Breeding and farming system opportunities for pasture legumes facing increasing climate variability in the south-west of Western Australia

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 840 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. K. Revell ◽  
M. A. Ewing ◽  
B. J. Nutt
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
The South ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South West ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Phosphorus And Potassium

The south-west of Western Australia has experienced a declining trend in annual rainfall and gradual warming over the last 30 years. The distribution of rainfall has also changed, with lower autumn rainfall, patchy breaks to the season, and shorter springs. This has important implications for the productivity of legume pastures in the region, which is dominated by annual species, particularly subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), annual medics (Medicago spp.), serradella (Ornithopus spp.), and biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). For annual pasture legumes, appropriate patterns of seed softening and germination behaviour, efficiency of phosphorus and potassium uptake, responses to elevated levels of atmospheric CO2, and drought resistance of seedlings and mature plants will assume increasing importance. While these traits can be targeted in pasture breeding programs, it will also be important to exploit farming system opportunities to optimise the annual legume component of the feed base. These opportunities may take the form of incorporating strategic shrub reserves and grazing crops to allow for pasture deferment in autumn–winter. Perennial forages may become more important in this context, as discussed in terms of the development of the perennial legume tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata C.H. Stirton).

Occurrence of alfalfa mosaic and subterranean clover red leaf viruses in legume pastures in Western Australia

1995 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 763 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ McKirdy ◽  
RAC Jones
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Alfalfa Mosaic Virus ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Seed Transmission ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
The South ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
South West ◽  
Burr Medic

When leaf samples were collected from 94 Trifolium subterraneum (subterranean clover) pastures from six districts in spring 1993 in the south-west of Western Australia and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, no alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) or subterranean clover red leaf virus (SCRLV) was detected. In contrast, when 21 irrigated T. repens (white clover) pastures from one district (Bunbury) were sampled and tested in January (summer) 1994, AMV was detected in 16, with eight having infection levels >86%, while SCRLV was found in seven at infection levels of <12%. When a further five T. repens pastures were tested for AMV in October (spring) 1994, the virus was found in all with incidences up to 100%. None of the T. repens pastures with high levels of AMV infection had been resown with T. repens within the last 20 years, whereas those resown within the last five years had little or no infection. AMV was detected in 9/91 annual medic (Medicago spp.) pastures from seven wheatbelt districts sampled in spring 1991 or 1993; a single pasture of M. polymorpha (burr medic) cv. Serena was 21% infected, but the other eight infected ones had <3%. AMV seed transmission was detected in 1/19 commercial seed stocks of M. polymorpha harvested in 1991-93. AMV infection was followed over a 12-year period in M. murex (murex medic) cv. Zodiac seed stocks. It persisted readily through successive seed harvests during this period. It is concluded that infection with AMV and SCRLV is currently not a threat to T. subterraneum pastures in the south-west of Western Australia and that AMV seems not to be one in wheatbelt annual medic pastures provided these are sown with healthy medic seed. In contrast, AMV poses a potential threat to the productivity of irrigated T. repens pastures. SCRLV is also sometimes present in T. repens pastures, but was not found at serious levels.

The effects of different cultivars of subterranean clover (T. subterraneum L.) on sheep reproduction in the South-west of Western Australia

1970 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
HL Davies ◽  
RC Rossiter ◽  
R Maller
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Uterine Prolapse ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Conception Rate ◽  
The South ◽  
Progressive Decline ◽  
South West ◽  
Conception Rates

The cultivars Dwalganup, Geraldton, Yarloop, Woogenellup, and Mt. Barker were each grazed continuously by Merino and Merino x Border Leicester ewes from April 1963 to November 1967. There was a progressive decline in the proportion of Merino ewes conceiving on the three high oestrogen cultivars Dwalganup, Geraldton, and Yarloop; crossbred ewes showed a decline on Dwalganup and Yarloop. For neither breed of sheep was the decline in conception rate significant on the two low oestrogen cultivars Woogenellup and Mt. Barker. The incidence of uterine prolapse was higher on the high oestrogen cultivars. The percentage lambs marked in 1967 was only 50% for the high oestrogen cultivars (excluding the crossbred ewes on Geraldton), compared with 93% for the low group. Conception rates were significantly related to the concentration of the isoflavone formononetin in the clover leaves.

Taxonomic and pathogenic characteristics of a new species Aphanomyces trifolii causing root rot of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) in Western Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiernan A. O'Rourke ◽  
Megan H. Ryan ◽  
Hua Li ◽  
Xuanli Ma ◽  
Krishnapillai Sivasithamparam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Root Disease ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Root Pruning ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
South West ◽  
A New Species

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) is grown extensively as a pasture legume in agronomic regions with Mediterranean-type climates in parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Root diseases of subterranean clover, especially those caused by oomycete pathogens including Aphanomyces, Phytophthora and Pythium, greatly reduce productivity by significantly decreasing germination, seedling establishment, plant survival and seed set. For this reason, experiments were conducted to determine the species of Aphanomyces causing root disease on subterranean clover in the high-rainfall areas of south-west Western Australia. The effects of flooding, temperature and inoculum concentration on the development of root disease on subterranean clover caused by this Aphanomyces sp. were also investigated as was its host range. Morphological and molecular characteristics were used to identify the pathogen as a new species Aphanomyces trifolii sp. nov. (O’Rourke et al.), which forms a distinct clade with its nearest relative being A. cladogamus. A. trifolii caused significant lateral root pruning as well as hypocotyl collapse and tap root disease of subterranean clover. The level of disease was greater in treatments where soil was flooded for 24 h rather than for 6 h or in unflooded treatments. The pathogen caused more disease at 18/13oC than at lower (10/5oC) or higher (25/20oC) temperatures. The pathogen caused more disease at 1% inoculum than at 0.5 or 0.2% (% inoculum : dry weight of soil). In greenhouse trials, A. trifolii also caused root disease on annual medic (M. polymorpha and M. truncatula), dwarf beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). However, the pathogen did not cause disease on peas (Pisum sativum), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), wheat (Triticum aestivum), annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidium) or capsicum (Capsicum annuum). A. trifolii is a serious pathogen in the high-rainfall areas of south-west Western Australia and is likely a significant cause of root disease and subsequent decline in subterranean clover pastures across southern Australia.

Rain, rain, gone away: decreased growing-season rainfall for the dryland cropping region of the south-west of Western Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy T. Scanlon ◽  
Greg Doncon
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
The South ◽  
The West ◽  
South West

The shift in Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures in 1976 led to a change in rainfall for the broad-scale winter annual grain cropping and pasture region in the south-west of Western Australia (the WA wheatbelt). Agriculture in the eastern part the WA wheatbelt was particularly sensitive to the change in rainfall because it is a marginal area for agronomic production, with low rainfall before changes in sea surface temperature. A second shift in sea surface temperature occurred in 2000, but there has been no analysis of the resulting impact on rainfall in the eastern WA wheatbelt. An analysis of rainfall pre- and post-2000 was performed for sites in the eastern WA wheatbelt in three groups: 19 sites in the west, 56 central, and 10 east. The analysis found a decline in growing-season rainfall (i.e. April–October), especially during May–July, post-2000. Rainfall declines of 49.9 mm (west group), 39.1 mm (central group) and 28.0 mm (east group) represented respective losses of 20.1%, 17.4% and 14.2% of growing-season rainfall. Increases in out-of-season rainfall in the respective groups of 31.0, 33.6, and 50.7 mm (57.8%, 60.8% and 87.6%) meant that annual rainfall changes were smaller than growing-season losses. The west and central groups lost 17.5 and 6.16 mm annual rainfall, whereas the east group gained 15.6 mm. Analysis of wheat yield indicated reductions of 13.5% (west) and 9.90% (central) in the eastern WA wheatbelt; the small group of east sites had a potential yield gain of 8.9% arising from the increased out-of-season rainfall. Further, increased out-of-season rainfall will exacerbate weed and disease growth over the summer fallow.

Persistence of several annual legumes in mixtures under continuous grazing in the south west of Western Australia

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (70) ◽  
pp. 632 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Taylor ◽  
RC Rossiter
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Truncatula ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
The Other ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Annual Legumes ◽  
South West ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Average Annual Rainfall ◽  
Average Rainfall

Two experiments are described: one in the wheatbelt in areas receiving 320 and 400 mm average annual rainfall, and the other in a medium rainfall area with an average rainfall of 640 mm. In the first experiment various combinations of barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) and cupped (Trifolium cherleri) and rose clovers (T. hirtum) with subterranean clover (T. subeterraneum) were grown at four sites. Each site was continuously grazed by sheep for periods ranging from three to five years. At all sites subterranean clover became dominant within a few years of establishment. The second experiment involved rose and subterranean clovers in ungrazed pure swards and mixed swards which were either grazed or ungrazed. Grazing was continued for three years. Grazing had a profound effect on the composition of the mixture: whereas subterranean clover dominated the grazed sward, in the absence of grazing rose clover over-topped the subterranean clover and dominated the mixture. The success of subterranean clover in grazed mixtures is attributed largely to relative inaccessibility to the grazing animal, particularly of seedlings but also of seeds.

Distribution and abundance of annual legume seeds in the wheatbelt of Western Australia

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 189 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Fortune ◽  
PS Cocks ◽  
CK Macfarlane ◽  
FP Smith
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Legume Seeds ◽  
Clover Seed

The size and composition of pasture legume seedbanks were estimated from 2 surveys on a 460-km west-east transect of the wheatbelt of Western Australia. Survey 1 (in spring) sampled naturalised legumes, and survey 2 (in summer) measured the amount and botanical composition of legume seed from selected sites. Seedbanks were examined in greater detail on 2 farms in the higher rainfall part of the wheatbelt. Survey 2 revealed that mean seedbank size of the poorest 40% of sites (those with 5200 kg seed/ha) was 61 kg/ha, and that 72% of seeds were naturalised clovers. In contrast, the best 60% of sites (those with >200 kg seed/ha) averaged 533 kg seed/ha, of which only 35% was naturalised clover seed, the remainder in both surveys being mainly subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum). Mean seed bank size (kg/ha) varied from 359 (survey 2) to 587 (survey 1) and, in both surveys, was poorly correlated with long-term mean annual rainfall and a number of soil parameters. On the 2 farms, seedbank size ranged from 300 to 345 kg/ha (in spring) and from 650 to 740 kg/ha (in summer). Trifolium glomeratum (cluster clover) and subterranean clover were the most widespread species in both surveys. They were present at 35 and 30 of the 57 survey sites, respectively, and at both farms. Most of the subterranean clover collected was cv. Geraldton (22 of 30 sites), the next most frequent cultivar was Dwalganup (6 sites). The currently recommended cultivar, Dalkeith, was found at only 5 sites. Several other legumes including T. tomentosum (16 sites), T. suffocatum (8 sites), Medicago truncatula (7 sites), T. hirtum (4 sites), and M. minima (4 sites) were common, while M. littoralis, M. polymorpha, T. dubium, T. cernuum, T. cherleri, and T. carnpestre were found at single sites. With few exceptions, these are naturalised species and were characterised by flowering times about 20 days later than sown legume cultivars, and seed sizes < 1 mg. The value of these widespread annual legumes to agricultural productivity and sustainability needs to be quantified and their adaptation to wheatbelt farming systems assessed.

Fate of annual pasture legumes seeds on a two-way thermo-gradient plate

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
R. D. B. Whalley
Keyword(s):  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Vicia Villosa ◽  
Temperature Range ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
High Germination ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Gradient Plate ◽  
Seed Fates

Effects of diurnally alternating temperatures (5/5–45/45�C) were examined on a two-way thermogradient plate for non-dormant seeds of 14 annual pasture legumes. Seed fates (germination, temperature induced non-viability and temperature induced dormancy) were determined from daily seed counts over a 14-day period on-plate and a further 14 days after removal from the plate. These data clearly demonstrate the existence and extent of seed fates other than germination. Maximum dormancy occurred over a broad range of temperatures for seeds of Trifolium subterraneum L. var. subterraneum (Katzn. et Morley) Zohary and Heller cv. Woogenellup (40/35–30/25�C), Astragalus hamosus L. cv. Ioman (40/25–30/5�C) and Trifolium hirtum All. cv. Hykon (35/30–30/5�C). In contrast, maximum dormancy occurred over a narrow temperature range for Medicago truncatula Gaertn. var. truncatula cv. Paraggio (35/30–30/25�C), M. aculeata Willd. var. inermis (Aschers.) Heyn (30/25 and 30/20�C), and M. minima L. (35/20–35/5�C) seeds. Generally, non-viability was highest in all legumes when temperatures were greater than 35/30�C and not significantly different from the maximum value (100%) at temperatures greater than 40/30�C. At temperatures less than 35/30�C non-viability was less than the maximum (P<0.05) for seeds of all legumes, except M. truncatula cvs. Jemalong and Sephi, M. aculeata, and Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa (Ten.) Cav. cv. Namoi. Compared with the other subterranean clover cultivars germination levels T. subterraneum var. brachycalycinum (Katzn. et Morley) Zohary and Heller cv. Clare seeds were not significantly different from the maximum value at higher temperatures. In all annual medics, except M. aculeata germination was not significantly different to the maximum at temperatures greater than 25/20�C, with high germination (P<0.05) occurring at 30/25�C in Jemalong and M. scutellata (L.) Mill cv. Sava and at 30/20�C in Paraggio, Sephi, M. minima and M. polymorpha L. Maximum germination in Ioman and Hykon seeds occurred over a broader temperature range (35/20–15/10�C and 30/20–15/5�C, respectively) than in Namoi (30/15�C and 25/20–25/5�C). Probable implications of these data for field emergence of non-dormant seeds and soil seed reserves are discussed.

Occurrence of bean yellow mosaic virus in subterranean clover pastures and perennial native legumes

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ McKirdy ◽  
BA Coutts ◽  
RAC Jones
Keyword(s):  
Mosaic Virus ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus ◽  
Yellow Vein ◽  
Yellow Mosaic Virus ◽  
South West ◽  
Clover Yellow Vein Virus

In 1990, infection with bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) was widespread in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) pastures in the south-west of Western Australia. When 100 leaves were sampled at random per pasture, the virus was detected by ELISA in 23 of 87 pastures and incidences of infection ranged from 1 to 64%. BYMV was present in all seven districts surveyed, but highest incidences of infection occurred in the Busselton district. In smaller surveys in 1989 and 1992, incidences of infection in pastures were higher than in 1990, and ranged up to 90%. In 1992, when petals from 1703 samples of 59 species of perennial native legumes from 117 sites were tested by ELISA, only 1% were found infected with BYMV. The infected samples came from 5/7 districts surveyed. Species found infected were Kennedia prostrata, K. coccinea, Hovea elliptica and H. pungens. Representative isolates of BYMV from subterranean clover and native legumes did not infect white clover systemically confirming that clover yellow vein virus (CYVV) was not involved. It was concluded that BYMV infection was present in many subterranean clover pastures, but normally at low incidences, except in epidemic years such as 1992. Also, perennial native legumes are unlikely to act as major reservoirs for reinfection of annual pastures each year. In areas of Australia with Mediterranean climates where perennial pastures are absent, persistence of the virus over summer is therefore by some other method than infection of perennials.

AGWEST Sothis: Trifolium dasyurum (eastern star clover)

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Loi ◽  
B. J. Nutt ◽  
C. K. Revell ◽  
R. Snowball
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Mediterranean Regions ◽  
World Agriculture ◽  
Annual Medics

Trifolium dasyurum C. Presl. (eastern star clover) is a species native to the eastern Mediterranean regions. AGWEST Sothis is the first cultivar of eastern star clover released to world agriculture. It has high levels of dry matter and seed production and seed can be harvested with modified grain harvesters. AGWEST Sothis is suitable for use on acid and alkaline fine-textured soils in low to medium rainfall areas (325–450 mm) in southern Australia. AGWEST Sothis is an early to mid-maturing variety, flowering ~100 days after emergence in Perth, Australia. Individual seeds weigh ~6 mg. In regenerating stands, AGWEST Sothis germinates very late in the season compared with traditional pasture legumes such as subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) and annual medics (Medicago spp.) and weeds. The delay in germination allows the use of non-selective herbicides or intensive grazing after the break of season for a long period 3–6 weeks to obtain >90% control of troublesome crop weeds. In spite of its late germination, AGWEST Sothis grows rapidly in late winter/spring and can become a productive legume-dominant pasture for grazing or forage conservation.

Fungal diseases of temperate annual pasture legumes in southern Queensland

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 699 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Mackie ◽  
D. L. Lloyd ◽  
M. J. Ryley ◽  
J. A. G. Irwin
Keyword(s):  
Rhizoctonia Solani ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Fungal Diseases ◽  
Colletotrichum Trifolii ◽  
Annual Legumes ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Colletotrichum Destructivum ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Annual Medicago

Summary. Diseases of temperate annual pasture legumes in subtropical southern Queensland were surveyed during 1992 and 1993. The following pathogenic organisms were recorded: Colletotrichum trifolii, Stemphylium vesicarium, Oidium sp., Uromyces anthyllidis, Uromyces striatus and Pseudopeziza medicaginis from annual Medicago spp.; Rhizoctonia solani and Colletotrichum destructivum from Ornithopus spp.; and Oidium sp. from Trifolium subterraneum. Three of these disease interactions had not been previously recorded in Queensland and 5 were new reports for Australia. Rust was the most frequently observed and widespread disease on annual medics (44% of M. polymorpha samples). All other diseases of annual medics were found infrequently (2–18% of samples). In contrast, both serradella and subterranean clover were relatively free from any diseases. The years during which the survey was conducted were dry (as low as 31% of mean March–October rainfall) and the expression of disease may have been restricted. Nevertheless, this improved knowledge of diseases of temperate annual legumes in southern Queensland will assist in the future selection and breeding of suitable cultivars for use in the subtropics.

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