Legumes in buffel

Project: Demonstrating innovative approaches for introducing legumes into buffel grass pastures

Location: Rolleston

Species: Pastures

Date: Nov 2009 - Nov 2012

Status: Ongoing

Objectives:

Progress:

This PDS group is concerned with the observed declines in vigour and overall productivity of their buffel grass pastures over the last decade. They are interested in finding a long term, sustainable and cost effective solution and are keenly interested in legumes as a driver of diet quality and soil fertility as opposed to shorter term options such as mechanical disturbance or fertiliser.

The project will examine lower cost legume establishment techniques using butterfly pea, burgundy bean and siratro. Sowing methods include broadcast seeding, direct drill seeding and crocodile seeding, applied both with and without intensive herd impact at the time of sowing to try to gauge whether intense herd pressure in short duration can improve soil-seed contact and therefore aid plant establishment.

Plant counts have been conducted at the end of each growing season (2010/11 and 2011/12). Results to date show that siratro is the most dominant of the species, with moderate burgundy bean and very low densities of butterfly pea.

The variation in plant numbers between treatments is reducing with time. Severe attrition of the populations has also occurred despite the excellent seasons received since planting. Initial total legume counts showed no difference between the broadcast treatments, yet recent data points towards herd impact having an influence on longer term survival of broadcast seed. Overall, greater soil disturbance and planting of the seed were more effective in achieving establishment than simple broadcasting.

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