New Legume Species in Mixed Farming Systems Braden Johnston Nyabing WA Ascot Quays 7 April 2017 Braden Johnston bradenkate@bigpond.com Fiona Hobley fiona@hobley.net.au
Overview of site
Growing Motivation
Harvest with Conventional Header Plot No Pasture Variety Height cm Pickup Feeding Seed Collection 1 Margarita Pod with Barley 12 Ok Ok Small amount 2 Bartolo Bladder Clover 5 Ok Ok Frosted 13 Scimitar Medic 2 Nil Nil Nil 24 Casbah Biserrulla 2 Nil Nil Nil 3 Prima Gland Clover 20 Good Fluffy Frosted 14 Eliza French Serredella 12 Ok Nil Nil 25 Margarita Serredella 12 Ok Ok Small amount
Harvest Comparison Open Front Header Compared Clover Harvester Benefits Disadvantages Use existing header High risk damage to header front on low cutting No intensive labour in Feb/March Pastures need harvesting early period for sub clover harvesting which conflicts with grain harvest Ground is not exposed to wind Higher fire risk with low cutting erosion like sub clover harvesting height Additional labour already on farm at harvest time Faster process than clover harvester
Direct Harvest vs Clover Harvester Serradella Sub Clover Direct Harvest Clover Harvestor Machine Source * MF9560 JD 8260R Fuel L/hr 60 35 Ha/hr 4 0.35 Fuel L/ha Harvest (Tractor pulling/direct harvest) 15 100 Fuel $/ha Scarifying x2 - 10 Dessication spray prior to harvest 20 - Labour $/hr 35 35 Labour $ /ha 8.75 100 Total Operation Cost $/ha 43.75 210 Yield Averages ** 350kg 500kg Harvest cost $/kg seed 0.13 0.41 Seeding rate kg/ha 22 15 Seed $/ha excluding cleaning/unscarified pod 2.75 6.18 * Nyabing Growers Ben Hobley Serradella Dec 2016 and Braden Johnston Clover Harvest M ** Yield Averages estimate only not actual yield due to frost on Serradella
Inoculant important on correct pastures
What We Got out of it - Practice Change • Motivation to produce better pastures • Variety Adoption Margarita and Bartolo • Harvesting aerial seeded varieties is achievable Bartolo, Prima and Margarita. • Frost impacted aerial seeded varieties, except Scimitar Medic and Bartolo Bladder • Twin Sowing presents opportunity with compromise • Early sowing pastures in dry conditions • Pasture sowing with discs has increased • Inoculating new legume pasture species important
Pasture Attributes at Nyabing Demo Site Year 3 Regeneration Bartolo Scimitar Medic Year 1 Year 2 – sown to Dalkeith Biomass Production Barley Crop Prima Gland Bartolo Bladder Clover Hard seeded Bartolo Margarita Margarita Serradella low numbers Biserrula Prima Gland Mass germination Eliza Serradella numbers Prima Seed Production Dalkeith Sub Clover Year 3 Dalkeith Scimitar Medic
Seed Regeneration
Nitrogen Story Soil N Crop Yield Legume Pasture Contribution Leaf Tissue N %
Results – N at Depth - Soil Test April 15
Results – N % of Total Tissue Test July 2015
Barley Crop Yield 2015
Yield x N Rate
Yield Map Barley After Pasture
Dry Sowing Pod vs Scarified
Alosca vs Nodulator
Growing more • High biomass pastures contribute more N • ALOSCA and Nodulator were similar, except leaf N% increase with Nodulator • Dalkeith sub clover is a top performer • Bartolo, Prima and Margarita high biomass • Medic performed well in year 3 • Aerial seeded varieties are frost prone There have never been so many mixed cropping farmers interested in pastures in the local area.
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