Lime research has been widely conduced across WA for decades forming critical information about soil pH management. Unfortunately the majority of this R&D has occurred in other regions of the state. To date there has been only a small number of trials in the Esperance port zone with less convincing results than demonstrated in the remainder of the wheat belt.The results of this project span over the seasons between 2010-2016. Comparing varieties at various locations is a difficult exercise in terms of a direct comparison, as many seasonal and agronomic effects of one rainfall zone may not be present in another. Varieties were separated by rainfall zone for the purpose of improving the accuracy of the GxE (genetic x environment) matrix when assessing mainstream barleys. Varieties which did not have…This project is funded by GRDC and will investigate available technology tools for farmers to make in season management decisions for grain farming in the Esperance port zone. Traditionally yield prophet has been a key in season tool for grain farmers, however there is now other options becoming available for in season management.
Although Yield Prophet is an extremely thorough decision support tool it makes no allowance for spatial…
This project is investigating the potential for farmscale Wi-Fi to keep farmers connected. Mobile devices are now an integral part of farming but unfortunately the mobile phone network which services WA grain growers is patchy in coverage and struggles to cope with current demand levels.
This has created a major bottle neck for technology adoption going forward and is holding farmers back from maximising its potential. As more and more farmers a…
Trial sites were conducted around power poles in cereal paddocks at Condingup, Mt Ridley and Cascade during the 2014 season.
The “power pole” idea was a simple trial design aimed at finding a place in the paddock which has had the traffic “controlled” by an immovable feature for a number of years. A power pole was chosen as it is a non-crop effecting obstacle. This created a micro area of “zero traffic” soil was compared to soil…