Long term effects of continuous cropping systems on productivity in a medium rainfall temperate environment were assessed. There was no evidence that systems based on pulses, canola and reduced tillage are less able to maintain productivity, although they are less resilient to reduced rainfall compared to traditional fallow systems. All rotation/tillage systems other than those incorporating legume pastures however resulted in decreased soil C and N stocks.

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) causes significant yield losses in wheat through significant impact on physiological and morphological traits. Selecting resistant genotypes is the best approach to reduce the impact of BYDV infection. Stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements can be used to assess BYDV infection thus selecting resistant wheat genotypes.

Ability of several microbial combinations to speed Zn release from ground rubber and to decrease soil pH was tested. The most effective microbial treatments in hastening an increase in DTPA-extractable Zn and Fe in the calcareous soil and enhancing Zn uptake by wheat were selected.

Wheat is a vital food crop globally, but optimum productivity cannot be achieved because it is exposed to several stresses such as heat, salinity and drought. Silicon and salicylic acid are known to alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress on plants. The results of our research show that salicylic acid and silicon application have great potential in promoting grain yield of wheat in drought-prone areas.

Subsoil manuring is a practice where a high rate of nutrient-rich organic amendment is placed in deep bands to ameliorate dense clay subsoils and to improve crop yields. On-farm field experiments at three sites in south-western Victoria with dense clay subsoils resulted in large increases in estimated grain yield that continued for 4 years, with average increases in hand-harvested yield of 3.5, 1.6 and 2.3 t ha^–1 for wheat, canola and faba beans, respectively. The results highlight how subsoil manuring can increase crop productivity on soils with poorly structured subsoils in this region.

Net form of net blotch (NFNB) is a major foliar disease of barley worldwide, causing significant grain yield and quality loss. We investigated the effectiveness of NFNB control in a susceptible variety using seed and foliar applied fungicides. Fungicides provided effective suppression of NFNB and improved grain yields by up to 20% following two or more applications.

Marandu grass is the most planted in Brazil, with great importance in the bovine productive chain. In our study, we sought to increase productivity and reduce nitrogen fertilization of this grass by association with plant growth promoting bacteria. We observed that, in addition to increased production and reduction of nitrogen fertilization, the association with these bacteria became a sustainable and beneficial practice in the dry period of the year.

Practical greenhouse-gas mitigation strategies for pasture-based livestock production systems are critical to reduce their environmental impact. This study evaluated the effect of pasture management through nitrogen (N) fertilisation on quality parameters and in vitro total gas and methane production of improved grass species commonly utilised in South Africa. Increasing N fertilisation level affected the nutrient composition of the pasture species, but the effect on in vitro methane production per unit dry matter digested was limited.

Herbicide resistance is a major constraint in Australian cropping systems, limiting herbicide options. Results from the resistance screening of approximately 4500 annual ryegrass populations were compared with several agricultural parameters to determine any associations. The findings reinforce the principle of rotating both chemical and non-chemical control methods to minimise the risk of developing herbicide resistance.

There is a lack of information on the persistence, survival and recovery of cocksfoot genotypes subjected to prolonged drought conditions. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of prolonged drought on persistence, drought survival and post drought recovery of two set of differently managed (seed and forage management sets) genotypes. The deficit irrigation decreased persistence and recovery. These reductions were lower in seed management set than forage one.