Irrigated crops

In areas such as the Ord River Irrigation Area in northern Western Australia, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is working with industry in trialling new varieties and agronomic systems for both existing and potentially valuable new crops.

The main crops of current interest include the health food quinoa, rice which is showing considerable potential if disease and variety problems can be overcome, sugar cane which will be the basis of new developments on Ord Stage 2, and cotton which is based on genetically-modified varieties.

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Articles

  • Mature larva of the fall armyworm on a leaf - Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida

    Fall armyworm in Western Australia

    13 February 2020

    The fall armyworm moth (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a plant pest that can damage a wide variety of crops.

  • Very early sown canola variety trial at Mullewa 2019, early July (Photo credit Stephanie Boyce)Very early sown canola variety trial at Mullewa 2019, early July (Photo credit Stephanie Boyce)

    Expanding the sowing window of canola; Mullewa 2019 (19GE02)

    1 April 2020

    Traditionally ANZAC day marked the date on which growers in Western Australia would start dry seeding.

  • Healthy green carrot crop growing in a paddock

    Climate change and horticulture

    1 April 2016

    Climate change will affect horticultural production in Western Australia (WA) in a number of ways, and the effects will depend on location, soil type, crop type and management.

  • View across the Mantinea Development area to House Roof Hill on the opposite bank of the Ord River, north-east of Kununurra in the East Kimberley

    Ord River Irrigation Expansion: Mantinea Development area

    19 May 2015

    This page summarises the preliminary soil and groundwater resource assessment findings for the Mantinea Development area, part of the Goomig farmlands in the Ord River Irrigation Expansion Stage 2,

  • Canola and wheat growing in Western Australia

    Climate-ready agriculture in Western Australia

    21 March 2016

    All agricultural industries in Western Australia will need to deal with some level of climate change in the coming decades. The effects of climate change will vary regionally and by enterprise, wit

  • Irrigation at work

    Irrigation design for agriculture

    22 January 2016

    Irrigation design and management affects performance, yield and quality of crops.  Irrigation design determines the efficiency and effectiveness of water use, and therefore influences the profitabi

  • Lamboo Station, Aerial 4 - cattle moving

    Northern Beef Development project

    20 August 2014

    Growing global demand for Australian beef products, driven primarily by Asian countries, presents opportunities to expand livestock production and value add in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of

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    Ord River Irrigation Expansion Stage 3: Cockatoo Sands

    26 November 2013

    This page and attached reports are part of the assessments for expansion of Ord River Irrigation in Western Australia’s Kimberley region: the 6000 hectares of red loamy soils – the Cockatoo Sands –

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    Ord River Irrigation Expansion: Goomig Farmlands

    27 November 2013

    The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (now the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development) assessed soil, groundwater and surface water in the Goomig Farmlands (w

  • Photograph of hand extruding a soil ribbon to estimate a texture class

    Estimating soil texture by hand

    27 February 2014

    Estimating or measuring soil texture provides valuable information about soil properties affecting crop and pasture growth. Soil texture affects the movement and availability of air, nutrients and

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