Evaluation of perennial pasture legumes and herbs to identify species with high herbage production and persistence in mixed farming zones in southern Australia
G. D. Li A H I J , G. M. Lodge B H , G. A. Moore C H , A. D. Craig D H , B. S. Dear A H I , S. P. Boschma B H , T. O. Albertsen E H , S. M. Miller F , S. Harden B , R. C. Hayes A H I , S. J. Hughes G H , R. Snowball C H , A. B. Smith A and B. C. Cullis AA New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
B New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Tamworth Agricultural Institute, Calala, NSW 2340, Australia.
C Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
D South Australian Research and Development Institute, Struan Research Centre, Naracoorte, SA 5271, Australia.
E Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Great Southern Agricultural Research Institute, Katanning, WA 6317, Australia.
F South East Natural Resources Management Board, Mount Gambier, SA 5290, Australia.
G South Australian Research and Development Institute, Plant Research Centre, Waite Campus, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
H Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
I EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (alliance between Charles Sturt University and New South Wales Department of Primary Industries), Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
J Corresponding author. Email: guangdi.li@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(4) 449-466 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07108
Submitted: 23 April 2007 Accepted: 21 December 2007 Published: 7 March 2008
Abstract
Ninety-one perennial legumes and herbs (entries) from 47 species in 21 genera were evaluated at sites in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia over 3 years from 2002 to 2005 to identify plants with superior herbage production, persistence and the potential to reduce ground water recharge. Evaluation was undertaken in three nurseries (general, waterlogged soil and acid soil). Medicago sativa L. subsp. sativa (lucerne) cv. Sceptre was the best performing species across all sites. In the general and acid soil nurseries, Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) cv. Grasslands Puna was the only species comparable with Sceptre lucerne in terms of persistence and herbage production. Trifolium fragiferum L. cv. Palestine and Lotus corniculatus L. SA833 were the best performing species on heavy clay soils prone to waterlogging. Three Dorycnium hirsutum (L.) Ser. accessions persisted well on acid soils, but were slow to establish. Short-lived perennial forage legumes, such as Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. cv. Othello, and three Hedysarum coronarium L. entries, including cv. Grasslands Aokou, had high herbage production in the first 2 years and may be suitable for short-term pastures in phased pasture-crop farming systems. T. uniflorum L. and M. sativa subsp. caerulea SA38052 were highly persistent and could play a role as companion species in mixtures or ground cover species for undulating landscapes. Cullen australasicum (Schltdl.) G.W. Grimes SA4966 and Lotononis bainesii Baker cv. Miles had poor establishment, but were persistent. Chicory, T. fragiferum and L. corniculatus were identified as species, other than lucerne, with the most immediate potential for further selection to increase the diversity of perennial legumes and herbs adapted to southern Australian environments.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the following land owners/managers for their cooperation during this study; Angus and Tiffany Faulks (Manilla, NSW), Greg Scott (Wagga Wagga, NSW), John Ellis (Henty, NSW), the Stewart family (Barmedman, NSW), Charlie Baldry (Wallendbeen, NSW), Don Densley (Keith, SA), Geoff Thorn (Kojonup, WA) and Kevin Shacklton (Bibby Springs, WA). Authors thank Ron Yates (Murdoch University), Ross Ballard and Nigel Charman (SARDI) for the preparation of specific Rhizobia for all legume entries and Bradley Wintle at DAFWA and Sascha Groeneweg at SARDI for seed preparation and distribution. International gene banks have made an important contribution to the available germplasm used in these experiments. Dr Neil Coombes (NSW DPI, Wagga Wagga) provided great assistance in using DiGGer and designed some of the field experiments. Dr Lynley Stone (Department of Environment and Conservation, WA) provided valuable assistance in weed assessments. Ian McGowen (Resource Information Unit, NSW DPI) drew Fig. 1. Our thanks extend to all technical staff involved in the field evaluation program; Mark Brennan and Brian Roworth (Manilla), Craig Lihou (Wagga Wagga, Henty, Barmedman and Wallendbeen), Trevor Rowe and Steve Biggins (Keith), John Titterington (Bibby Springs and other sites in WA), Anita Lyons and Colin Boyd (Esperance) and Tom Bailey (Katanning and Kojonup). The project received financial support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation through the CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity.
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