Ahead of the NSW state election on 25 March 2023, the NSW Government caretaker period has commenced. Limited updates will be made to this website during this period.
This Primefact provides information on the key points to consider:
Agricultural production seeks both high total water use (TWU) and high water use efficiency (WUE).
High total water use influences the environment through minimising deep drainage, and associated waterlogging and salinity.
Potential or water limited yield of wheat is about 20 kg/ha/mm of seasonal water use, and for broad-leaf crops is about 15 kg/ha/mm of seasonal water use (after deducting 100 to 120 mm).
The water limited yield of annual pasture dry matter production is about 30 kg/ha/mm (after deducting about 30 mm).
Potentially, dryland lucerne can yield about 12 kg/ha of dry matter for each mm of annual rainfall.
Poor WUE can indicate management problems or constraints imposed by soil, nutrition, pests or disease.
Identifying and addressing these agronomic constraints is the path to improved WUE.