Legumes (crops and pasture combined) are estimated to fix almost 3 million tonnes of nitrogen each year in Australia, which is worth around $4 billion.
This amount of fixed nitrogen makes a substantial (around 50%) contribution to the estimated 6Mt of nitrogen required annually for grain and animal production. Most of this comes from pastures, which grow across 10 times the area sown to pulse crops.
Inoculating pasture legumes with rhizobia (root nodule bacteria) is standard practice for many growers, but a national survey carried out during 2013 highlighted several opportunities for growers to maximise the potential benefits by following practical guidelines to optimise the delivery of rhizobia.
Key messages:
• Inoculating legumes with rhizobia (root nodule bacteria) can deliver substantial fixed nitrogen (N) inputs to pastures and subsequent crops.
• Strategic use of rhizobial inoculants is an effective way to maximise nitrogen inputs from legumes.
• In situations where suitable rhizobia are absent, such as where there is no legume history or hostile soil conditions prevail, inoculation is essential.
• Mixing rhizobial inoculants with fertilisers, trace elements and pesticides is not recommended.
Check out our easy-to-read fact sheet for some key rules of thumb when inoculating legume pastures:
http://pastureimprovementinitiative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/PII-pasture-snapshot_legume-inoculation_FINAL.pdf
Catriona Nicholls B. App Sci (Agric) Grad Dip Ed,
