B.PAS.0354 - Legume best management practice in the Brigalow belt bio-region
Pasture legumes have been identified as the best long-term option to increase productivity in the Brigalow Bio-belt region of QLD. A series of 23 workshops were held with graziers and advisors to assist with legume adoption in pastures.
| Project start date: | 31 March 2017 |
| Project end date: | 31 May 2023 |
| Publication date: | 22 April 2024 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Sheep |
| Relevant regions: | Queensland |
|
Download Report
(8.7 MB)
|
|
Summary
Pasture legumes have been identified as the best long-term option to increase productivity, however successful adoption rates remain low. This project conducted research integrated with an extension program to work with graziers and advisors to increase productivity in the Brigalow Belt through more reliable and successful adoption of legumes.
Over 23 workshops on legume management, 412 graziers and farm advisors attended. Grazing businesses sowed 42,000ha of legumes (73% of businesses sowed legumes, average of 258ha/business) after attending the workshops and these businesses intend to sow an additional 111,200ha (average of 617ha/business) over the next five years.
Research trials indicate that current varieties of Caatinga stylo (Stylosanthes seabrana) and Desmanthus virgatus are likely to be persistent in the long-term in southern inland Queensland, however other species of desmanthus and stylo are unlikely to persist. Research trials have shown establishment methods developed in other climate zones (e.g. monsoonal) fail in the competitive pastures of the Brigalow Belt, however better agronomic practices dramatically improve the reliability of legume establishment.
Objectives
The project conducted field-based research to develop management practices to improve the reliability of legumes, especially their establishment into existing grass pastures and engaged industry through an extension program. Specific objectives included:
• Developing management recommendations from research and commercial results and package them into new extension products.
• Engage with groups of graziers to develop legume management plans, trial practices on-farm and sow commercial paddocks to legumes.
• Test the persistence of legume varieties in southern inland Queensland where no historical trial sites exist.
• Test the impact of alternative agronomic practices on legume establishment.
Key findings
An assessment was completed of past and current research results and commercial experience to develop agronomic management recommendations specifically for the Brigalow Belt bioregion to more effectively and reliably establish legumes and to maintain productivity in the long-term. Improved recommendations were packaged into a full-day workshop that facilitated graziers through a process to review research results and apply the management recommendations to their own property and situation.
The legume management workshop was delivered to 23 groups of graziers and farm advisors. Four hundred and twelve people attended the workshop, which represented 317 businesses of which 226 were grazing businesses. Graziers have sown 42,000ha of legumes (average of 258ha per business that sowed legumes) since attending the workshop and intend to sow an additional 111,200ha over the next five years (average of 617ha/business). 118 on-farm trials were initiated with graziers involved with this project.
Legume establishment Poor establishment is the most common reason for failure of pasture legumes in existing commercial grass pastures, however, the most commonly used methods by graziers are low cost and low reliability. Fallowing to store soil moisture and control competition from the existing grass pasture dramatically improves establishment. Greater control of competition through the use of post-emergence herbicides can improve seedling survival and therefore establishment success, however, these herbicides are not registered for several important legume species.
Fertiliser to improve legume establishment trials on phosphorus fertiliser use to improve legume establishment produced inconsistent results but trial design may have affected results. Phosphorus fertiliser increased the early growth of medics but did not improve Caatinga stylo or desmanthus growth.
Benefits to industry
This project has contributed to the northern Australian beef industry through working in the bioregion with the greatest gross value of production and working on the best long-term management option to improve productivity and economic returns in the region. The Brigalow Belt bioregion produces 44% of the gross value of agricultural production from grazing in Queensland. Pasture legumes have been identified as the best long-term option to increase the productivity and returns from both rundown sown grass pastures and native pastures in the Brigalow Belt bioregion. Research conducted by the project team has improved the understanding of legume adaptation and persistence, methods to reliably establish legumes into existing grass pastures and worked with graziers to test the methods on farms.
MLA action
Research on the establishment and selection of better legumes varieties is being extended through a new five-year, $25 million MDC partnership with DAFQ. Three nodes of activity throughout the Brigalow-biobelt region are continuing to address priority research and extension activities.
Future research
1. Extension to improve the commercial reliability of legumes. A range of extension activities are required to update and improve access to information on pasture legumes, improve skills, promote adoption of key practices and develop commercial scale methods to reliably establish legumes.
2. Develop improved legume establishment methods and management solutions for weed control (e.g. registration of post emergence herbicides), commercial scale machinery (e.g. for rhizobia delivery to depth) and develop regionalised legume establishment recommendations. A high priority is to demonstrate the benefit of fallows on legume establishment.
3. Better legume varieties. Research by this and other projects has identified limitation in the adaptation of current commercially available varieties, especially for southerly latitudes. Current research has identified promising experimental legume accessions for release as new varieties in southerly latitudes.
4. Research the impact of fertiliser on productivity and economic returns from pasture legumes.
5. Improved reliability of establishing rhizobia of summer growing legumes when sown onto hot soils.
6. Reliable seed quality. The quality and reliability of supply of tropical pasture seed is variable with poor quality seed often being sold. The seed industry needs to address seed quality and labelling issues.
More information
| Project manager: | Felice Driver |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | Department of Agriculture & Fisheri |
