Farmers' Newsletter No 173, Spring 2006
For other issues see here
|
|
Each of the files listed below is in PDF format. You will need a minimum of Acrobat version 6 to open them. To access the file click on the PDF symbol to the left of the description. Depending on how your browser is configured the file will either open directly in the browser window or download to your computer.
To prevent the file from opening in the browser window, right-click (Windows OS) or option-click (Mac OS) and use the options to save the file to a location on your hard drive.
|
| EXCELLENCE IN IRRIGATION |
IREC Irrigated Farm Competition 2006 (244 K)
- The 2006 IREC Irrigated Farm Competition showcased four diverse businesses each with outstanding strengths in the management of business diversity, market opportunity and environmental resources
- Amongst many common characteristics, all finalists impressed judges with their positive attitudes, a clear vision of their business objectives, and a strong belief that profitability and healthy farming systems go hand in hand
|
Finalists of the Irrigated Farm Competition (193 K)
- The finalists of the IREC Irrigated Farm Competition 2006 have diverse businesses but all share a common passion for excellence in irrigation and sustainable integration of their business into the natural environment. This article profiles the 2006 finalists.
|
| CROP OPTIONS & MANAGEMENT |
High value rotations (458 K)
- A new project is rising to the challenge of seeing if $2000/ha can be earned on irrigation land each year
- The answer lies in flexible, well managed intensive cropping rotations, that grow two crops most years
- The concept is not new, and this article reviews grower practice and trial work that has been investigating intensive rotations since the 1970s
|
Cotton row spacings in southern NSW (193 K)
- There is burgeoning interest in cotton growing in southern NSW as a result of better adapted varieties to the cooler climate
- Cotton is traditionally grown on 1 m row spacings however there are alternative row spacings such as 38 cm (15 inch), which are increasingly popular
- Current research is aiming to determine the most appropriate row configuration for southern NSW growing conditions – early results indicate that the suitability of each configuration may be site specific or linked to soil type or climate
- Research is continuing to determine under what conditions narrower row spacings give a yield or maturity benefit
|
Soybean variety & agronomy trials (380 K)
- Trial results in 2005–06 and averages over the last five years show Djakal to be the top-performing soybean variety in northern Victoria and the Riverina
- The variety Snowy released in 2005 also performed well, and together with Djakal these varieties are proving to be higher yielding and have better end-use quality than older varieties, and their quicker maturity means they use less water
- Another trial in 2005–06 showed that row spacing and choice of variety can have a major effect on irrigated soybean yields, with the research indicating that significant yield gains can be achieved through the use of narrow rows
|
Straighthead in rice (751 K)
- Straighthead is a disorder which distorts panicles and florets and causes grain sterility
- Estimated yield loss in Australia exceeds $1 million each year
- It occurs mostly on old pasture country and where stubble is incorporated
- Some rice varieties are more tolerant of straighthead than others
- Techniques have been developed to study straighthead in the field and further research will lead to an understanding of the cause of the problem
|
Summer crop 2005-06 review (211 K)
- A Summer Crop Review highlighted the important issues of the past cropping season, so management strategies could be refined to be more effective in the next season
- The season was regarded as exceptional for rice with good establishment and good yields achieved
- Soybean yields were excellent across the industry but some crops were affected by a virus, which could possibly be green stem syndrome
- It was a tough season for maize however if plant water requirements were met during the hot season, yields were good and in some cases above average
|
Pulse crops for cool season regions (195 K)
- A Nuffield Scholarship study tour visiting significant players in cool season pulse production around the world has confirmed that irrigators in southern Australia can compete in pulse markets, with some provisos
- There is a need to broaden the research and breeding programs to include irrigated pulse production specifically for irrigation
- There is a need to concentrate on breeding for disease resistance, which has an enormous influence on the economics of irrigated pulse production in Australia
|
Silage crops (215 K)
- Silage produces high animal growth rates and milk production, and the quality of well-made silage can be almost as good as that of the original forage
- Selecting a pasture or crop for silage making should take into consideration feed value of the species, how easy the species is to ensile, what grows best in the local area and seed availability
- Maize is renowned as the outstanding crop for silage, producing high yields of high energy forage and it is easily ensiled
- TopFodder Silage, a joint initiative of NSW DPI and Dairy Australia, gives farmers, silage contractors, advisers and agribusiness unprecedented access to the most comprehensive collection of information and expertise about silage in Australia
|
| PEOPLE & ORGANISATIONS |
| IREC on the web (110 K) |
Postcard from Uganda (190 K)
- Regular Farmers’ Newsletter contributor, Griffith-based DPI Irrigation Officer and the inaugural chair of the Young Irrigators’ Network, Iva Quarisa, took on the role of this magazine’s ‘foreign correspondent’ when she travelled to Uganda recently. In this article Iva writes about Uganda’s vital statistics, and gives a run down on agriculture and the greatest recent threat to Uganda’s prosperity, AIDS.
|
| ICF on the web (82 K) |
| IRRIGATION |
Drip, sprinkler & furrow irrigation for maize (453 K)
- Sprinkler, subsurface drip and furrow irrigated maize were compared in 2005–06 at the community farm at Coleambally – a repeat of 2004–05 comparisons
- Once again, subsurface drip (11.2 t/ha) out-yielded sprinkler (9.7 t/ha) and furrow (8.6 t/ha) irrigated maize in terms of yield by 16 and 31%, respectively
- Subsurface drip again had higher net irrigation water productivity (2.0 t/ML compared with 1.7–1.8 t/ML for sprinkler and drip) and higher total water productivity (1.3 t/ML compared with 1.1 t/ML)
- Financial analysis is needed to determine whether the increased yield and irrigation water productivity with subsurface drip is financially beneficial to farmers
|
Mid-season drainage of rice (173 K)
- Grain yield response from mid-season draining of rice has been evaluated over the last five rice seasons
- There was an increase in grain yield in all the experiments and some of the on-farm demonstrations
- In commercial crops there is unlikely to be much reduction in water use – the intent is to increase grain yield, therefore any water saving is a bonus
- If you plan to topdress nitrogen on to the dry soil reduce your application rate by 30%
|
Delayed flooding of rice (147 K)
- Delayed flooding provides an opportunity to improve the water productivity of rice
- The exceptionally high growth rates of rice between panicle initiation and flowering necessitate an abundance of water which can only be satisfied under flooded conditions
- If a particularly hot spell of weather (say longer than four days) is forecast leave the crop flooded
|
Real-time control of surface irrigation (209 K)
- A new real-time control system could mean improved water use efficiency in furrow irrigation systems
- The system combines infiltration information and only one advance point, measured around the mid length of the furrow, to determine the optimum cut-off point for the current irrigation event
|
| WEEDS |
| Alligator weed management (160 K) |
| REGULARS |
| Chairman’s foreword (96 K) |
| IREC Executive directory (172 K) |
|
page top
|
