Forage plant resources for improved drought management
SFF Project Summary
| Website: | www.agresearch.co.nz |
| Final Report: | Final Report |
| Other Report: | Establishment and management of forage plants for dryland hill country properties under adverse climatic conditions: A Central Otago perspective. [137K PDF] |
Project Description
What we are trying to do is, via the Central Otago Monitor Farm Group, demonstrate and promote the benefits of using strip-seeder drill technology to establish wheatgrass, hairy dorycnium and other prospective forage species on dry, sunny aspects of drought-prone topography zones in this area.
How are we doing this?
By establishing a forage bank trial on Allandale (near Poolburn) of up to 5ha size, regularly assessing it and reporting on trial progress, management and improvements, and by collating experience and knowledge of local group members using dryland drilling technology and forage species; linking with local topoclimate studies to identify feasible areas for future development and ultimately disseminating our findings to the wider farming community. We also hope to co-operate with other interested farmers to establish forage banks on other farms by the end of the project.
The Problem/Opportunity Being Addressed
In an arguably warming climate and with more unpredictable climate swings seemingly becoming the 'norm', problems associated with pastoral farming in dry, sunny country in drought-prone areas of Central Otago and the East Coast, e.g. topsoil loss, maintaining vegetative production, management difficulties and environmental susceptibility, are becoming more acute. The key is to put dryland systems into operation well before drought events, not as an afterthought.
Development of these areas would have benefits for farm management, especially for the supply of winter/early spring stock feed requirements. An opportunity exists to combine the most promising drilling technique currently available with plant species capable of growing in and contributing to productive management of such drought-prone areas, then demonstrate and promote the technology throughout the wider community, involve them in feedback regarding their personal farming experience and utilise regional topoclimate data to identify feasible areas for future development.
Progress To Date
We have carried out drilling over three seasons - spring 2000 (see photo), autumn 2001 and spring 2001 - to establish the forage bank trial and the area drilled now totals about 5 ha. The farmer - Graeme Sinnamon - has fenced the area for stock management and pest control. Seed (Wrightson Seeds) and fertiliser (Ravensdown) were supplied from community contributions. The strip-seeder drill used is maintained and supplied by AgResearch.
The trial will be monitored regularly and assessed for growth and groundcover twice annually (spring/autumn) by AgResearch. A first assessment was carried out this past autumn and that showed excellent development in the earlier (spring '00) drilling, poor establishment in the autumn drilling (due to extremely dry winter conditions) and reasonable establishment in the spring '01 drilling despite persistent drought. A well-attended field day was also held at the site last summer in collaboration with the Otago Regional Council.
The next phase is to collect, collate and disseminate information relating to innovative and sustainable use of drought-prone areas on local properties, the drilling techniques and plant species being considered/used, and how this impacts on their farm management. This will be done in conjunction with the Otago Regional Council and AgResearch staff, plus other agricultural consultants. We also intend to assess the costs associated with this technology and attempt to integrate them with the perceived end-value for farm management, the aim being to provide a cost-benefit assessment for the wider community to consider.
Topoclimate information will be used to help identify other areas that could feasibly be developed as forage banks or special use areas in the region, and a summary document containing key information and recommendations assembled by the group is planned. The key message to be promoted is how to prepare for drought well in advance, and how to manage on-farm development to avoid the worst effects of all dry spells while conserving both the vegetation and soil resources critically important to farm production and the environment. Assuming the outputs from this project prove to be relevant and well accepted, then we propose to circulate them more widely throughout relevant farming sectors within the South Island.
Prepared by BJ Wills, AgR, May 2002
