Project title: FFI CRC Commercialisation of Lotus cultivars and development of accompanying knowledge for their on-farm use and management.
Project number: WP305
Total investment: $142,550
Investment this financial year: $29,000
On farm implications: Through research funded by AWI, wool growers will soon have access to legumes suitable for use in acidic, winter water logged areas as well as low rainfall extensive areas.

Legumes play an important role for wool production in the mid to high rainfall zone throughout southern Australia and while lucerne is an important legume in the pasture mix, it does not persist in acidic (<4.8 CaCl) and/or water logged soils.

Similarly in very arid area Lucerne does not persist largely because rotational grazing systems require to maintain Lucerne are not possible to implement in extensive areas.

To overcome this problem, an earlier AWI project with the Salinity CRC, developed five lotus cultivars (4 Lotus corniculatus and 1 Lotus australis.) to provide a legume option for use in acidic, winter water logged areas (Lotus corniculatus) and low rainfall extensive areas (Lotus australis).

The previous project was successful in identifying five suitable lotus cultivars and work is now underway to obtain PBR’s and make these cultivars commercial.

It is hoped these new varieties will be available to wool growers in the next three to four years.

Achievements of project to date:

• PBR’s have been granted for all five varieties.
• A commercialisation partner has been selected and a collaborative agreement is currently being considered.
• Seed has been produced to supply to the commercial partner who has established the first seed production block in South Australia.