February 4, 2005
A new cultivar
of eastern star clover will be released to growers in 2006,
adding to the stable of new generation pasture legumes developed
for Western Australia’s farming systems.
Department
of Agriculture researcher Angelo Loi said eastern star
clover GCN39 would be a useful option for weed control in
Mediterranean farming systems.
Mr Loi said GCN39 would also allow growers to
further increase the species diversity of their pasture base.
Details of the new pasture legumes will be
presented at the Department’s Agribusiness Crop Updates on 16
February, supported by the Grains Research and Development
Corporation.
“Species such as biserrula, gland clover French
serradella and yellow serradella have been commercialised over
the past few years and have complemented the use of more
traditional subterranean clovers and annual medics,” Mr Loi
said.
“These new species have a broad range of
characteristics, which make them productive and persistent under
stressful conditions and have allowed the development of
low-cost seed production systems.
“The new pasture legumes have been selected with attributes
leading to increased pasture productivity and persistence. By
increasing legume dominance of the pasture, feeding value of the
pasture is increased, with benefits for animal production.
“Crops in rotation also benefit through increased nitrogen
fixation and the availability of new alternative weed control
options.”
Mr Loi said mixtures of cultivars and species could be used to
provide a buffer against different seasonal effects and soil
types within the paddock.
He said farmers needed to select the most
appropriate species based on consideration of soil type,
rainfall and farming practice.
Eastern star clover
GCN39 is a new
species to Australian agriculture. It has high levels of dry
matter and seed production and could be harvested with
conventional harvesters.
“GCN39 is an early-mid maturing variety and is
suitable for use on acid and alkaline fine textured soils in low
to medium rainfall areas (350-500 mm),” Mr Loi said.
“GCN39
germinates
very late in the season compared to traditional pasture legumes
and weeds. The delayed germination offers farmers a new
opportunity to control weeds during the pasture phase.
“Non-selective herbicides or intensive grazing
can be used after the opening of the season for 4-6 weeks before
GCN39
germinates, to
obtain 99 per cent weed control.”
Of the other new pasture legumes, hardseeded
French serradellas
Erica and
Margurita ensure good
germination at the break of season, while also enabling
persistence through crop rotations.
Seed of both Erica and Margurita is easily
harvested using a conventional header, however, seed needs to be
extracted from pods and scarified for high germination levels.
Mauro Biserrula is two weeks later flowering than
Casbah and is less hardseeded, resulting in higher second year
regeneration densities. It is suited to mixed farming and
permanent pastures in 450-700 mm rainfall areas.
Of the subterranean clovers, Izmir is a hardseed
replacement for Nungarin with greater persistence in cropping
rotations. It is suited to areas receiving ≤375 mm annual
rainfall and produces 7-10 per cent more herbage than Nungarin.
Urana is suited to areas with annual rainfall of
400-525 mm. Urana’s
hardseededness should enable it to persist better in cropping
rotations than current cultivars.
Coolamon is a replacement for Junee suited to
both mixed farming and permanent pastures in areas with 500-700
mm annual rainfall.
Scimitar and Cavalier burr medics
are adapted to mildly acid loam and
clay soils, and are tolerant of moderate salinity. They are more
productive and softer-seeded than the original cultivars
Santiago and Circle Valley, giving them greater second year
regeneration.
Good seed quantities of all new cultivars will be
available in 2005, however, only
limited
quantities of Coolamon will be available. Limited seed of
Izmir will be available in 2006.
This work has been supported by Grains Research
and Development Corporation and Australian Wool Innovation.
Regional Crop Updates kick off for growers on 21
February in Bencubbin, Carrabin - 22 February, Hyden and Kukerin
- 23 February, Northam - 24 February and Narrogin – 25 February,
Jerramungup - 9 March, Ravensthorpe - 10 March, Esperance - 11
March, Geraldton - 14 March, Mingenew Irwin -15 March, Liebe –
16 March, Moora and Ballidu – 17 March and concluding in
Katanning on 18 March. |