Spatial survey to assess legume adoption in Queensland

Abstract

Pasture legumes are the best long-term management option for increasing productivity and profitability from pasture-based production systems for large areas of Queensland. Previous reviews have concluded that successful legume adoption rates are low, particularly in some key biogeographic zones; however, there have been few studies that have quantified actual legume adoption rates at the regional scale and no survey at the Queensland scale. A spatial survey is being conducted to quantify the land area with pasture legumes across Queensland. This survey will provide information on where legumes have naturalised or been established by deliberate sowing across Queensland, and where there are limited amounts of pasture legumes. The results from the roadside survey will be combined with a spatial analysis of where legumes are suited and economic analysis to quantify the potential value of more widespread adoption of pasture legumes to the beef industry as part of the Queensland Pastures Resilience Program (QPRP).