Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Western Australia) trials

To identify herbicide sensitivities of new or potential new chickpea varieties with the view to reduce their yield losses due to herbicide damage.

To identify herbicide sensitivities of new lentil varieties with the view to reduce their yield losses due to herbicide damage.

To investigate the economic return of spraying fungicide for spot type net blotch in barley in the eastern wheatbelt.

To determine the effect of common district nutrition packages in Merredin on crown rot index (incidence x severity) of wheat and barley varieties.

We aim to demonstrate the effectiveness of using clean seed and seed applied fungicide to minimise the amount of Ascochyta in a chickpea crop, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of early season foliar fungicides to keep disease levels at bay.

We plan to demonstrate a range both peat and granular inoculant options for chickpeas, placement of these products with seed vs. with fertiliser, and the interactions of these products with seed applied fungicide.

We aim to determine if faba beans in higher rainfall zone respond to high rates of phosphorus, in-crop nitrogen and/or a complete/intensive nutritional and disease management package.

Demonstrate the effectiveness of different fungicide timing options on chocolate spot management and evaluate a new spray decision support tool.
This trial was a collaboration of the Crop Protection and Grain Science groups within DPIRD.

This trial is the second year of the trial series comparing the performance and response of two breeding lines (03198-18, named Kowari , and 06204-16, named Bilby ) and two benchmark varieties (Carrolup and Williams ) to changes in nitrogen and plant density in medium rainfall environments. This research builds on the trials conducted at Holt Rock in 2014-2016.

The aims of these experiments were to determine:

• the potential effect of natural enemies on insect pests

• any long-term effects from insecticide seed treatments on natural enemies

• any differences in natural enemies and pest distribution.
 

Resistance to phosphine in stored grain insects from farm storages in south-eastern Australia: 2021

We aim to determine if faba beans in the high rainfall zone respond to high rates of phosphorus, in-crop nitrogen and/or a complete/intensive nutritional and disease management package.

We aim to compare the current recommended WA fungicide spray strategy with the more regular fungicide applications common in other states, and with a spray timing based on canopy humidity and temperature to determine if this could be a useful decision support tool by West Australian growers.

For newly released faba bean varieties: demonstrate production packages, including herbicide, fertiliser

and rhizobia options that are the ‘best bet’ to maximise yield.

These trials tested the repellence of some products being promoted or anecdotally observed to repel snails in broad acre crops. These products have no supporting data nor are they registered for snail repellence in crops.

To compare efficacy of new and old herbicides and herbicide mixtures for broadleaf weed control in chickpea.

1. To survey growers in the Geraldton port zone to understand why and how they are cross working.
2. To assess the effect of cross seeding and cross ripping on crop production compared to normal working at two demonstration sites.

To reduce costs in poor seasons and maximise yield in good seasons by having a greater understanding of tactical nitrogen application and how it affects wheat protein and yield.

To monitor the long term effects of incorporated lime versus no incorporation.

This trial is the second year of the trial series comparing the performance and response of two breeding lines (03198-18, named Kowari, and 06204-16, named Bilby) and two benchmark varieties (Carrolup and Williams) to changes in nitrogen and plant density in medium rainfall environments.

To identify herbicide sensitivities of new lupin varieties with the view to reduce their yield losses due to herbicide damage. Mandelup was included as a standard variety for comparison in the trial.

Blue lupins are problematic in narrow leave lupin production, especially in the Northern Agriculture Region of WA Wheatbelt and no herbicide is registered for their control in this crop. There were earlier reports that blue lupins could be controlled/suppressed with triclopyr (e.g. Garlon®) safely applied at pod setting on main stem of narrow leave lupins (Quinlan and Fleay, 2016). Two timing of application of Garlon® at 30 mL/ha were included in the trial to determine their safety on new narrow leafed lupin varieties.

To demonstrate various long and short-term management options to mitigate water repellent soils in the Corrigin area in 2017

To compare two chickpea varieties for their competitiveness against broadleaf weeds and evaluate efficacy of new and old herbicides and herbicide mixtures for broadleaf weed control in chickpea.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of newly registered fungicides on ascochyta in chickpeas.

We aim to demonstrate the effectiveness of using clean seed and seed applied fungicide to minimise the amount of Ascochyta in a chickpea crop, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of early season foliar fungicides to keep disease levels at bay.

We plan to demonstrate a range both peat and granular inoculant options for chickpeas, placement of these products with seed vs. with fertiliser, and the interactions of these products with seed applied fungicide.

Identify suitable lentil varieties for Western Australian farming systems.

• To monitor how wild radish populations change under a range of integrated weed management (IWM) methods
• To investigate the economic advantages to spraying versus hand weeding.

The aim of this field experiment is to compare the viability of different break crop options for the management of RLN (P. neglectus) and Rhizoctonia. This involved monitoring the RLN population in response to different break crops in the break crop year (2018), as well as under susceptible cereal crops in following years (wheat 2019 and oats 2020).

To determine how long the ripping effect lasts for in a controlled traffic farming (CTF) system and when to repeat the deep ripping on deep sands

A key aim of this project is through three years of trials to deliver key elements of a demonstrated and communicated variety specific HRZ Noodle Wheat production package. This purpose of the HRZ package is to increase noodle wheat quantity and quality and reduce downgrade risk.

A second aim of the project is to provide greater diversity and options for crop rotations in the southern HRZ – the current dominant rotation of canola: barley is under threat with more disease and chemical resistance.

Growing noodle wheat in the HRZ, has traditionally been considered a risky, due to the risk of not making ANW1, this project aimed to quantify this risk, by comparing wheat varieties, and how the perform in the HRZ.

To determine the carryover benefit of seed dressings for soilborne diseases in the eastern wheatbelt.     

Barley grass is one of the major weeds in the southern region. Many southern growers think their barley grass is resistant to grass selective herbicides and may have developed late germination to avoid pre-seeding herbicides. In this area, barley grass is a major problem in pastures, and often in break crops as well.

The trial aims to investigate pre-emergent herbicides in wheat in 2019, crop density and post-emergent herbicides in barley in 2020, and pre-emergent herbicides and grass selective herbicides in vetch in 2021.

To determine environmental triggers that initiate movement, feeding and formation of the albumen gland in small conical snails.

To determine environmental triggers and time of day vegetable beetles and slaters are active.

To quantify wheat yield loss in response to root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus quasitereoides) population size, by using a unique population gradient which has been set up as a result of host-crop varieties and nitrogen treatments over the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons.

1. Gain a better understanding of the impact of crop competition on rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) and brome grass (Bromus spp.) quantities and seed set after deep ripping to raise awareness and improve management.
2. Monitor for differences in Pratylenchus neglectus levels between ripped and un-ripped plots throughout the season.

To annually monitor long-term focus paddocks in the Geraldton port zone for effectiveness of integrated weed management strategies in controlling herbicde resistant weeds

Evaluate the efficacy of chaff lining as a weed seed management tool within the Northen Agri Group in the Geraldton port zone 

To better understand the efficacy and crop safety of broadleaf herbicide options for faba bean crops grown on sandy soils in Western Australia, focusing on new varieties; PBA Amberley and PBA Bendoc.

Investigate the effect of delayed baiting on snail mortality immediately post baiting and the longer-term impact on presence of smaller snails during the harvest period. 

This trial aims to establish the long-term value of deep ripping on compacted deep south coast sands. It investigates the longevity of the ripping benefit in a fully controlled traffic system (CTF).

To investigate the fit of high value pulse crops (faba bean, lentil, and chickpea) in the sowing program and their rotational (agronomic and economic) benefits to the following cereal crop.

• To better define the sowing and flowering window of lentil and chickpea in WA.
• To evaluate the response of released and near-release lentil lines to a wide range of sowing times.
• To determine if chickpea lines being developed have improved cold tolerance.

To demonstrate tolerance of latest lentil varieties to herbicides.

To determine the optimum sowing date and variety combinations to maximise yield and quality of wheat in WA.

To investigate the most effective and profitable break crops in rotation with cereals (wheat) for growers with RLN and R. solani in the same paddock, a two-year (2018 & 2019) break-crop rotation trial was implemented in Dumbleyung and Grass Valley.

The aim of this work was to use a range of tools to determine if we can be confident that the SclerotiniaCM app is producing reliable outputs that will help canola growers make informed management decisions in a given season

• To evaluate the benefit of deep ripping on two different compacted sandy loams with varying subsoil acidity.
• To evaluate the value of inclusion plates in slotting lime to the subsoil
• Evaluate the longevity of the response and returns over multiple seasons and crop rotations

To test the following hypotheses:
1. Low plant density will not reduce yield of early April sown wheat
2. Delayed nitrogen application will not affect grain yield
3. Agronomy can offset yield reductions from grazing wheat sown in early April