Novel Pastures in Dryland Pasture System

DRYLAND LEGUME PASTURE SYSTEMS

Key Points

2017-2022
State-wide project involving Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Murdoch University, CSIRO, Mingenew-Irwin Group, Corrigin Farm Improvement Group and ASHEEP (since renamed ASHEEP & BEEF).
4.5 year research project.
Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) and Grains Research Development Commission (GRDC), Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) & Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).
Key Researchers: Angelo Loi (DPIRD), Ron Yates (DPIRD) and Brad Nutt (Murdoch University)
View a video overview of the project here.

Aim

To develop low-cost legume pasture, forage or hay options with reliable, low cost establishment techniques and management packages that benefit both crops and livestock production on a range of soil types.

5 project components

Novel pasture legumes suited to dry farming systems
Benefits of novel legume pastures to crop production systems
Benefits of novel legume pastures to livestock production systems
Farm economics/modelling of legume pastures to aid decisions and evaluation
Extension and evaluation

Final Report

Download a copy of the final report for the project: "Boosting profits and reducing risk of mixed farms in low and medium rainfall areas with newly discovered legume pastures (RnD4Profit-16-03-010)", published by GRDC, authored by Stephen Loss (GRDC), Ron Yates (Murdoch University) & Ross Ballard (South Australian Research and Development Institute).

Pasture species amongst those commercialised through the research included Frano serradella, yellow serradella, bladder clover, Trigonella balansae, and Seraph medic.

What happened in Esperance?

A number of trial sites were established during the project in the Esperance region (two in 2018, one in 2019, one in 2020, one in 2021). ASHEEP & BEEF supported the project by including a farmer on the steering committee (David Vandenberghe) and facilitating extension and adoption activities, including a number of field days. Some of the key articles published by ASHEEP & BEEF during the project are available below.

PROJECT ARTICLES

Case Study: Dryland Legume Pasture Systems 2020 Sites Cascade & Grass Patch

Interviews with Mark Walter and David Vandenberghe, two producers hosting Dryland Legume Pasture Systems Trial Sites in Cascade and Grass Patch

ASHEEP

Nov 30, 20206 min read

Storage of hard seeded pasture legumes increases germination when sown in early autumn

Robert Harrison, Murdoch University Background: The expense of scarifying and dehulling of certain pasture legumes (e.g. yellow...

Robert Harrison, Murdoch University

Aug 31, 20202 min read

How to check for nodulation and the Nodulation Chart

Floyd Sullivan, Business Development Manager, ALOSCA Technologies Pty Ltd Now is the time for digging up your crop/pasture legumes to...

Floyd Sullivan, ALSOCA

Aug 31, 20202 min read

2018: Novel Pastures for Dryland Pasture Systems - Scaddan & Cascade Sites

Update on the Scaddan and Cascade sites in the Dryland Pasture Legume Systems project.

ASHEEP

Nov 30, 20183 min read

Case Study: Harvesting Serradella Seed/Pod

Scott & Odile Welke farm at Cascade as part of the larger Welke family business. Scott is known to grow a great serradella crop and has fine tuned his harvesting process. Here Scott will let us in on how he goes about it.

ASHEEP

Aug 31, 20184 min read

Harvesting Serradella Pod: The DPIRD guidelines

Cultivars of French serradella (Eliza, Cadiz, Erica and Margurita) and yellow serradella (Charano, Santorini and Yelbini) have been developed with the aim of reducing the cost of seed production. Most of these varieties can be harvested with conventional grain harvesting machinery.

Angelo Loi, DPIRD

Aug 31, 20185 min read

PROJECT PARTNERS

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation. The research partners include the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Murdoch University, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, and Charles Stuart University, as well as grower groups.