Offered Papers Theme B: Grassland and the Environment
Description
In Australia, around 5.7 million hectares of agricultural land are currently affected by dryland salinity or at risk from shallow water tables and this figure is expected to increase over the next 50 years (LWRA, 2001). Most improved grassland species cannot tolerate the combined effects of salt and waterlogging and, therefore, the productivity of sown grasslands in salt-affected areas is low. However, there is potential to overcome the lack of suitably adapted fodder species by introducing new, salt and waterlogging-tolerant species and by diversifying the gene pool of proven species. Potential species include exotic, naturalised and native Australian grass, legumes, herb and shrub species that are halophytes and non-halophytes. A collaborative national project in southern Australia commenced in 2004 with the objective of evaluating a range of forage species for saline environments.
Citation
Rogers, Mary-Jane E.; Craig, A. D.; Colmer, T. D.; Munns, R.; Hughes, S. J.; Evans, P. M.; Nichols, P. G. H.; Snowball, R.; Henry, D.; Deretic, J.; Dear, B.; and Ewing, M., "Selecting Grassland Species for Saline Environments" (2023). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 129.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/20/themeB/129
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Selecting Grassland Species for Saline Environments
In Australia, around 5.7 million hectares of agricultural land are currently affected by dryland salinity or at risk from shallow water tables and this figure is expected to increase over the next 50 years (LWRA, 2001). Most improved grassland species cannot tolerate the combined effects of salt and waterlogging and, therefore, the productivity of sown grasslands in salt-affected areas is low. However, there is potential to overcome the lack of suitably adapted fodder species by introducing new, salt and waterlogging-tolerant species and by diversifying the gene pool of proven species. Potential species include exotic, naturalised and native Australian grass, legumes, herb and shrub species that are halophytes and non-halophytes. A collaborative national project in southern Australia commenced in 2004 with the objective of evaluating a range of forage species for saline environments.
