The challenges of developing resilient perennial pastures for a Mediterranean environment – a review for Western Australia

Authors

Geoff A. Moore Mr, DPIRD, Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentFollow
P Sanford, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western AustraliaFollow
P J. Dolling, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western AustraliaFollow
D. Real, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, South Perth, WA, AustraliaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-7-2021

Journal Title

Crop and Pasture Science

ISSN

Print: 1836-0947 Electronic: 1836-5795

Keywords

temperate grasses, subtropical grasses, saltland pastures, native pastures, tagasaste, kikuyu, lucerne, tedera, Western Australia, perennial pastures, farming systems

Disciplines

Agronomy and Crop Sciences

Abstract

Perennial pastures are the dominant feedbase in many regions of the world, and offer several advantages when compared with an annual pasture system. In Western Australia (WA) there has been a concerted effort over seven decades to develop new perennial pasture options and expand the adoption of suitable species. The agricultural region of WA (i.e. south-western Australia) is characterised by a Mediterranean climate where the 5–7 month summer drought has proved a considerable challenge with only a small number of the many promising species being adopted commercially. Research, development, and extension have covered a wide range of herbaceous perennial legumes, leguminous and native shrubs, herbs, and temperate and warm season grasses. This paper reviews the literature to determine whether a perennial pasture must satisfy the following criteria to be successful and widely adopted in south-western Australia: (i) sourced from a similar Mediterranean environment and adapted to the target soils; (ii) have a relative advantage over the annual-based system it replaces; (iii) a robust management package; and (iv) a viable seed supply. The findings of this review highlight that perennial pastures must indeed satisfy multiple criteria to be commercially successful. Notably, the requirement for the source of the germplasm to have a good match between climate and soils is less clear because some of the commercially successful species come from diverse environments. We conclude with some key learnings for future perennial pasture development as climate change intensifies the research challenge and the drive for producers to adapt.

Recommended Citation

Moore G. A., Sanford P., Dolling P. J., Real D. (2021) The challenges of developing resilient perennial pastures for a Mediterranean environment – a review for Western Australia. Crop and Pasture Science 72, 613-633. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP20304