New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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The role of introduced grasses other than Lolium perenne,
Dactylis glomerata, Phalaris aquatica, and Festuca arundinacea
in the pastoral systems of temperate Australia

R. REID
Dept of Primary Industry & Fisheries

P. O. Box 46
Kings Meadows
Tasmania 7249, Australia

Abstract  Pasture improvement throughout temperate Australia has been, with a few noted exceptions, confined to the use of only four species i.e. Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Lolium perenne, and Phalaris aquatica. However, there are large areas where the above are clearly not adapted e.g., deep acidic sands in South Australia, salt-affected lands in Victoria, and the low-fertility tablelands of New South Wales. Further plant introduction has identified a limited number of species that have been able to perform in specific environmental niches, but often with limited animal production under commercial grazing conditions. It is argued that further grass introduction must take place if pasture improvement is to continue, not only for increased livestock production but also to restore those lands that are in the process of degradation. A number of the other temperate perennial grass species exhibiting potential for trial and further selection, particularly from the genus Bromus, are listed and discussed.

Keywords  perennial grass; temperate Australia; plant introduction; pasture germplasm

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1994, Vol. 37: 399-404

0028-8233/94/3703-0399 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1994

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (546K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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