O'Reagain, J.H., Gardiner, C.P., and Ossiya, S.A. (2025) Potentially useful legume accessions persist 32 years on in abandoned dry tropical coastal pasture evaluation site. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Rangeland Congress. pp. 1450-1454. From: XII International Rangeland Congress, 2-6 June 2025, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

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Abstract

Over the decades, hundreds of pasture evaluation trial sites have been established across northern Australia with the aim of discovering plant accessions suitably adapted to particular climatic and edaphic conditions. The majority of such sites now lie abandoned, despite the fact that they represent a valuable repository of potentially useful genotypes, that have often been thoroughly tested by droughts, floods, fire, grazing and insect attack.

One such site was a legume evaluation trial established in 1992, at the Veterinary Sciences Precinct at James Cook University in Townsville. The objective of the trial was to evaluate the agronomic and morphological characteristics of 13 tropical pasture legumes sown on a low fertility, mildly acidic (pH 6.5), coastal duplex soil, with an AAR of 1,143 mm. The trial included a range of accessions from the genera Arachis, Centrosema, Desmanthus, Glycine, Neonotonia, Macroptilium and Stylosanthes. Following establishment, the site was abandoned after one season and has since endured heavy crash-grazing by sheep, earthworks disturbance, regular slashing, continuous macropod grazing pressure, and has been exposed to periods of significant drought over the last 32 years.

This paper summarises the results of the most recent survey of the site. Of the 13 genotypes originally planted, a number of resilient legumes continue to survive including Arachis paraguariensis subsp. capibarensis (CPI 91419), Desmanthus leptophyllus (CPI 38351), Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano and Stylosanthes scabra cv. Seca. These are persisting within a mixed sward dominated by Chaemacrista rotundifolia, Bothriochloa pertusa, and Desmodium triflorum. Additionally, Centrosema brasilianum (CPI 55698), and to a lesser degree Macroptilium martii (CPI 55782) were observed growing on a stream embankment, approximately 10 m from the site.

These surviving plants represent a potentially valuable collection of robust and persistent legumes, not only for northern Australia but similar climates across Africa, Asia and central and south America.

Item ID:	86019
Item Type:	Conference Item (Research - E1)
ISBN:	978-0-646-72121-7
Keywords:	Legume; persistence; Arachis; Desmanthus
Related URLs:	Organisation
Copyright Information:	© 2025 PROCEEDINGS OF THE XII INTERNATIONAL RANGELAND CONGRESS.
Date Deposited:	02 Sep 2025 00:17
FoR Codes:	30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management > 300210 Sustainable agricultural development @ 30% 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3004 Crop and pasture production > 300406 Crop and pasture improvement (incl. selection and breeding) @ 70%
SEO Codes:	10 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 1005 Pasture, browse and fodder crops > 100505 Sown pastures (excl. lucerne) @ 100%
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