791-032 Dryland Crop Production

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Objectives:

The objective of this subject is to enable students to:

• explain the technical concepts and principles used to evaluate plant production and management alternatives in dryland and crop production;

• develop confidence in making and validating appropriate management decisions with proper consideration of biological, economic and market context;

• develop general understanding of the cropping industry and industry needs in relation to the production and utilisation and marketing of products.

Content:

An appraisal of the cropping enterprises in southern Australia - the location, scale and nature of dryland cropping enterprises and their contribution to the national economy. Growth, development and yield in crop production - definitions and relations between growth and development attributes, yield and yield components, measurement of crop yields, biological and economical yield and harvest index (complemented by field exercises). Determinants of crop yields - climatic variables and their effect on crop growth and yield, growing seasons as affected by climatic variables. Agronomic inputs in crop production - discussion on this topic will be based on some selected agronomic inputs (e.g. time of sowing, soil and water management: salinity control, fertiliser application etc.) and their efficient usage in optimising production. limits and limitations to yield and quality of harvested produce. Problems and prospects of both dryland and irrigated crop production within farm systems, comparative cost-return analysis, marketing strategies.

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