Researcher(s) |
Andrew Ware |
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Contact email | andrew@epagresearch.com.au |
Year(s) | 2019 - 2021 |
Contributor | Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula |
Trial location(s) |
Butler, SA
Lipson, SA |
This article will report on findings from two pasture trials conducted on the lower Eyre Peninsula in the 2019-2021 growing seasons. The trials are part of the demonstration component of the Dryland Pasture Legume Systems (DLPS) project developed with the former LEADA committee/AIR EP Medium Rainfall RD&E committee to answer several questions about how pasture performance could be improved in the region.
Demonstration 1: What is the best pasture species/ mix of species to plant in paddocks with differing soil types?
Demonstration 2: Regenerating Species
• Medic species appear to be well adapted to be able to produce pasture biomass and regenerate well after a year of cropping on the alkaline soils of the lower Eyre Peninsula {EP).
• Vetch species can produce high quantities of biomass in the year of planting and may be best suited to farming systems with more intensive cropping enterprises that have run down pasture seed reserves.
• The alternative species evaluated did not appear to be well adapted to the soil type/ environments/ farming systems that they were planted into.
• Pasture species must have a level of tolerance to broad leaf herbicides to allow for the removal of broadleaf weeds, which in some situations and soil types is seeing pasture production severely restricted with broadleaf weeds.
• Soil type differences did appear to reflect differences in pasture production, particularly getting pastures to establish on sandy soil types, but the work was unable to identify a superior pasture species beyond medic or vetch adapted to the lower EP's sandy soils.
Lead research organisation |
Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula |
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Host research organisation | N/A |
Trial funding source | GRDC 9175959 |
Related program |
Dryland Legume Pasture Systems (Rural R&D for Profit) |
Acknowledgments |
Gary Miller, Mark Saunders, and Ashley Flint of EPAG Reasearch for the technical assistance. Ben Pugsley and family, Clinton Charlton and family for providing the land for the trials. |
Other trial partners | Not specified |
Crop type | Forage: Mixed |
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Treatment type(s) |
|
Trial type | Demonstration |
Trial design | Unreplicated |
Sowing machinery |
|
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Sow date | 30 May 2019 30 May 2019 |
Harvest date | Not specified |
Trial design method | RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design |
Plot size | 10m x 2m |
Plot replication | 3 |
Psuedoreplication | N |
Plot blocking | yes |
Plot randomisation | N |
Sowing machinery |
|
---|---|
Sow date | 30 May 2019 30 May 2019 |
Harvest date | Not specified |
Trial design method | RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design |
Plot size | 10m x 2m |
Plot replication | 3 |
Psuedoreplication | N |
Plot blocking | yes |
Plot randomisation | N |
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.