Challenges and Priorities in Northern Australian Pasture Management
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Native pastures:
The
major
component of the feedbase
Legume augmentation successful in
some
districts
Sustainability issues
Sown Pastures:
Majority of sown pastures are in Queensland (approx. 90%)
(Walker & Weston 1990)
Largest areas of sown pastures in Queensland are in the Brigalow belt
(Peck et al 2011)
70% of total area planted to grass only
(Walker & Weston 1990)
Buffel grass is the main species, >75% of area
(Walker & Weston 1990)
“Dominant” on 5.8M ha; “Common” on 25.9M ha
Significant areas of other species
All grass species affected by declining productivity (N availability)
Almost zero use of fertiliser on pastures in northern Australia for beef production
(Peck et al 2015)
Productivity decline: N tie-up
Urea strip:
Productivity has declined by ~50%
due to decreased nitrogen
availability
•
Almost zero use of fertiliser on
pastures in northern Australia
RD&E results:
Legumes are the best option to
improve productivity but
successful
commercial adoption is
low
Permanent pasture big issues
Grass only pastures
“Pasture rundown”
– low N availability
Legumes are the most promising option to improve productivity but
commercial results have been mixed… more failures than success!
•
Low successful adoption
•
Adapted legumes
•
Persistence and productivity
•
Establishment
•
Poor agronomy
•
Seed quality and supply
•
Rhizobia
•
Nutrition
Short term pasture big issues
Declining Soil Organic
Matter under cropping
Nutrient deficiency and soil
structure issues for pasture
Nutrient deficiency, especially P & S increasing in area
Rapid establishment
•
Agronomy
•
Seed quality
•
Species that come up from depth
RDE & policy priorities
1.
Improved use of existing mitigation technologies & practices
2.
Reliable establishment of legumes and rhizobia
•
Fallowing, sowing and seed bed impacts, herbicide tolerance, rhizobium
inoculation,
3.
Improved production from legumes
•
Nutrition (especially P & S)
, rhizobium effectiveness, grazing management, N
fixation rates
4.
Legume adaptation
•
Adaptation limits and relative productivity of different legumes (including the
context of climate change); targeted evaluation for better varieties
5.
Legume (& grass) seed supply
•
Apparent market failure – good quality seed regularly not available
6.
Understanding buffel and other sown grasses
•
Geographic extent, condition and productivity
•
Physiology, genetics, productivity and digestibility
Peck et al 2011
Priority environments
1.
Competitive grass pastures on clay soils in subtropical inland (i.e. Brigalow
Belt); especially frosty areas (southern Qld and northern NSW)
2.
Coastal hinterland (700-1000mm AAR)
3.
Clay soils in north Qld, NT, WA
4.
Better lighter soils (sand, loam, light clays & duplex) in inland subtropics
where sown grasses are common
5.
More robust ley legumes
Potential for improvements on current varieties
-
Desmanthus –
biomass production, soil type adaptation, cold tolerance
-
Stylosanthes
- cold tolerance, disease tolerance, rhizobia specificity
-
Macroptillium? Aeschynomene? Clitoria?
Legume evaluation priorities
Bell
et al
2016
Pastures in northern Australia face issues with declining productivity, nutrient deficiencies, and inadequate use of fertilizers. Legume augmentation shows potential, but commercial adoption remains low. Focus areas include improving legume establishment, addressing nitrogen tie-up, and enhancing production from legumes. Research and policy priorities emphasize the use of existing technologies, reliable legume establishment, and understanding grass species for better pasture management.
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Presentation Transcript
Pastures in northern Australia Native pastures: The major component of the feedbase Legume augmentation successful in some districts Sustainability issues Sown Pastures: Majority of sown pastures are in Queensland (approx. 90%) (Walker & Weston 1990) Largest areas of sown pastures in Queensland are in the Brigalow belt (Peck et al 2011) 70% of total area planted to grass only (Walker & Weston 1990) Buffel grass is the main species, >75% of area (Walker & Weston 1990) Dominant on 5.8M ha; Common on 25.9M ha Significant areas of other species All grass species affected by declining productivity (N availability) Almost zero use of fertiliser on pastures in northern Australia for beef production (Peck et al 2015)
Productivity decline: N tie-up Urea strip: Productivity has declined by ~50% due to decreased nitrogen availability Almost zero use of fertiliser on pastures in northern Australia RD&E results: Legumes are the best option to improve productivity but successful commercial adoption is low
Permanent pasture big issues Grass only pastures Pasture rundown low N availability Legumes are the most promising option to improve productivity but commercial results have been mixed more failures than success! Low successful adoption Adapted legumes Persistence and productivity Establishment Poor agronomy Seed quality and supply Rhizobia Nutrition
Short term pasture big issues Nutrient deficiency and soil structure issues for pasture Declining Soil Organic Matter under cropping Nutrient deficiency, especially P & S increasing in area Rapid establishment Agronomy Seed quality Species that come up from depth
RDE & policy priorities 1. Improved use of existing mitigation technologies & practices 2. Reliable establishment of legumes and rhizobia Fallowing, sowing and seed bed impacts, herbicide tolerance, rhizobium inoculation, 3. Improved production from legumes Nutrition (especially P & S), rhizobium effectiveness, grazing management, N fixation rates 4. Legume adaptation Adaptation limits and relative productivity of different legumes (including the context of climate change); targeted evaluation for better varieties 5. Legume (& grass) seed supply Apparent market failure good quality seed regularly not available 6. Understanding buffel and other sown grasses Geographic extent, condition and productivity Physiology, genetics, productivity and digestibility Peck et al 2011
Legume evaluation priorities Priority environments 1. Competitive grass pastures on clay soils in subtropical inland (i.e. Brigalow Belt); especially frosty areas (southern Qld and northern NSW) 2. Coastal hinterland (700-1000mm AAR) 3. Clay soils in north Qld, NT, WA 4. Better lighter soils (sand, loam, light clays & duplex) in inland subtropics where sown grasses are common 5. More robust ley legumes Potential for improvements on current varieties - Desmanthus biomass production, soil type adaptation, cold tolerance - Stylosanthes - cold tolerance, disease tolerance, rhizobia specificity - Macroptillium? Aeschynomene? Clitoria? Bell et al 2016
