1. Summer Cropping Intro

Question 1

Temperature constraints on summer cropping systems

Answer 1

• germination (16-20degrees)
• frost incidence and flowering
• temperature extremes (deadheads, pollen blasting)

Question 2

Rain impact on soil

Answer 2

• ## Larger the raindrop the more erosion it causes.

Question 3

Growing season changes in length as you go south in Australia

Answer 3

Length of growing season decreases in the south in comparison to north.

Question 4

Flowering response (3)

Answer 4

• Vernalisation (not required for summer crops)
• Photoperiod (short day plant? Long day plant?)
• Degree day accumulation

Question 5

Summer crop types (4)

Answer 5

Cereals
Oilseeds
Pulses
Fibre

Question 6

Examples of summer crops (9)

Answer 6

Maize, sorghum, rice, sunflower, soybean, cotton, Ming bean, peanut, cowpeas.

Question 7

Density impacts

Answer 7

• Barrenness: missing corn kernels, no fertilisation.
• Uniform seedheads:
• Lower pods in peas on less dense plants, pest and disease issue.

Question 8

What does ABARES stand for?

Answer 8

Australian Bureau of Agriculture Resource Economics and Sciences

Question 9

Ha of summer cropping sown this season

Answer 9

1.5 million, rose by 48%, 35% above the 10 year average. (Greenville)

Question 10

Major weeds in summer cropping

Answer 10

• Feather top Rhodes grass
• barnyard grass
• Eurocroa grass

Question 11

Major Summer crops grown in Australia (7)

Answer 11

• Cotton
• Rice
• Sorghum
• Maize/Corn
• Soybeans
• Mungbeans
• Sunflowers

Question 12

Practitioners (farmers) are often the best placed to develop _____

Answer 12

Innovations, early innovations have stood the test of time.

Question 13

Ag practices need to be appropriate to the resilience of that particular ____

Answer 13

Soil

Question 14

Monocultures are _____ the ecosystem responds to this with _____ and _____

Answer 14

Unstable , weeds , disease

Question 15

Weeds reflect what?

Answer 15

The practices used in crop production

Question 16

Adoption of new technology and changes in practices will take place only when

Answer 16

The benefits are apparent to the adopter.

Question 17

Advantages of introducing summer cropping as a part of a rotation. (5)

Answer 17

• multiple crops diversify risk of bad weather events
• allows for exploration of new herbicide application strategies
• boosts efficiency improved use of tools and labour
• supplemental earnings in off-peak months
• potentials for double cropping

Question 18

How should a paddock be prepared for a summer crop in a low rainfall zone?

Answer 18

Paddocks kept clean with chemical fallow until September and summer crop is sown into a full profile of water.

Question 19

How should a paddock be prepared for a summer crop when winter crop was a hay crop.

Answer 19

Hay is cut and summer crop is seeded into killed residues.

Question 20

How should a paddock be prepared for a summer crop in a green manure or cover crop situation.

Answer 20

Cover crop or green manure could be sprayed out then the summer crop is seeded into killed residues.

Question 21

How should a paddock be prepared for a summer crop in an early maturing winter crop situation.

Answer 21

Early winter crop is harvested and summer crop seeded into the stubble.

Question 22

The Murray darling basin accounts for 60% of ……

Answer 22

All irrigated land in Australia, over 1.2million ha

Question 23

2020-21 hectares of cotton fed by the Murray darling?

Answer 23

182,700ha