Climate, land & water

Western Australia’s agriculture sector needs access to productive soil and water resources for growth and profit. However, the sector must compete with increasing resource demands from all sectors of the community, and the pressures of a changing climate. The Agriculture and Food division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development supports agriculture by providing long-term management solutions, practical risk management strategies and tools to maintain and improve resource conditions, to meet the needs of industry and stakeholders. Agriculture and Food is also pioneering soil and water investigation of the state’s undeveloped areas to establish new irrigated agricultural industries.

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Articles

  • Close-up of a head of wheat and surrounding leaves covered in a thin layer of sparkling frost crystals

    The science of frost and frequently asked questions

    8 February 2011

    Frost risk occurs virtually every year across southern and eastern agricultural regions. Actual occurrence of frost is determined by location and landscape factors as well as climate.

  • An aerial shot of the National Frost Initiative trial site at Dale, Western Australia

    Screening of frost tolerance in cereals

    2 February 2017

    The Screening of Frost Tolerance in Cereals project screened (2012–2021) wheat and barley varieties in frost prone areas across Australia with the aim to provide a ranking value for growers and adv

  • An air seeder seeding on stubble

    Frost risk – manage wheat variety and sowing time

    14 December 2010

    Wheat is highly susceptible to frost damage between ear emergence and flowering – often termed reproductive frost.

  • Image of the frost guide cover

    Frost Identification Guide for Canola and Pulses

    5 February 2019

    A new guide has been published to assist canola and pulse growers to identify frost damage and consider crop management decisions. Frost damage reduces crop yield and grain quality.

  • A stem of a lupin plant against a black brackground. Some of the pods have a shrivelled brown appearance symptomatic of frost damage.

    Frost - assessment and diagnosis

    17 December 2010

    Frost damage to braocacre crops is a significant annual production constraint for localised parts of the Western Australian wheatbelt.

  • Frost event ocurring at grain filling Z75-85. Frost affected grain is light, shrivelled and distorted. Healthy grain on the right.

    Harvesting a frosted crop

    3 November 2016

    Harvesting a frosted crop brings another layer of complexity to an already busy time of year.

  • FlowerPower

    31 January 2012

    FlowerPower is an online tool to predict cereal flowering dates (or cutting dates for oats) in your location.

  • Image 1: Frost damage at booting vs healthy head

    Diagnosing stem and head frost damage in cereals

    27 November 2013

    All winter grains susceptible to frost. Wheat is more susceptible then barley at flowering, but it is not known if barley and wheat have different frost susceptibilities during grain fill.

  • Broadacre agronomy webinar series

    27 July 2017

    In September 2017, six department research officers presented at the biennial Australian Agronomy Conference in Ballarat, Victoria.

  • Mottled pods

    Diagnosing frost in field peas

    23 April 2015

    Of the pulses, field peas are more vulerable to frost due to thin pod walls and exposure of flowers to frost. 

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