, management strategies that combined effective herbicides (ClearfieldTMtechnology) and crop competition over consecutive years provided effective control of this troublesome weed. Such cropping systems reduced rigid brome density (1 to 10 plants m−2) and seed production (8 to 160 seeds m−2) in the final crop of the 3-yr cropping sequence as compared to common grower practice of trifluralin and triasulfuron mixtures (138 plants m−2; 1,866 seeds m−2). These treatment combinations were able to deplete the initial seedbank (1,748 seeds m−2) to manageable levels (< 5 seeds m−2) within 3 yr. The results of this study should provide growers with confidence that severe rigid brome infestations can be managed effectively without compromising crop productivity.
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Mielenz, Henrike, Peter J. Thorburn, Robert H. Harris, Sally J. Officer, Guangdi Li, Graeme D. Schwenke, and Peter R. Grace. "Nitrous oxide emissions from grain production systems across a wide range of environmental conditions in eastern Australia." Soil Research 54, no. 5 (2016): 659. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr15376.
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Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Australian grain cropping systems are highly variable due to the large variations in soil and climate conditions and management practices under which crops are grown. Agricultural soils contribute 55% of national N2O emissions, and therefore mitigation of these emissions is important. In the present study, we explored N2O emissions, yield and emissions intensity in a range of management practices in grain crops across eastern Australia with the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM). The model was initially evaluated against experiments conducted at six field sites across major grain-growing regions in eastern Australia. Measured yields for all crops used in the experiments (wheat, barley, sorghum, maize, cotton, canola and chickpea) and seasonal N2O emissions were satisfactorily predicted with R2=0.93 and R2=0.91 respectively. As expected, N2O emissions and emissions intensity increased with increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser input, whereas crop yields increased until a yield plateau was reached at a site- and crop-specific N rate. The mitigation potential of splitting N fertiliser application depended on the climate conditions and was found to be relevant only in the southern grain-growing region, where most rainfall occurs during the cropping season. Growing grain legumes in rotation with cereal crops has great potential to reduce mineral N fertiliser requirements and so N2O emissions. In general, N management strategies that maximise yields and increase N use efficiency showed the greatest promise for N2O mitigation.
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Monjardino, M., D. J. Pannell, and S. B. Powles. "The economic value of haying and green manuring in the integrated management of annual ryegrass and wild radish in a Western Australian farming system." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, no. 12 (2004): 1195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea03144.
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Most cropping farms in Western Australia must deal with the management of herbicide-resistant populations of weeds such as annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum). Farmers are approaching the problem of herbicide resistance by adopting integrated weed management systems, which allow weed control with a range of different techniques. These systems include non-herbicide methods ranging from delayed seeding and high crop seeding rates to the use of non-cropping phases in the rotation. In this paper, the Multi-species RIM (resistance and integrated management) model was used to investigate the value of including non-cropping phases in the crop rotation. Non-crop options investigated here were haying and green manuring. Despite them providing excellent weed control, it was found that inclusion of these non-cropping phases did not increase returns, except in cases of extreme weed numbers and high levels of herbicide resistance.
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Noack, S. R., T. M. McBeath, and M. J. McLaughlin. "Potential for foliar phosphorus fertilisation of dryland cereal crops: a review." Crop and Pasture Science 61, no. 8 (2010): 659. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp10080.
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Although not commonly used in dryland cropping systems to date, foliar phosphorus (P) fertilisation may allow a tactical response to prevailing seasonal climatic conditions, with the added benefit of reduced input costs at sowing. However, variable outcomes have been reported from field trials predominantly conducted in the USA, and to a lesser degree in Australia. The effectiveness of foliar P is dependent on soil P status, soil water status, crop type, fertiliser formulation and prevailing climatic conditions. This review argues that the potential of foliar P fertilisation in Australian dryland cereal cropping could be enhanced by altering formulations for enhanced leaf penetration using adjuvants, and by accurately assessing the responsiveness of sites before application. This review demonstrates that it is important to use appropriate techniques such as isotopic labelling, to measure the efficacy and mode of action of foliar formulations.
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Cogle, AL, J. Littlemore, and DH Heiner. "Soil organic matter changes and crops responses to fertiliser under conservation cropping systems in the semi-arid tropics of North Queensland, Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, no. 2 (1995): 233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9950233.
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Soil organic matter changes due to cropping in the semi-arid tropics were studied in an area with cropping potential. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen (N) decreased after clearing and tillage, but decline was less where pasture-crop rotations were used. Crop N removal was high and exceeded the recommended fertiliser N rate. These results suggest that if cropping expansion occurs, careful management the is necessary for long-term productivity and land resource protection.
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Holloway, Joanne C., Michael J. Furlong, and Philip I. Bowden. "Management of beneficial invertebrates and their potential role in integrated pest management for Australian grain systems." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, no. 12 (2008): 1531. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea07424.
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Beneficial invertebrates (predators and parasitoids) can make significant contributions to the suppression of insect pest populations in many cropping systems. In Australia, natural enemies are incorporated into integrated pest management programs in cotton and horticultural agroecosystems. They are also often key components of effective programs for the management of insect pests of grain crops in other parts of the world. However, few studies have examined the contribution of endemic natural enemies to insect pest suppression in the diverse grain agroecosystems of Australia. The potential of these organisms is assessed by reviewing the role that natural enemies play in the suppression of the major pests of Australian grain crops when they occur in overseas grain systems or other local agroecosystems. The principal methods by which the efficacy of biological control agents may be enhanced are examined and possible methods to determine the impact of natural enemies on key insect pest species are described. The financial and environmental benefits of practices that encourage the establishment and improve the efficacy of natural enemies are considered and the constraints to adoption of these practices by the Australian grains industry are discussed.
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Whitbread, A. M., C. W. Davoren, V. V. S. R. Gupta, R. Llewellyn, and the late D. Roget. "Long-term cropping system studies support intensive and responsive cropping systems in the low-rainfall Australian Mallee." Crop and Pasture Science 66, no. 6 (2015): 553. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp14136.
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Continuous-cropping systems based on no-till and crop residue retention have been widely adopted across the low-rainfall cereal belt in southern Australia in the last decade to manage climate risk and wind erosion. This paper reports on two long-term field experiments that were established in the late 1990s on texturally different soil types at a time of uncertainty about the profitability of continuous-cropping rotations in low-rainfall environments. Continuous-cereal systems significantly outyielded the traditional pasture–wheat systems in five of the 11 seasons at Waikerie (light-textured soil), resulting in a cumulative gross margin of AU$1600 ha–1 after the initial eight seasons, almost double that of the other treatments. All rotation systems at Kerribee (loam-textured soil) performed poorly, with only the 2003 season producing yields close to 3 t ha–1 and no profit achieved in the years 2004–08. For low-rainfall environments, the success of a higher input cropping system largely depends on the ability to offset the losses in poor seasons by capturing greater benefits from good seasons; therefore, strategies to manage climatic risk are paramount. Fallow efficiency, or the efficiency with which rainfall was stored during the period between crops, averaged 17% at Kerribee and 30% at Waikerie, also indicating that soil texture strongly influences soil evaporation. A ‘responsive’ strategy of continuous cereal with the occasional, high-value ‘break crop’ when seasonal conditions are optimal is considered superior to fixed or pasture–fallow rotations for controlling grass, disease or nutritional issues.
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Owen, Mechelle J., Roslyn K. Owen, and Stephen B. Powles. "A Survey in the Southern Grain Belt of Western Australia Did Not Find Conyza Spp. Resistant to Glyphosate." Weed Technology 23, no. 3 (September 2009): 492–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/wt-08-166.1.
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Glyphosate-resistant crops will be grown for the first time in Western Australia in 2009. A survey was conducted across 150,000 km2 of the southeastern part of the Western Australian grain belt in 2007 to determine whether glyphosate-resistant Conyza populations were present. Sixty-eight Conyza populations were collected from various fields and roadside locations. These populations were collected from areas where Conyza was known to exist. Populations were screened with glyphosate and all populations were found to be glyphosate-susceptible. While no glyphosate-resistant Conyza populations were found in the southeastern grain belt of Western Australia, it provides baseline data prior to the introduction of glyphosate-resistant crops in this region. It is important to monitor the efficacy of glyphosate as resistance becomes more prevalent in weeds of various cropping systems worldwide.
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Özkan, Şeyda, Julian Hill, and Brendan Cullen. "Effect of climate variability on pasture-based dairy feeding systems in south-east Australia." Animal Production Science 55, no. 9 (2015): 1106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an14493.
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The Australian dairy industry relies primarily on pasture for its feed supply. However, the variability in climate affects plant growth, leading to uncertainty in dryland pasture supply. This paper models the impact of climate variability on pasture production and examines the potential of two pasture-based dairy feeding systems: (1) to experience winter deficits; (2) to carry forward the conserved pasture surpluses as silage for future use; and (3) to conserve pasture surpluses as hay. The two dairy feeding systems examined were a traditional perennial ryegrass-based feeding system (ryegrass max. – RM) and a system that incorporated double cropping into the perennial ryegrass pasture base (complementary forage – CF). The conditional probability of the RM and CF systems to generate pasture deficits in winter were 94% and 96%, respectively. Both systems could carry forward the surplus silage into the following lactation almost once in every 4–5 years with the RM system performing slightly better than the CF system. The proportions of the grain-based concentrates fed in the two systems were 25% and 27% for the RM and CF systems, respectively. This study suggests that double-cropping systems have the potential to provide high-quality feed to support the feed gaps when pasture is not available due to increased variability in climatic conditions.
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Zull, A. F., J. Owens, M. Bourgault, B. Johnson, G. Peck, and N. Christodoulou. "Mixed farming diversification may be costly: southern Queensland case study." Crop and Pasture Science 68, no. 4 (2017): 378. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp16193.
Full textAbstract:
Many farmers in Australia and in other countries have a choice of crop or livestock production, and many choose a mixture of both, based on risk preference, personal interests, markets, land resources and local climate. Mixed farming can be a risk-spreading strategy, especially in highly variable climates, but the right scales of each enterprise within the mix may be critical to farm profitability. To investigate expected farm profits, the probability of breaking even, as well as the worst and best case scenarios, we used farm data and APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems Simulator) to simulate the production of a typical, semi-arid, mixed-farm in southern Queensland. Three farming system scenarios were investigated: I, livestock and more intensive cropping; II, current production system of livestock and minimal cropping; and III, livestock only. We found that the expected profits were in the order system I > system III > system II. The key reason for the lower profits of system II was the high overhead cost of capital to continue some cropping, with low annual cropping income. Under the worst case scenario, in years with low rainfall, system I had the greatest downside risk with far greater financial losses. Systems I and III had similar probabilities of breaking even, and higher than system II, which incurs cropping overheads and limited cropping returns. Therefore, system II was less desirable than either system I or III. This case study helps farmers and advisors of semi-arid mixed farming enterprises to be better informed when making decisions at the paddock and whole-farm level, in both the short and long term, with respect to profit and risk. The method used in this paper can be applied to other mixed farms, in Australia and elsewhere.
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Sharma, Darshan L., and Walter K. Anderson. "Success of diagnostic approach to rainfed, wheat-based cropping systems in Western Australia." Agricultural Systems 123 (January 2014): 22–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2013.08.007.
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LAM, S. K., D. CHEN, R. NORTON, R. ARMSTRONG, and A. R. MOSIER. "Influence of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide and supplementary irrigation on greenhouse gas emissions from a spring wheat crop in southern Australia." Journal of Agricultural Science 151, no. 2 (July 31, 2012): 201–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002185961200055x.
Full textAbstract:
SUMMARYThe effect of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from semi-arid cropping systems is poorly understood. Closed static chambers were used to measure the fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O), CO2and methane (CH4) from a spring wheat (Triticum aestivumL. cv. Yitpi) crop-soil system at the Australian grains free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (AGFACE) facility at Horsham in southern Australia in 2009. The targeted atmospheric CO2concentrations (hereafter CO2concentration is abbreviated as [CO2]) were 390 (ambient) and 550 (elevated) μmol/mol for both rainfed and supplementary irrigated treatments. Gas measurements were conducted at five key growth stages of wheat. Elevated [CO2] increased the emission of N2O and CO2by 108 and 29%, respectively, with changes being greater during the wheat vegetative stage. Supplementary irrigation reduced N2O emission by 36%, suggesting that N2O was reduced to N2in the denitrification process. Irrigation increased CO2flux by 26% at ambient [CO2] but not at elevated [CO2], and had no impact on CH4flux. The present results suggest that under future atmospheric [CO2], agricultural GHG emissions at the vegetative stage may be higher and irrigation is likely to reduce the emissions from semi-arid cropping systems.
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Kleemann, Samuel George Lloyd, and Gurjeet Singh Gill. "Seed Dormancy and Seedling Emergence in Ripgut Brome (Bromus diandrus) Populations in Southern Australia." Weed Science 61, no. 2 (June 2013): 222–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/ws-d-12-00083.1.
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Ripgut brome is a difficult weed to manage in cereal crops of southern Australia because only a few herbicides can provide effective control in cereals. Knowledge of seed-dormancy mechanisms, germination ecology, and emergence behavior in the field could facilitate development of effective weed control programs for this weed species. Ripgut brome populations from cropping fields were found to possess much longer seed dormancy than that reported previously in the literature. Furthermore, some ripgut brome populations from cropping fields showed longer seed dormancy than those collected from adjacent noncropped fence lines. For example, all seeds of one of the populations from the fence line (SA-1F) germinated at 3 mo after maturity, whereas seeds from the cropping field at the same site (SA-1C) showed little germination (< 3%) even at 8 mo after maturity. These highly dormant ripgut brome populations from cropping fields were responsive to cold stratification, with germination increasing significantly after 2 to 14 d of exposure. Germination of dormant ripgut brome populations increased with addition of gibberellic acid (0.001 M GA3), particularly when lemma and palea had been removed. Ripgut brome populations from cropping fields (VIC-2C and SA-1C) showed strong inhibition of seed germination when exposed to light. These differences in seed dormancy among ripgut brome populations were also expressed in seedling emergence pattern in the field. The nondormant populations collected from fence lines showed high seedling establishment (> 80%) during autumn, which coincided with the planting time of winter crops in southern Australia. In contrast, five populations from cropping fields showed much lower seedling establishment (3 to 17%) before the time of crop planting. Delayed seedling establishment in populations from cropping fields could lead to less effective preseeding weed control and higher weed infestations in field crops. Results of this study also showed that the seedbank of these highly dormant ripgut brome populations can readily persist from one year to the next. Effective management of ripgut brome populations with long seed dormancy and increased seedbank persistence would require a major change in cropping systems used by the growers in southern Australia.