Summer sowing serradella pod into perennial grass pastures

2010
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Phillip Barrett (Lennard (AgVivo/Evergreen Farming))
Geoff Moore (DAFWA)
Bradley Nutt (DAFWA)
Brad Wintle (DAFWA)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) Badgingarra, WA
Summer sowing serradella pod into perennial grass pastures locations
Aims

To evaluate the effectiveness of establishing annual legumes into established perennial grass-based pastures by 'summer' sowing of hard-seeded serradella pod.

Key messages
  • The results for summer sowing into an established perennial grass pasture were encouraging in a season with minimal spring rainfall.  The results were negatively impacted by the low rainfall in spring.
  • Drilling pod was more successful than broadcasting pod and then using animals to trample it into the soil.  This was the first summer sowing trial into perennial grasses in WA so it is too early to develop recommendations, but it appears that you need to use 20 to 40 kg pod/ha to achieve a good seedbank.  The mid-March sowing time is at the end of the ‘sowing window’ for summer sowing.  Sowing in early February is desirable to maximize the time for hardseed breakdown.
  • With summer sowing using pod rather than seed there is no need for de-hulling, so there is a cost saving per kilogram, but higher sowing rates are required as the seedlings need to compete with annual grasses, broadleaf weeds as well as the perennial grasses.  The summer sowing method requires relatively high sowing rates and the concept relies to a large extent on farmers producing hard-seeded serradella pod on-farm at a low cost.
  • After these promising results in 2010, similar trials will be undertaken in 2011 with local producers.
Lead research organisation Department of Agriculture and Food WA
Host research organisation West Midlands Group
Trial funding source DAFWA
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Tom and Sue Alston for use of their land and their assistance with the trial, also to Gordon Dodd for use of his seeder.


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type : N/A
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Rotation
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Badgingarra 2010

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Badgingarra, WA Gravelly sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Badgingarra WA
2010 209.6mm
2009 228.5mm
2008 246.8mm
2007 198.9mm
2006 196.0mm
2005 242.6mm
2004 204.2mm
2003 230.9mm
2002 212.7mm
2001 192.5mm
2000 206.7mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Badgingarra WA 2010


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 365mm

Derived climate information

Badgingarra WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2010 trial report



Trial last modified: 09-07-2019 09:22am AEST