Temperate rice technology for the 21st century: an Australian example

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 877 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ McDonald

Performance of the New South Wales rice industry is examined in the context of global rice production and demand into the 21st century. The need to double global production of rice by 2030 without major expansion of area will ensure strong export demand from temperate rice growing areas including southern New South Wales. Factors leading to the very high yields now achieved are discussed and the potential for further increasing average yields that are already the highest in the world is explored in terms of maintaining gains already made, raising the yield ceiling closer to the environmental limit, and reducing the gap between potential yield and those achieved by producers. Details are provided of the release and utilisation of varieties from the breeding program, and significant barriers to further yield increase are identified. The importance of 'Ricecheck' (a simple decision support system for farmers) is discussed. Problems of tailoring crop and land use practices to obtain environmental stability while at the same time substantially increasing productivity are highlighted.

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 921 ◽  
Author(s):  
DC Godwin ◽  
WS Meyer ◽  
U Singh

Evidence exists that night temperatures <18�C immediately preceding flowering in rice crops can adversely affect floret fertility and, hence, yields. It has been suggested that sterility induced by low temperature is also influenced by floodwater depth and nitrogen (N) rate. In southern New South Wales, low night-time temperatures are believed to be a major constraint to the achievement of consistently high yields. The availability of a comprehensive model of rice growth and yield that is sensitive to this constraint would aid the development of better management practices. CERES RICE is a comprehensive model that simulates the phasic development of a rice crop, the growth of its leaves, stems, roots, and panicles, and their response to weather. It also simulates the water and N balances of the crop and the effects of stresses of water and N on the yield-forming processes. The model has been extensively tested in many rice-growing systems in both tropical and temperate environments. However, the original model was unable to simulate the level of chilling injury evident from yield data from southern New South Wales. This paper reports modifications made in the model to simulate these effects and the evaluation of the model in environments of low night temperature. Inclusion of the chilling injury effect greatly improved the accuracy of estimated yields from treatments in an extensive field experiment. However, additional testing with a wider range of data sets is needed to confirm the international applicability of the modifications.


1977 ◽  
Vol 191 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Vaughan

The effects of compulsory seat belt wearing have been evaluated for the most populous Australian State — New South Wales. Wearing rates are now very high and although surveys have shown increasing acceptance of the safety value of belts, a sizable minority of motorists apparently only wear their belts because of the law. Compulsory belt wearing appears to have saved a substantial number of vehicle occupant lives, with the main saving being among young adults. Urban deaths appear to have been affected more than rural deaths. There is tentative evidence of reductions in serious injuries among occupants. A side effect of the law has been increased usage of restraining systems for young children.


Author(s):  
R. A. Binns

SummaryWith progressive increase in grade of contact metamorphism, aluminous hornblendes in some New England basic hornfelses change from a pale blue-green variety with ragged actinolitic habit, to a deeper bluish-green variety, then to a deeply coloured brownish type with granular habit. At all stages the coexisting plagioclase is appreciably calcic. No outer aureole of albite-epidote-actinolite hornfels has been recognized. The higher grade hornblendes are richer in alkalis and titanium, and poorer in octahedrally co-ordinated aluminium than those formed at low grades. Two analysed hornblendes display an unusual excess of calcium, which occupies the Y site, and another has a very high content of ferrous iron and potassium.


1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
VQ Nguyen ◽  
R Hermus ◽  
WB McGlasson ◽  
SK Meldrum ◽  
ME Trethowan

The aim of the experiments described in this paper was to identify determinate cultivars suited to production of fresh market tomatoes on raised beds in the inland irrigation areas of the south-west area of New South Wales from January to April. Cultivars that produce high yields of first-grade medium to large fruit, and are smooth, nearly round, firm and an even bright red when ripe are required. The plants should have good leaf coverage to prevent sunburn, and jointless pedicels to facilitate harvesting. The period of maturation of the fruit should be short to permit recovery of the crop with a maximum of 3 harvests. Ten lines including Sunny, a .reference cultivar with jointed pedicels, were evaluated at Richmond in the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area and at Leeton in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, 1984-86. The lines were trickle-irrigated and mulched with black polyethylene film except at Leeton in 1985-86 when a trickle-irrigated, no mulch treatment and a furrow-irrigated treatment were included. The experiments showed that it is possible to produce yields of 50-100 t ha-1 of first-grade fruit with trickle irrigation. No significant advantage was obtained at Leeton in 1985-86 by using polyethylene mulch; however, the mulch largely eliminated the need for hand-chipping of weeds from among the plants. The visual quality of fruit grown at Leeton was excellent but total soluble solids levels were low, ripe fruit were unexpectedly soft, and sensory scores for flavour and general acceptability were only satisfactory. Overall, 2 cultivars that have jointless pedicels, Red Chief and Delta Contender, showed promise. A jointless hybrid line, HARU 83-148, which was bred at Richmond, warrants further evaluation. Some signs of incipient field chilling of fruit were observed at Leeton in fruit harvested after the first week in April.


1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 493 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Marcellos ◽  
GA Constable

The effects of varying plant density and sowing date on grain yield of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) were determined in 6 experiments at Tamworth and Narrabri in northern New South Wales. The graph of grain yield rose to an asymptote as plant density was increased. Under conditions favouring high yields, a plant density of 20 m-2 gave near maximum grain yields, but for a wider range of circumstances a plant density of 30-35 m-2 was appropriate. If sowing was delayed after the end of April, grain yield was reduced as was dry matter yield and the duration of pod-filling. Late sowing also lowered the height of the first pod above ground, and increased the likelihood of yield loss through foliar disease.


2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay

This study examined the use of sap trees by yellow-bellied gliders (Petaurus australis) at 33 sites scattered through approximately 10 000 ha of forest. In all, 62 grey gum (Eucalyptus punctata) trees were assessed during seven visits over a 2-year period for use by gliders in sap feeding (either currently or during the previous month). About 40% of trees had been used prior to each visit, indicating a very high pattern of use. About 29% of trees were used prior to many visits while 18% were not used at all. Gliders made small incisions on trees, apparently to test their suitability for sap feeding. These test incisions were seen several times on all the sap trees that remained unused during this study. They were made on about 60% of trees that were not used for sap feeding within the month prior to a visit. At 23 of the 33 sites, test incisions were also observed on E. punctata non-sap trees. These observations show that gliders actively check sap trees and non-sap trees. This study confirms the importance of sap trees to the yellow-bellied glider and highlights the need for further research that aims to identify the key parameters of these trees to which gliders respond. This would greatly facilitate the management and conservation of the yellow-bellied glider.


2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Kemp ◽  
D. L. Michalk ◽  
M. Goodacre

Seven experiments were established across a range of environments (latitude 33°S) in central New South Wales to evaluate 52 legume cultivars and lines against currently recommended cultivars. Plots were grazed by either sheep or cattle after each harvest. Criteria for inclusion were that lines were either commercially available or in the process of being registered. Three experiments also included chicory. Sites had from 600 to 900 mm annual rainfall and were at altitudes of 440–1000 m. The 4-year program included the dry summer of 1990–91. White clover and subterranean clover were the most productive species over time. Among subterranean clovers, the subspecies subterraneum cultivars were more productive than the yanninicum or brachycalycinum subspecies. Other species such as balansa, Persian, strawberry, red and crimson clovers, lotus major and murex medic were more variable in production. These legumes often grew well in the establishment year, but failed to persist. Lucerne was in general, not as productive as white or subterranean clover. Caucasian clover and yellow serradella should be evaluated further as conclusive judgements could not be formed. Chicory was often the most productive species in the experiments, especially over the warmer 6 months of the year. It persisted under a 6-week harvest regime and during the drought year. The newer subterranean clover cultivars, Leura, Goulburn and Denmark all exceeded the production from the previously recommended cultivars, Woogenellup and Karridale, even though no major disease was evident in the later group. The lines 89820D and 89841E were sufficiently productive to warrant further evaluation and possible development as cultivars. In contrast, while Huia, Tahora, Bonadino and Tamar were often as productive as the recommended white clover cultivar Haifa, they were not consistently better. Where summer rainfall occurs and the annual rainfall exceeds 650 mm, the greater potential yield of white clover compared with subterranean clover justifies its use. However, no white clover cultivars survived the summer drought in 1990–91 as intact plants. Further work is needed to develop more drought-tolerant cultivars.


2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaun N. Lisson ◽  
John A. Kirkegaard ◽  
Michael J. Robertson ◽  
Alec Zwart

During the 1990s there was considerable evidence from grower surveys and other regional statistics to suggest that canola (Brassica napus) yields were declining in the medium and high rainfall areas of southern New South Wales (NSW). A paddock survey was conducted across three regions of southern NSW over three consecutive seasons (2003–05) to explore the importance of disease and other possible causes of low productivity. Under-performing paddocks were identified by comparing measured paddock yields with simulated potential yields. The causes of the resultant yield gaps were identified by analysis of the survey results with growers and consultants and from insights provided by the simulation analysis. Seasonal water supply and emergence date accounted for around 70% of the variation in yield across the survey, although no dependence on these variables was evident in 2005 as a result of high spring rainfall. A majority (95) of the 132 paddocks surveyed yielded to within 20% of the simulated potential yield. Disease, while significant in some paddocks, was limited by the dry seasons, there was no evidence for widespread micronutrient deficiencies and most crops were adequately supplied with nitrogen. There was no single cause of under-performance and the impact of those causes varied across regions and seasons. Subsoil constraints (seven paddocks) and late season water stress (six paddocks) were the most common factors associated with under-performance, while five paddocks had inexplicable yield gaps. Restrictions to taproot growth were widespread, especially in the southern region where around 60% of paddocks had significantly restricted taproots in all seasons (>3 on a 0–5 scale). Survey paddocks in which significant root restriction was found were between 10 and 50% below potential yield. Subsequent soil profile analysis identified a range of possible subsoil constraints including high soil strength, sodic or saline subsoils or subsurface acidity and further research is warranted to determine their impact on canola productivity in the region.


Author(s):  
E. R. Segnit

At two localities on the outskirts of the township of Broken Hill—near the De Bavay shear zone, and at ‘The Piggery’—W. R. Browne reported unusual rock types rich in barium. His statement is accompanied by an analysis by H. P. White (analyst to the Mines Dept.) of one of these rocks, which contains 9·23% BaO. Subsequently S. R. Nockolds and E. G. Zies examined the felspars of the rock analysed by White with a view to ascertaining whether they are barium-containing varieties.In view of the very high barium content of some of the occurrences now being investigated, much higher than that of the rock examined by Nockolds and Zies, a further mineralogical investigation was undertaken with the results recorded below. The rocks under examination were light-coloured gneisses containing up to 15% BaO. They are distributed as lenses and streaks in an acid gneiss. A specimen of the latter rock was analysed and found to contain only 0·09% BaO. The barium was found to occur in four felspars, one being a new variety of celsian. The minerals studied were celsian, calciocelsian, hyalophane, and barium-plagioclase. A careful search was made for other barium silicate minerals such as sanbornite, but none was found.


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