L97 Lucerne

Salt tolerant across a wide range of soil types

Medicago sativa

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L97 is the most salt tolerant variety of lucerne on the market and has outstanding winter growth. Producing consistent high-quality feed year round for grazing or cutting. Suited to a wide range of soil types and produces in both saline and non saline conditions. Suitable for grazing, silage or hay. Australian bred. Coated - Goldstrike.

Key attributes

  • Outstanding yield in saline and non-saline ground
  • The most salt tolerant variety in the range
  • High quality forage production year-round
  • Dual purpose for hay, grazing and silage
  • Suits short-term cropping rotations
  • Australian bred for Australian conditions

About this variety

L97 is a highly winter active lucerne bred in saline conditions, and that breeding environment is the point of the variety. Selecting plants under salinity produces a lucerne that will grow where salt would ordinarily limit or prevent production, extending the range of soils on which lucerne can be grown at all.

It is the most salt tolerant variety in the range, and it delivers outstanding forage yield in both saline and non-saline ground, so it is not a compromise variety that only justifies itself on difficult country.

Being highly winter active it produces high quality feed year round rather than shutting down in the cool months, which is where most of the value of a winter active lucerne lies.

It is dual purpose, suiting hay, grazing and silage, and it fits short term cropping rotation systems where the lucerne phase is there to fix nitrogen and break disease cycles before the paddock returns to crop.

L97 is Australian bred specifically for Australian conditions.

Planting & grazing notes

Extended cutting and grazing opportunities in autumn and winter. Optimal planting – Autumn usually preferred. With outstanding winter growth, L97 ensures consistent, high-quality feed year-round, for grazing or cutting. Dual purpose and suitable for Hay, grazing and silage.

How it's sold

FormPackStatus
Bare25 kgIn stock
L97 Lucerne

FAQs

What lucerne can I sow on a paddock with a bit of salt coming up in the wheatbelt?

We recommend L97 Lucerne, the most salt tolerant lucerne variety on the market. It was bred in saline conditions and produces well in both saline and non-saline soils. It suits 400mm+ rainfall and sands through to heavy soils, and tolerates periods of waterlogging. For badly scalded ground, Puccinellia or Tall Wheat Grass are better choices.

Which lucerne gives heaps of winter feed for dairy cows?

L97 Lucerne is one of our top picks, with outstanding winter growth and consistent high-quality feed year round. It's highly winter active and suitable for dairy, beef and sheep, giving extra cutting and grazing opportunities in autumn and winter. Its increased leaf-to-stem ratio also lifts feed quality.

When is the best time of year to sow lucerne in WA?

We generally recommend sowing L97 Lucerne in autumn, which is the preferred planting window once there's reliable soil moisture. Sow at 4 to 10 kg/ha dryland or 18 to 25 kg/ha irrigated, into a well-prepared, weed-free seedbed. Use Group AL inoculant and sow shallow for good establishment.

Can I put lucerne into a cropping rotation for just a few years to build nitrogen?

Yes, L97 Lucerne suits short-term cropping rotations. As a legume it fixes nitrogen that benefits following crops, and it provides grazing, hay or silage while it's in. It suits a range of soil types in 400mm+ rainfall areas. Make sure it's nodulated with Group AL inoculant to get the full nitrogen benefit.

What pH does lucerne need? My soil test came back around 5.

Our L97 Lucerne is listed for soils around pH 5.0, so a result near 5 is workable, although lucerne generally prefers less acidic soils and liming very acid paddocks helps. Check whether your test was done in CaCl2 or water. L97 also needs 400mm+ rainfall and tolerates some waterlogging.

I want to cut hay and silage but also graze sheep, is there one lucerne that does it all?

L97 Lucerne is a dual-purpose variety suited to hay, silage and grazing, and it's suitable for sheep, beef and dairy. Its increased leaf-to-stem ratio lifts forage quality, and its winter growth extends cutting and grazing into autumn and winter. It's Australian bred and supplied Goldstrike coated.

How do I stop bloat when grazing cattle on lucerne?

With lush, leafy lucerne like our L97, we recommend introducing cattle gradually, never turning hungry stock onto a fresh stand, and using bloat preventatives where needed. Sowing a grass companion such as Wimmera or Tetila ryegrass also dilutes the legume in the diet. Rotational grazing helps both animal safety and stand persistence.

Will lucerne handle a paddock that gets waterlogged after heavy winter rain?

L97 Lucerne tolerates periods of waterlogging, making it a better fit than many lucerne varieties for paddocks that get wet in winter. It also copes with salinity, which often goes hand in hand with waterlogging. It still prefers soils that drain, so avoid areas that stay under water for long periods.

L97 vs L91 lucerne, what's the difference?

Both are highly winter active lucernes in our L series. L97 is our most salt tolerant variety, bred in saline conditions, so it's the pick where salinity is a concern. L91 is a newer variety focused on improved forage production with good pest and disease resistance. Both suit 400mm+ rainfall and sands to heavy soils.

How winter active is L97 Lucerne?

L97 Lucerne is a highly winter active variety with outstanding winter growth, giving extended grazing and cutting opportunities in autumn and winter. That makes it well suited to systems chasing cool-season feed. It suits sheep, beef and dairy, and produces well in both saline and non-saline conditions.

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