MR RICHARD BENNETT Profile Richard has always had interests in both Australian native plants and agriculture, so when an opportunity to combine these interests and get paid to research the use of native plants in agriculture came along, he happily applied for the job. The CRC Salinity employed him for three and a half years to collect native perennial grasses and legumes from the wild and evaluate their potential to be used as pasture plants in the wheatbelt.
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MR RICHARD BENNETT - University of Western Australia · Bennett et al. (2006) Hypotheses Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive Cullenspecies will be productive during
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MR RICHARD BENNETT
Profile
Richard has always had interests in both Australian native plants and agriculture, so
when an opportunity to combine these interests and get paid to research the use of native plants in agriculture came along, he
happily applied for the job. The CRC Salinity employed him for three and a half years to
collect native perennial grasses and legumes from the wild and evaluate their potential to be
used as pasture plants in the wheatbelt.
Survival and productivity of Australian Cullen species on
deep acid sands in WA’s low-rainfall wheatbelt
Survival and productivity of Australian Cullen species on
deep acid sands in WA’s low-rainfall wheatbelt
Richard Bennett, Megan Ryan, Tim Colmer, Daniel RealRichard Bennett, Megan Ryan, Tim Colmer, Daniel Real
Acknowledgements
Funding: Meat and Livestock AustraliaAW Howard Memorial TrustFuture Farm Industries CRCSchool of Plant Biology – UWA
Assistance: Lori KroissDion NicholTammy Edmonds-TibbettLalith Suriyagoda
Outline
Introduction
Hypotheses
Trial designResults - species
- population
Hypotheses
Conclusions
Introduction
Hypotheses
Trial designResults - species
- population
Hypotheses
Conclusions
• Salinity control through recharge control
• Erosion control – wind & water
• Productivity benefits – year-round feed
• Reduced fertiliser – legumes fix nitrogen
Benefits of perennial legumes
Annual crops or pastures
(eg. wheat & sub-clover)
Saturated Soil
Saline groundwater↑Evaporation↑
Benefits of perennial legumes
N
NN
N
N
N
Perennial legumes
(eg. lucerne, Lotus corniculatus)
Recharge control
Increased productivity
Erosion control
Nitrogen fixation
Benefits of perennial legumes
- low rainfall
- long dry seasons/drought
- highly acid or alkaline soils
Effect - reduced productivity
- reduced persistence
- low rainfall
- long dry seasons/drought
- highly acid or alkaline soils
Effect - reduced productivity
- reduced persistenceWA wheatbelt - May 2007
Limitations of existing perennial legumes?Limitations of existing perennial legumes?Limitations of existing perennial legumes?
Robertson M (2006) Lucerne prospects…
Lucerne in WA
The genus Cullen
Cullen patens
25 spp. in Australia
Native to arid areas
Palatable & nutritious
Productive
Good seed production
25 spp. in Australia
Native to arid areas
Palatable & nutritious
Productive
Good seed production
The genus Cullen
Ecogeographic study
Points are herbarium collections from CHAH, 2006
The genus Cullen
25 species cut to…
8 species that were…
• perennial • herbaceous • low rainfall• non-tropical• adapted to WA soils
Bennett et al. (2006)
Hypotheses
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
Cullen species will be productive during dry seasons
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
×
×××
Hypotheses ???
C. tenax
C. lachnostachys
C. pustulatum
C. patens
C. parvum
C. pallidum
C. discolor
C. cinereum
C. australasicum
Species
×
×××
Predicted
Not predicted
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
Hypotheses ???
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
Cullen species will be productive during dry seasons
Dry season performance of populations
Lucerne Sardi10Lucerne sceptre
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6April productivity (1-10 rating)
Surv
ival
% (M
arch
08)
Dry season performance of populations
Lucerne Sardi10Lucerne sceptre
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
April productivity (1-10 rating)
Surv
ival
% (M
arch
08)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
C. patens C. tenaxC. cinereum C. parvum
Dry season performance of populations
Lucerne Sardi10Lucerne sceptre
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
April productivity (1-10 rating)
Surv
ival
% (M
arch
08)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
C. australasicum C. discolorC. pallidum
Dry season performance of populations
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
April productivity (1-10 rating)
Surv
ival
% (M
arch
08)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Lucerne Sardi10Lucerne sceptre
C. lachnostachys C. pustulatum
Dry season performance of populations
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
April productivity (1-10 rating)
Surv
ival
% (M
arch
08)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Lucerne Sardi10Lucerne sceptre
Hypotheses ???
C. tenax
C. lachnostachys
C. pustulatum
C. patens
C. parvum
C. pallidum
C. discolor
C. cinereum
C. australasicum
Species
×
×××
Predicted
Not predicted
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
Hypotheses ???
C. tenax
C. lachnostachys
C. pustulatum
C. patens
C. parvum
C. pallidum
C. discolor
C. cinereum
C. australasicum
Species
×
Predicted
Not predicted
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
×
×
×
Hypotheses ???
C. tenax
C. lachnostachys
C. pustulatum
C. patens
C. parvum
C. pallidum
C. discolor
C. cinereum
C. australasicum
Species
×
Predicted
Not predicted
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
Hypotheses ???
Cullen species predicted by ecogeography will survive
Cullen species will be productive during dry seasons
Conclusions
Will any Cullen species offer a perennial pasture legume with drought, and acid soil tolerance for WA?
Too early to say– Not a true Mediterranean dry season– Long cutting duration (4 months)– No dry season harvest (just ratings)
+ Variation & potential in populations of several spp.+ Some Cullen spp. will not be useful + Identified potential in unexpected spp. + Impressive performance for wild germplasm
Conclusions
Speculation on a systems fit for Cullen
• Long term rotations• Dry areas• Poor soil / low input• Not in competition with lucerne• Pasture mix with annuals• Out of season feed store