SEPWA Past Years' Projects

SEPWA is involved in various projects within the Esperance Port Zone to varying levels of involvement with differenct organizations and the group does have a very close association with the Esperance Department of Agriculture.

Path to Purity - The first steps in Grower variety purity testing for malt barley

Barley head

Barley Purity Project details

As part of the ongoing work to improve grain quality from the Esperance port zone, SEPWA initiated a project to trial emerging DNA genetic marker technology for varietal purity testing in malting barley. The project compared two methodologies of DNA technology as well as older grain protein analysis technology in determining genetic purity of barley seed samples. Over the course of the project SEPWA found that at this stage the DNA based technology was not yet ready for industry adoption. The project was jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) with support from The CBH Group.

Duration: March 2008 - December 2009

Contact Nigel Metz on 9083 1115 for further information. Email: 

DAFWA project sponsor GRDC project sponsor CBH project sponsor

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More than Trees and Fences Project Case Studies

Fence

Results are now available

More than Trees and Fences Project details

In order to ensure the future sustainability of farms, farmers in the Esperance Port Zone are integrating production and natural resource management (NRM) on their properties.

To highlight some of the local success stories, SEPWA along with Esperance Regional Forum (ERF) initiated the “More than Trees and Fences” project. The report focuses on the stories of four local Esperance farmers and their achievements in combining NRM and production and highlights how a single treatment can provide a dual benefit, enhancing natural resource qualities while also improving production. The study, which is funded by SEPWA and South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc., will soon be released as a report.

Duration: February - December 2008

Contact Tim Fewings on 9083 1165 for further information. Email: 

SEPWA project sponsor South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc project sponsor

 

Pasture Phase Farming Systems and Effects on Soil Health - More than a Passing Phase

This is a pasture phase farming systems project focused on the Esperance Sandplain. It originated out of a need for more monitoring and evaluation of the new ryegrass pasture varieties such as the Hybrid, Biennial, Tetraploid, Italian and Perennial Ryegrasses that are now being sown in the region.

The project will aim to determine the NRM benefits of these pastures in terms of their suitability to be part of a pasture phase farming system in the higher rainfall areas, productivity, establishment, soil health benefits and nutrition to the following cropping phase. The water use, reduction of incidence of herbicide resistant weeds, ground cover and an economic analysis of the pastures will also be carried out.

A handbook to ryegrass management on the Esperance sandplain.

More information & Results

Duration - July 2005 - Dec 2008

Contact Kelly Guest on 08 9083 1111 for further information. Email: 

National Landcare project sponsor South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc project sponsor

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High Moisture Harvesting Project

The cool damp conditions that can be experienced during the harvest period on the south coast often leads to delayed harvest and reduced yield, quality and profit. As one of the key ways to improving grain quality in the Esperance Port Zone, SEPWA and The CBH Group have joined in a partnering a project to promote earlier harvest via high moisture grain handling.

The project is run by Nigel Metz and aims to increase grain quality grown on the south coast by employing existing methods of early harvest and high moisture handling. The long-term outcome will be shorter harvest completion time with benefits for growers, bulk handlers, marketers and end users.

CBH Group

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Wheat Yield and Quality Trials Project for the South Coast

The Variety Specific Agronomy for Wheat Yield and Quality project is a joint project between the South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA) and the Department of Agriculture for the agronomic testing of new cross-breds and wheat varieties.

The project focuses on the Esperance Port Zone and encompasses the mallee and sandplain. It aims to characterise new wheat varieties for the yield and quality responses to agronomic practices (sowing time, seeding rate, fertilizer), and to assess the tolerance of new varieties to the major risk factors on the South Coast, especially sprouting and the major leaf diseases.

This project has run for several years and has been responsible for the introduction of several new varieties into the region.

GRDC DAFWA

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Wheat Protein Management Project

This is another joint project between SEPWA and the DAWA and it focuses on the decline in protein levels in the Esperance Port Zone in recent years which has serious implications for the saleability of our wheat.

Several reasons have been advanced for the protein decline including the reduced quality of legume pastures, higher frequency of non-legumes in rotations and increasing wheat yields without parallel increases in nitrogen applications.

The project focuses on practical, on farm research involving tests with growers of Nitrogen (N) management strategies which can lead to a better understanding of N dynamics and better management of grain protein, thus improving marketability and profit.

GRDC DAFWA

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