Choosing the best pasture legumes for lower rainfall areas

The Dryland Legume Pasture Systems (DLPS) project is evaluating a diverse range of annual pasture legumes on mixed farms in the low to medium rainfall zone (<450mm). In this podcast, researcher Ross Ballard from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the research division of Primary Industries and Regions SA, shares information on the new and existing commercial lines tested so far, including the new stand medic (Medicago littoralis) cultivar scheduled for release in 2021.

This national project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program. In addition to GRDC, the five-year project is also supported by Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation, and involves the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Murdoch University, CSIRO, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, and NSW Department of Primary Industries, as well as 10 grower groups across WA, SA, Victoria and southern NSW.

Contact

Ross Ballard, SARDI
Ross.Ballard@sa.gov.au

Useful resources

• Update paper: New pasture opportunities to boost productivity of mixed farms in low/medium rainfall areas
• Pasture Picker