Crops

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continues to support the growth and international competitiveness of all crop industries in Western Australia.

With a 2400 kilometre span from its tropical north to its temperate south, WA supports a broad range of cropping industries from rain-fed winter cereals through to irrigated horticultural crops.

In the 2012/13 year the WA cropping industries exported a total of $3.9 billion which comprised: $3.1 billion of cereals, $859 million of pulses, pastures and oilseeds, $142 million of horticultural crops. The major contributors to these exports were wheat ($2.7 billion), canola ($756 million), barley ($377 million), lupins ($42 million), carrots at $48 million, oats ($12 million), and strawberries at $5.5 million.

Articles

Plant available water and potential crop yield

22 August 2016

Plant available water (PAW) is a key determinant of potential yield in dryland agriculture.
Carbon farming management options in Western Australia

13 November 2013

The aim of carbon farming is to sequester more carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as part of Australia's response to climate change.
Carbon farming and Western Australian agriculture

10 December 2013

Carbon farming is the agricultural practices or land use to increase carbon stored in the soil and vegetation (sequestration) and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, soil or vegetati
Managing frost risk

14 December 2010

Frost occurs on clear nights in early spring when the air temperature drops to 2°C or less.
Fighting frost damage in cereals

12 February 2013

The department is a key partner in the Grains Research and Development Corporations' (GRDC) National Frost Initiative (NFI) which aims to provide the Australian grains industry with targeted resear
Soil inversion to ameliorate soil water repellence

19 December 2010

One-off soil inversion results in the complete burial of the water repellent topsoil in a layer typically at a depth of 15–35cm, and brings to the surface a layer of wettable subsoil.
Claying to ameliorate soil water repellence

25 January 2011

Claying involves adding and incorporating clay-rich subsoil into water repellent topsoil to overcome the repellence.
DPIRD Frost identification guide for cereals

19 July 2018

A new guide has been published to assist cereal growers to identify frost damage and consider crop management decisions.
Soil water repellence - overview

14 November 2013

Soil water repellence is caused by an accumulation of waxy organic matter in the soil surface. It is worse in sandy textured topsoils.
Diagnosing waterlogging in South West Western Australia

9 February 2011

Waterlogging in the higher rainfall areas (more than 450mm) of South West Western Australian crops and pastures is a common cause of reduced plant growth in winter, especially on duplex soils.