FFI Reliable Establishment of Non-traditional Perennial Pasture Species

Summary

This project was undertaken to develop a suite of reliable, robust and economical establishment packages for the most promising saltland, native and exotic perennial species for recharge, discharge and pastoral areas of southern Australia and to identify low-cost management options for successful recruitment of perennial grass seedlings in native grass pastures.
A mature package for reliable establishment of sub-tropical perennial grasses in south-western Australia has been developed. Adoption has been rapid, with typical establishment densities in commercial paddocks having increased ten-fold. This has contributed to an increase in the estimated area sown to sub-tropical grasses from 120,000 ha to 150,000 ha since the project commenced. A direct seeding package for old man saltbush and Rhagodia preisii, suitable for use with conventional farm seeding equipment, has also been developed. No major barriers to germination and establishment were found in the perennial legume, tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albo-marginata). The project has also identified low-cost management options for successful recruitment of perennial native grass seedlings to increase productivity of native grass pastures. A greater understanding of the seed biology and agronomic requirements has been achieved for other halophytic shrub and native pasture species for future development into reliable establishment packages.
Five technical bulletins, two extension bulletins, three advisory notes and nine scientific papers have either been published or prepared for publication. These provide details of the establishment and seedling recruitment packages, and the scientific basis for the recommendations behind them.