As seen in Farm Weekly, 21/03/2024

Irwin Hunter & Co has one of the most extensive selections of legume crops available, with an option to suit all types of pasture and production systems.

Legumes provide an essential component to developing pastures producing high quality feed and providing a rich source of nitrogen for the existing pasture and follow on crops.

In Western Australia, several important legumes are commonly used, especially in pasture mixes due to their adaptability to the local climate and soil conditions.

When selecting legumes for your pasture it's essential to consider factors such as local climate, soil type, water availability, and intended livestock use as sheep grazing tends to require a higher proportion of legumes than grass and cattle require a higher proportion of grass to legumes.

Other factors that will affect your choice of legumes will be the requirement for their persistence, and this could be in the form of soft and hard seedness, podded or unpodded, particularly relevant in areas prone to false breaks.

Specific attributes and performance vary between different species and varieties, and it is important to select varieties that are well suited to your on-farm conditions, management objectives and intended use.

Overall, the inclusion of legumes in pasture mixes in Western Australia contributes to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems by improving soil health, forage quality, and livestock productivity while reducing environmental impacts and input costs.

Examples of legume varieties that perform under different environments and soil conditions

Acidic sandy soils

For farmers looking for persistent and widely adaptable legumes that can also tolerate moderately low pH soils and sandy soils then they should consider introducing Sub Clovers into their pasture system.

Serradellas, both Yellow and Pink varieties are also tolerant of acidic soils, particularly Yellow Serradellas, growing well in sandy and duplex soils and perform well in low fertility.

Aerial Clovers such as Arrowleaf and Hykon Rose are also tolerant of acid sands and with Arrowleaf being deep rooted, it can extend the grazing period in comparison to sub clovers.

Medics generally tolerate low-fertility soils, drought and acidic conditions although specific attributes vary between species and varieties.

Waterlogged soils

White seeded sub clovers, Cavalier Medic and Aerial Clovers such as Paradana Balansa, Prima Gland, and Shaftal Persian perform better in higher pH soils and can tolerate moderate waterlogging.

Hard seeded

Bladder Clovers can be used to manage false breaks with its high level of hard seedness.

Diamanti is an exciting new Bladder Clover that is earlier maturing and can produce up to 30% more herbage then Bartolo.

Serradellas, having varieties that are both hard seeded and soft seeded and are also sold podded makes these species very versatile for farmers to adapt to their pasture systems.

Arrowleaf, Biserrula and Gland Clover also have high levels of seed hardness and if allowed to regenerate will provide good protection against false breaks.

Rainfall

Variety and species maturity, either being early, mid or late, principally define the rainfall zones in which they can be produced, earlier maturing being suited to lower rainfall and relatively the higher the rainfall, longer maturing varieties and species are more suitable for higher production levels.

Salinity

Some annual legumes such as Barrel Medics, Sub Clovers and Biserrula have a level of tolerance to salinity while perennial clovers such as Strawberry Clover and Lucerne have moderate tolerance to salinity, although Strawberry Clovers tolerate waterlogging, Lucerne does not.

Cover crops

Field Peas such as Coogee, Vetches and Faba Beans are commonly used for cover crops in combination with other clovers and legumes.

These legumes have strong root systems and are highly vegetative and therefore well suited being used in cover crop mixes.

Perennials

Other options of legumes include perennials such as White Clover and Red Clover, are highly productive clovers that are well suited to irrigated pastures.

Lucerne is valued for its deep root system, drought tolerance, and high protein content.

It performs well in areas with well-drained soils and reliable water availability, making it suitable for hay production and grazing.

Irwin Hunter & Co have an extensive range of legumes that can suit all conditions and environments in Western Australia.

Contact your local farm supplier or Irwin Hunter & Co regarding their extensive range of pasture seed and mixes.