A perennial pasture legume that
can survive summer droughts, acid soils and waterlogging is a
tall order, but might soon be available to Australian farmers as
an important alternative to lucerne.
For the first time, Australian
researchers will have access to breeding material of Birdsfoot
Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
from Uruguay’s well-established breeding program at the
National Institute of
Agricultural Research (INIA). An
agreement was signed today between the
Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-based Management of
Dryland Salinity (Salinity CRC) and INIA to
establish the
exchange of Lotus breeding material.
Whilst not
widely used commercially in Australia, Birdsfoot Trefoil is
commonly grown in comparable environments elsewhere in the
world. Australian interest to date in Birdsfoot Trefoil
has been largely confined to high rainfall areas in northern NSW
but the potential for the species is now rated as being
substantially broader.
“This represents a major win
for Australian farmers,” said Associate Professor Mike Ewing,
Program Manager of the plant breeding group with the Salinity
CRC.
“The international exchange of
germplasm provides an opportunity to really kick start the
Australian program targeting a greatly expanded array of
environments and it can cut up to 10 years off the normally
extended breeding cycle required to produce new cultivars suited
to our harsh conditions. “
A Lotus
corniculatus breeding program was established more
than 15 years ago at the internationally renowned INIA,
Uruguay's major scientific and technological
organisation for the development of the rural sector and
sustainable natural resource management.
Uruguayan farmers who have
adopted Lotus cultivars from the program have benefited
greatly from increased fodder and seed production.
According to
Dr Daniel Real, Senior Plant Breeder for the Salinity
CRC, new Lotus cultivars developed here offer an
alternative to lucerne on acid soils, and low fertility and
waterlogged soils in southern, western and eastern parts of
Australia.
