Summary

Tasmania’s pasture seed industry has a farm gate value exceeding $15-20 million, grown over approximately 6,000 hectares; ryegrass and white clover are the dominant pasture species grown.  Tasmania has approximately 1,000 ha of certified white clover seed crops planted this season, making it a major Australian white clover seed producer.  There is great potential to increase white clover seed production in Tasmania to meet an increasing demand from export markets, with the state’s irrigation scheme and relative pest and disease-free status favouring the reliable production of pasture seed crops.  However, there is a reluctance from growers to grow white clover seed crops, due to the low yields and profitability relative to other commodities.

 
Similarities in climate, topography, cultural and management practices between Tasmania and New Zealand means research conducted in New Zealand is successfully adopted by industry in Tasmania, as demonstrated by yield increases seen in ryegrass crops after the successful dissemination and adoption of trial outcomes. There has been no industry-wide collation or dissemination of white clover seed production crop management and agronomy information, nor has robust analytical trial data been generated in the Tasmanian environment.
 
Working with the national seed production industry, particularly the Tasmanian Seed Industry Group, this project will look at ways of increasing the yield potential of Tasmanian white clover seed production crops, with consideration to mainland production, through:

1. Understanding grower hesitancy for growing white clover as a seed production crop
2. Understanding current white clover seed production crop management practices
3. Investigate international white clover seed ‘best-practice’ production standards
4. Trial international practices in the Tasmanian environment
5. Keeping industry updated and informed of trial and project outcomes
6. Conducting economic analyses to ensure management practices are profitable
7. Disseminate this information within the broader Tasmanian and national certified white clover seed industry.

Program

Pasture Seeds

Research Organisation

Tasmanian Seed Industry Group Inc.

Objective Summary

The objectives of this project focus on the following key areas:

Understanding the perceived barriers from growers on the desire to grow certified white clover seed crops
Why are growers reluctant to grow white clover seed production crops?
 
Understand current management practices
What crop input, irrigation, and other crop management practices are used by current white clover seed producers?
 
Investigating international best management practices to increase yield and profitability
What are our international competitors doing?  What research is being conducted in major white clover seed production countries that we could adopt in Australia?
 
Evaluating international white clover seed production crop management practices in the local environment
Which international ‘best-practices’ can be transferred to Tasmania and southern-Australia?
 
Demonstrating to industry the on-farm economic benefits of growing certified white clover as a seed production crop
Show farming enterprises that certified white clover seed production crops are a profitable addition to a crop rotation 
Informing and providing a guide to the industry to educate growers of the value of certified white clover seed production