The results of this project show that there is considerable scope for improving the water use efficiency of fruit production in Australia. The two year project has sought to test the partial rootzone drying (PRD) irrigation method, originally developed for grapevines, in a range of woody perennial horticultural crops. The technique requires that both wet and dry rootzones are simultaneously created. Results with grapes, citrus and pears have given

Irrigation occupies a very small portion of Australia - 5% of tilled agricultural lands - but produces 30% of all agricultural production. Agriculture uses 50-70% of the water consumed in Australia per annum and irrigation uses 90% of that. The vast majority of irrigated water use is controlled by regulations and licences. Irrigators need an authorised allocation to extract specified amounts of water from rivers or bores (groundwater) or from irrigation supply systems.

This study demonstrates that where groundwater tables have fallen, rainfall is in deficit and surface flooding occurs less than once every two years, E. largiflorens trees will be in poor condition and are more likely to die. In the absence of sufficient rainfall and groundwater, more frequent flooding is required to maintain E. largiflorens in good condition (less crown death and greater crown density) than would normally be required. Irrigation landuse intensity affects variables that create habitat complexity in woodlands, such as the presence of old and young trees, and the abundance of shrubs such as lignum and sclerolaena. Flow regimes (particularly prior wetting frequency) affect both structure and condition. Two contrasting levels of the effect of irrigation landuse intensity on woodland bird abundance were found. Firstly, a broad scale positive relationship between irrigation water availability and bird abundance at a regional scale; and secondly, a withinΓregion negative effect of very high intensity irrigation landuse upon bird abundance. Site flood history was not related to bird abundance, primarily because of the dominanceof the regional and irrigation landuse intensity effects observed.

Irrigated dairying is a major farming activity in the Murray Valley Irrigation Area (MVIA), in north-east Victoria, contributing greatly to this State's economy. Most of the dairy farmers in this area flood irrigate their pastures. For better pasture quality and quantity, efficient irrigation is vital. The project entitled "Establishing a Process to Improve Irrigation Automation," realising the importance of irrigation for the dairy industry, has defined some key best irrigation management practices for the area. The practices followed by farmers in regard to these locally identified best irrigation practice benchmarks were assessed during 1995, before the implementation of the project and again re-visited during 1998, after the implementation of the project. The comparative results during the two study periods are presented

The work undertaken at CQUniversity Australia over the past decade suggests that drip and subsurface drip irrigation succumb to temporal hypoxia in the wetting fronts upon irrigation, and this irrigation paradox can be overcome by using aerated water for irrigation. A series of research studies both strategic and applied under the leadership of Prof Midmore and his team, suggests that crop response to aerated irrigation water (oxygation) is very promising in a number of crops both under controlled environment trials and in field tests. The longer erm studies conducted in cotton, pineapple, lucerne, and grapes shows positive benefits of oxygation on yield and water use efficiencies. Response to oxygation is mediated through enhanced root growth and other root processes.

Project final report

Irrigated farm businesses currently face a number of problems--reduced water allocations and river flows, increased climate variability, and economic pressures. In order to remain profitable and increase the productivity of water supplies, urgent action is required.

This fact sheet outlines the aims, processes and outputs of the project. It illustrates how Irrigation Futures is informing key agencies as they plan for future uncertainty in this important industry and region.

The National Program for Sustainable Irrigation Phase 2 (NPSI II) is a partnership between a number of research agencies, irrigation industries, water management authorities and state and federal governments. Investment through NPSI II will conclude on 25th June 2012. BDA Group was commissioned to undertake an economic evaluation of NPSI

Salinity, waterlogging and nutrient runoff are major concerns for the irrigation sector of the farming industry in the Murray-Darling Basin. These three problems have partly resulted from the inefficient use of on-farm water resources. This report summarises investigations aimed at tackling these issues by designing a system to improve the on-farm use of irrigation water. The project focused on dairy farms in northern Victoria which use border check flood irrigation to irrigate perennial and annual pastures. Dairy farms were targeted because they are a major consumer of irrigation water and make little use of modern irrigation management techniques.