Adaptation of pasture legumes to acid, shallow soils in Central Victoria

From spring 1990 to autumn 1994, 87 species, cultivars and lines of legumes, including 274 lines of birdsfoot trefoil (L. corniculatus), were evaluated for production and persistence at 6 sites on acid soils in the hills of central Victoria. The aim was to identify productive and persistent perennial genotypes that show high levels of adaptation to this environment.

Despite its recognised susceptibility to acid soils, lucerne consistently had the highest number of surviving plants and produced more dry matter than all other accessions included in the study. Initially several lines of birdsfoot trefoil (especially cv. San Gabriel) were as productive as lucerne, however, they failed to persist over the dry summer period. Several other plant species, including representatives of Lespedeza, Astragalus and the native perennial legume Glycine were persistent but less productive than lucerne. We conclude that no legume species proved to be superior to lucerne in this environment and that more research is necessary to accurately define this species’ tolerance and performance in the acid, sedimentary soils of central Victoria.