What is hindering the adoption of new annual pasture legumes? Extension requirements to over come these barriers

Farmers and consultants were surveyed to identify current level of adoption and constraints to adoption of new annual pasture legumes in the mixed farming zone of Western Australia. Subterranean clover is the most widely grown annual pasture legume and promoted by all the consultants. French and yellow serradellas and biserrula are recommended by up to 40% of consultants and grown by 20 to 30% of growers: far less than sub clover. Adoption is considered to be constrained by the ‘cost of establishment’ along with unpredictable/unreliable seasonal rainfall. The consultants suggested there is potential for wider adoption of the new pasture legumes across the mixed farming zone of Western Australia. They regard the information produced from the Department of Agriculture and Food WA as reliable, but want more information. Extension resources need to enable farmers and their consultants to estimate benefits of legumes in systems in which livestock are absent or less important. Key learning’s: • In order to successfully integrate new annual pasture legumes into farming systems, growers and consultants need to be provided with information on economic benefits as well as technical detail relating to production and management. • The main barriers to adoption of new annual pasture legumes are the perceived cost of establishment and unreliable production in variable environments. • Subterranean clover is the most widely grown and recommended pasture species and a useful benchmark against which to compare the performance of the new species.