Field-evaluation of DRAINMOD for predicting waterlogging intensity and drain performance in South-Western Australia

Soil Research ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 653 ◽  
Author(s):  
JW Cox ◽  
DJ Mcfarlane ◽  
RW Skaggs
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Field Evaluation ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Soil Matrix ◽  
Field Point ◽  
Drain Flow

Waterlogging is common on sloping duplex soils in south-western Australia and causes damage to non-irrigated cereal crops and pastures. The factors which affect the performance of surface seepage interceptor drains installed to reduce this waterlogging are complex because the soils are very variable and have preferred pathways for groundwater flow. We compared DRAINMOD's predictions with field measured waterlogging intensity and drain flow over 3 years near Mt Barker and Narrogin in Western Australia. DRAINMOD failed to accurately predict waterlogging intensities and drain flows because water can move through macropores which bypass the soil matrix. At Mt Barker, DRAINMOD overpredicted waterlogging intensity by between 120% in a wet year and 650% in a very dry year. Drain flows were underpredicted by 148% in the driest year. At Narrogin, DRAINMOD underpredicted waterlogging intensity each year (rainfall was below average each year) and drain flow in the driest two years. However, by increasing Ks of the topsoil and adjusting Ks of the subsoil clay, DRAINMOD predictions agreed with measured responses. DRAINMOD can be used to predict waterlogging intensities and drain flows in duplex soils in the >450 mm annual rainfall areas of south-western Australia provided adjustments are made to the field point-measured Ks. Reliability increases with increasing rainfall during the growing season.

Management of excess water in duplex soils

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ McFarlane ◽  
JW Cox
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Flow ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Storm Runoff ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Excess Water

Excess water in duplex soils can be removed by drains. In soils in which drainage is impractical, some success has been obtained by deep ripping and by gypsum amendment. These practices can increase profile storage or drainage. Interceptor drains are suitable for duplex soils with slopes of more than about 1.5%. On more gentle slopes, relief drains are used to remove excess water. Subsurface tube and mole drains have been used successfully to drain cereal crops in Victoria, but in Western Australia open drains are preferred because they can carry storm runoff as well as seepage waters. The greatest cost of open drains is the land removed from production. Over 35% of the rain falling during the growing season has been removed by drains in Victoria and Western Australia in wet years. Drainage was almost entirely downslope of monitored interceptor drains in Western Australia, which is not predicted from the theory. Simulation of water levels between drains and of drain flows using the DRAINMOD model indicated significant, preferred pathways for water flow to drains. The pathways explain the predominantly downslope effect of interceptor drains and the wide drain spacings which can be used. Deep ripping and the incorporation of gypsum can reduce waterlogging in some soils, but has had no effect in several others. The effect of deep ripping on recharge is unclear. Drains may decrease groundwater recharge, water and wind erosion, and soil structure decline. Their effect on phosphate export from catchments is unclear.

Rain, rain, gone away: decreased growing-season rainfall for the dryland cropping region of the south-west of Western Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy T. Scanlon ◽  
Greg Doncon
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
The South ◽  
The West ◽  
South West

The shift in Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures in 1976 led to a change in rainfall for the broad-scale winter annual grain cropping and pasture region in the south-west of Western Australia (the WA wheatbelt). Agriculture in the eastern part the WA wheatbelt was particularly sensitive to the change in rainfall because it is a marginal area for agronomic production, with low rainfall before changes in sea surface temperature. A second shift in sea surface temperature occurred in 2000, but there has been no analysis of the resulting impact on rainfall in the eastern WA wheatbelt. An analysis of rainfall pre- and post-2000 was performed for sites in the eastern WA wheatbelt in three groups: 19 sites in the west, 56 central, and 10 east. The analysis found a decline in growing-season rainfall (i.e. April–October), especially during May–July, post-2000. Rainfall declines of 49.9 mm (west group), 39.1 mm (central group) and 28.0 mm (east group) represented respective losses of 20.1%, 17.4% and 14.2% of growing-season rainfall. Increases in out-of-season rainfall in the respective groups of 31.0, 33.6, and 50.7 mm (57.8%, 60.8% and 87.6%) meant that annual rainfall changes were smaller than growing-season losses. The west and central groups lost 17.5 and 6.16 mm annual rainfall, whereas the east group gained 15.6 mm. Analysis of wheat yield indicated reductions of 13.5% (west) and 9.90% (central) in the eastern WA wheatbelt; the small group of east sites had a potential yield gain of 8.9% arising from the increased out-of-season rainfall. Further, increased out-of-season rainfall will exacerbate weed and disease growth over the summer fallow.

Water use and drainage under phalaris, annual pasture, and crops on a duplex soil in Western Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Dolling
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Late Spring ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Annual Crops

Rising water tables in southern Western Australia are causing waterlogging and salinity problems. These issues are related to a lower level of water use by annual plants than by the native vegetation. Phalaris can use more water than annual pastures and crops because of deeper rooting characteristics and longer growing season. However, there is limited information on the water use of phalaris in the Western Australian environment. There is also very little information on water balances under annual crops and pastures outside the growing season. A field experiment was carried out on a duplex soil between March 1994 and March 1999. Annual rainfall varied between 321 and 572 mm. The study examined soil water content, deep drainage, and productivity of phalaris-based pasture, continuous annual pasture, annual pasture–wheat rotation, and a wheat–lupin rotation. The results showed that the phalaris-based pasture after the establishment year was 25% (1.9 t dry matter/ha) more productive than continuous annual pasture, with the main difference occurring in late spring–early summer. The phalaris-based pasture used, on average, 45 mm/year more water and reduced drainage below 1 m by 44 mm/year compared with the annual pastures and crops. Total drainage below 1 m was 30 mm under the phalaris-based pasture and 74 mm under annual pasture. The greater water use in the phalaris-based pasture occurred in late spring and early summer. Although differences in total biomass per year occurred between wheat in different rotations there was no difference in the soil water storage prior to the break of the season. There was also no difference in the soil water balance between any of the annual crops and pastures. Differences in soil water storage did occur in some years in October but disappeared by May the following year.

Trends in grain production and yield gaps in the high-rainfall zone of southern Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Robertson ◽  
John Kirkegaard ◽  
Allan Peake ◽  
Zoe Creelman ◽  
Lindsay Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Eastern Australia

The high-rainfall zone (HRZ) of southern Australia is the arable areas where annual rainfall is between 450 and 800 mm in Western Australia and between 500 and 900 mm in south-eastern Australia, resulting in a growing-season length of 7–10 months. In the last decade, there has been a growing recognition of the potential to increase crop production in the HRZ. We combined (1) a survey of 15 agricultural consultants, each of whom have ~40–50 farmer clients across the HRZ, (2) 28 farm records of crop yields and area for 2000–2010, (3) 86 wheat and 54 canola yield observations from well managed experiments, and (4) long-term simulated crop yields at 13 HRZ locations, to investigate recent trends in crop production, quantify the gap between potential and actual crop yields, and consider the factors thought to limit on-farm crop yields in the HRZ. We found in the past 10 years a trend towards more cropping, particularly in WA, an increased use of canola, and advances in the adaptation of germplasm to HRZ environments using winter and longer-season spring types. Consultants and the farm survey data confirmed that the rate of future expansion of cropping in the HRZ will slow, especially when compared with the rapid changes seen in the 1990s. In Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia the long-term water-limited potential yield in HRZ areas, as measured by experimental yields, consultant estimates and simulations for slow developing spring cultivars of wheat and canola was 5–6 and 2–3 t/ha for a decile 5 season. For Western Australia it was 4–5 and 2–3 t/ha, where yields were less responsive to good seasons than in the other states. The top performing farmers were achieving close to the water-limited potential yield. There are yield advantages of ~2 t/ha for ‘winter’ over ‘spring’ types of both wheat and canola, and there is scope for better adapted germplasm to further raise potential yield in the HRZ. Consultants stated that there is scope for large gains in yield and productivity by encouraging the below-average cropping farmers to adopt the practices and behaviours of the above-average farmers. The scope for improvement between the below- and above-average farmers was 1–3 t/ha for wheat and 0.5–1.5 t/ha for canola in a decile 5 season. They also stated that a lack of up-to-date infrastructure (e.g. farm grain storage) and services is constraining the industry’s ability to adopt new technology. Priorities for future research, development and extension among consultants included: overcoming yield constraints where growing-season rainfall exceeds 350 mm; adaptation of winter and long-season spring types of cereals and canola and management of inputs required to express their superior yield potential; and overcoming barriers to improved planning and timeliness for crop operations and adoption of technology.

scholarly journals The Impact of Climate Change on Farm Business Performance in Western Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 32-37
Author(s):  
L. Anderton ◽  
R. Kingwell ◽  
D. Feldman ◽  
J. Speijers ◽  
N. Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Multidisciplinary Study ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics ◽  
Farm Operators ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
The Impact

This study examines ten years of financial and production data of 249 farm businesses operating in southwestern Australia. It also identifies the behavioural characteristics of the farm operators through a comprehensive socio-managerial survey of each farm business. The study area has a Mediterranean climate, where three quarters of the rainfall is received during the growing season from April and October. Growers have learned to produce 2 tonnes per hectare of wheat on less than 200 ml of growing season rainfall. Australia is the driest continent in the world and is renowned for its climate variability. In addition, evidence is emerging that its southern parts, like south-western Australia, are experiencing a warming, drying trend in their climate. Average annual rainfall over the last thirty years in the study area has declined and average minimum and maximum temperatures have risen. Moreover, in the last ten years a number of droughts have occurred. This multidisciplinary study examines the business performance of 249 farms from 2002 to 2011 and identifies the strategies farm managers have adopted to adapt to a drying, warming environment. Farms are categorised according to their performance. Their characteristics are compared and contrasted. We find many significant differences between farm performance categories and the adaptation strategies used by the farmers in each category. There are also different socio-managerial and behavioural characteristics between the groups of farmers identified.

scholarly journals PENENTUAN MUSIM TANAM, JENIS VARIETAS, DAN TEKNIK BUDIDAYA TANAMAN PADI TERKAIT MITIGASI EMISI METANA (CH4) (Determination of Early Planting Season, Type Varieties, and Cultivation Techniques of Rice as Mitigation to Methane Emission)

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Lilik Slamet Supriatin
Keyword(s):  
Rainy Season ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wetland Mitigation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Ch4 Emission ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Cultivation Techniques ◽  
Planting Season

ABSTRAKEmisi metana (CH4) dari pertanian padi lahan sawah dapat dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor seperti cara pemberian air, pengolahan tanah, varietas padi, dan iklim. Pada penelitian ini dikaji tahap penentuan musim tanam, pemilihan varietas padi, dan tahap terakhir adalah teknik budidaya pertanian padi lahan sawah yang terkait mitigasi emisi CH4. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa musim tanam padi pada musim kemarau menghasilkan emisi CH4 lebih kecil daripada di musim hujan dengan pengurangan emisi CH4 sebesar 18,13%. Indonesia yang memiliki tiga tipe pola curah hujan tahunan (monsunal, equatorial, lokal) mengakibatkan periode musim tanam rendah emisi CH4 berbeda antara tipe curah hujan yang satu dengan lainnya. Varietas padi Way apo buru adalah varietas yang menghasilkan emisi CH4 terendah tetapi tetap optimum dalam produksi gabah sehingga dapat dipilih menjadi prioritas pertama untuk ditanam. Teknik budidaya pertanian padi lahan sawah yang menghasilkan rendah emisi CH4 dapat dilakukan dengan membuat genangan air yang dangkal saja, dengan cara pemberian air berselang, dan kombinasi antara pemeliharaan padi, ganggang, tanaman paku air, ikan air tawar, dan bakteri metanotrof dalam satu petak lahan sawah (mina padi plus). Pemberian air dengan cara berselang menurunkan emisi CH4 pada musim kemarau sebesar 59,36% dan pada musim hujan sebesar 51,68% jika dibandingkan dengan pemberian air secara terus-menerus (kontinyu). Teknik budidaya mina padi plus mengurangi emisi CH4 sebesar 21,5 kg/ha/musim tanam dan bakteri metanotrof mengurangi emisi CH4 ke atmosfer sebesar 20-60 Tg. Sawah dapat dijadikan sebagai instalasi terbuka pengolahan udara berlimbah CH4. ABSTRACTMethane (CH4) emissions from rice cultivation can be influenced by several factors i.e. the provision of water, soil cultivation, varieties of rice, and the climate. This study will examine the determination of the growing season, the selection of rice varieties and cultivation techniques of rice agriculture-related wetland mitigation of the CH4 emission. The results showed that the rice planting season in the dry season produces CH4 emissions is smaller than in the rainy season with CH4 emission reduction of 18.13%. Indonesia, which has three types of annual rainfall patterns resulting in periods of low growing season CH4 emissions differ between types of rainfall each other. Way apo buru rice species are varieties that produce low emissions of CH4 but remains optimum in grain production. Cultivation techniques of rice farming rice fields that produce low emissions of CH4 can be done by creating a pool of shallow water only, by way of provision of water intermittent, and the combination of maintenance of rice, algae, plants salviniales, freshwater fish, and bacteria metanotrof in a wetland. The provision of water by intermittent lowering emissions of CH4 in the dry season by 59.36% and in the rainy season amounted to 51.68% when compared to the provision of water continuously (continuous). Mina padi plus cultivation techniques reduce CH4 emissions by 21.5 kg/ha/planting and metanotrof bacteria can reduce CH4 emissions to the atmosphere by 20-60 Tg. 

scholarly journals Evaluation of dry beans for resistance to ashy stem blight

1969 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-355
Author(s):  
James S. Beaver ◽  
Miguel Martínez ◽  
Graciela Godoy
Keyword(s):  
Field Evaluation ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Macrophomina Phaseolina ◽  
Percentage Germination ◽  
Dry Beans ◽  
Preliminary Screening ◽  
Spearman Rank ◽  
Inoculation Methods ◽  
Stem Blight ◽  
Seed Inoculation

Experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of two inoculation methods in the field evaluation of beans for resistance to ashy stem blight. Seed inoculation resulted in lower germination and greater infection by Macrophomina phaseolina than that in nontreated plots. Stem inoculation did not significantly differ from the control in percentage disease. Least significant differences among genotypes were smaller toward the end of the growing season. Therefore, bean genotypes should be evaluated for ashy stem blight infection near senescence. Spearman rank correlations between percentage germination and percentage infection near senescence were significant in 2 years. Seed inoculation combined with germination tests may be useful in the preliminary screening of bean genotypes for resistance to ashy stem blight.

scholarly journals Modeling the irrigation requirements for an experimental site in Northern Alberta, Canada

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Rahbeh ◽  
David Chanasyk ◽  
Shane Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Quality Model ◽  
Experimental Site ◽  
Supplementary Irrigation ◽  
Northern Alberta ◽  
Irrigation Requirements

A combined methodology of the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM), the generation of stochastic rainfall realizations, and an historical meteorological record were used to determine the supplementary irrigation requirement for an experimental site located in northern Alberta. The site receives an annual rainfall of approximately 500 mm yr -1, and contains a fluctuating water table. The simulated results showed maximum irrigation requirements of 270 mm, however, half that amount can be required during an average or wet growing season of mean rainfall of 350 and 500 mm, respectively. The irrigation requirements were influenced by rainfall amount and distribution, downward flux and the subsequent fluctuation of the water table and the depth of water table at the beginning of the growing season, which was influenced by the winter season precipitation. The simulated results suggested that a water table less than 2 m deep from the ground surface can significantly reduce the irrigation requirements. Therefore, the winter precipitation and initial depth of the water table are suitable indicators of the likely requirement of irrigation during the growing season.

scholarly journals Net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide and water of far eastern Siberian Larch (<I>Larix cajanderii</I>) on permafrost

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Dolman ◽  
T. C. Maximov ◽  
E. J. Moors ◽  
A. P. Maximov ◽  
J. A. Elbers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Far East ◽  
Siberian Larch ◽  
Net Ecosystem Exchange ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Eddy Correlation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Surface Conductance ◽  
Co2 Uptake ◽  
Atmospheric Humidity ◽  
Far Eastern

Abstract. Observations of the net ecosystem exchange of water and CO2 were made during two seasons in 2000 and 2001 above a Larch forest in Far East Siberia (Yakutsk). The measurements were obtained by eddy correlation. There is a very sharply pronounced growing season of 100 days when the forest is leaved. Maximum half hourly uptake rates are 18 µmol m-2 s-1; maximum respiration rates are 5 µmol m-2 s-1. Net annual sequestration of carbon was estimated at 160 gCm-2 in 2001. Applying no correction for low friction velocities added 60 g C m-2. The net carbon exchange of the forest was extremely sensitive to small changes in weather that may switch the forest easily from a sink to a source, even in summer. June was the month with highest uptake in 2001. The average evaporation rate of the forest approached 1.46 mm day-1 during the growing season, with peak values of 3 mm day-1 with an estimated annual evaporation of 213 mm, closely approaching the average annual rainfall amount. 2001 was a drier year than 2000 and this is reflected in lower evaporation rates in 2001 than in 2000. The surface conductance of the forest shows a marked response to increasing atmospheric humidity deficits. This affects the CO2 uptake and evaporation in a different manner, with the CO2 uptake being more affected. There appears to be no change in the relation between surface conductance and net ecosystem uptake normalized by the atmospheric humidity deficit at the monthly time scale. The response to atmospheric humidity deficit is an efficient mechanism to prevent severe water loss during the short intense growing season. The associated cost to the sequestration of carbon may be another explanation for the slow growth of these forests in this environment.

Water balance changes in a crop sequence with lucerne

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 247 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. X. Dunin ◽  
C. J. Smith ◽  
S. J. Zegelin ◽  
R. Leuning
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Root Extension ◽  
Annual Crops ◽  
Lower Productivity

In a detailed study of soil water storage and transport in a sequence of 1 year wheat and 4 years of lucerne, we evaluated drainage under the crop and lucerne as well as additional soil water uptake achieved by the subsequent lucerne phase. The study was performed at Wagga Wagga on a gradational clay soil between 1993 and 1998, during which there was both drought and high amounts of drainage (>10% of annual rainfall) from the rotation. Lucerne removed an additional 125 mm from soil water storage compared with wheat (root-zone of ~1 m), leading to an estimated reduction in drainage to 30–50% of that of rotations comprising solely annual crops and/or pasture. This additional soil water uptake by lucerne was achieved through apparent root extension of 2–2.5 m beyond that of annual crops. It was effective in generating a sink for soil water retention that was about double that of annual crops in this soil. Successful establishment of lucerne at 30 plants/m2 in the first growing season of the pasture phase was a requirement for this root extension. Seasonal water use by lucerne tended to be similar to that of crops in the growing season between May and September, because plant water uptake was confined to the top 1 m of soil. Uptake of water from the subsoil was intermittent over a 2-year period following its successful winter establishment. In each of 2 annual periods, uptake below 1 m soil depth began late in the growing season and terminated in the following autumn. Above-ground dry matter production of lucerne was lower than that by crops grown in the region despite an off-season growth component that was absent under fallow conditions following cropping. This apparent lower productivity of lucerne could be traced in part to greater allocation of assimilate to roots and also to late peak growth rates at high temperatures, which incurred a penalty in terms of lower transpiration efficiency. The shortfall in herbage production by lucerne was offset with the provision of timely, high quality fodder during summer and autumn. Lucerne conferred indirect benefits through nitrogen supply and weed control. Benefits and penalties to the agronomy and hydrology of phase farming systems with lucerne are discussed.

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