THE DIVERSITY of commercial pasture cultivars is increasing constantly as new, more productive species and varieties are identified and old ones improved to better match more demanding growing environments, and to fit emerging farming systems.
During the past 20 years or so, literally dozens of new perennial and annual pasture varieties have been developed and one of the main players in this research and development has been - and is - the South Australian Research and Development Institute with its headquarters at the Waite Campus Glen Osmond.
Some years ago, a special pastures group was established within the SARDI organisation as part of the Sustainable Resources and Technologies Strategic Research branch.
It has a team of 14 scientists and 11 technical officers with the majority based at the Waite and others at Turretfield, Struan, Minnipa and Flaxley.
The group has strong collaborative links with other research groups throughout Australia and overseas.
With more than 30 trial sites located around the state, mainly on commercial farms, the group works in close collaboration with producers in evaluating and recommending new varieties for commercial release.
* Extract from a full Pastures feature in Stock Journal, November 13 issue.
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