Serradellas for New Environments

Funded by: Meat and Livestock Australia

Project Collaborators: CSIRO

On the 9th September 2022, Monaro Farming Systems entered into an agreement with CSIRO to participate in a new project ‘Serradellas for new environments’. The project is funded by Meat and Livestock Australia and involves researchers from CSIRO, NSW DPI and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.

Serradellas present many potential benefits for mixed pastures including providing high quality dry matter, fixing nitrogen and lowering the requirement for phosphorus fertiliser relative to subterranean clover. Serradellas also have a low bloat risk and low oestrogenic activity and are adapted to both sandy and duplex soil types. The project aims to develop serradellas as viable legume options for permanent pasture systems in south-eastern Australia. Current research activities aim to identify the cultivars and agronomy required to successfully establish serradellas in permanent pasture systems. 

Monaro Farming Systems called for expressions of interest from within the membership base to host a serradella Producer Demonstration Site. Each site was to comprise replicated strips of different cultivars of yellow and French serradella grown in a mixture with grass, along with a control treatment of subterranean clover. The total site area would range from 50 x 50 m up to 100 x 100 m and have prior weed control. The sites would be run under normal farm management and did not require separate fencing but did require the area to be closed to grazing to allow establishment and seed set. The sites, sown in autumn 2023, will be monitored by the project team for a 2 -3 year period (until at least 2025).