The WA Agricultural Research Collaboration's latest grains project will explore new ways to maximise legume crop use, aimed at increasing farm profit and reducing synthetic nitrogen fertiliser reliance in cropping systems.
The three and half-year N-ABLE project is the third to be announced under the Collaboration's broader Grains Transformation program.
Project details were unveiled at the 2024 Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Grains Research Update in Perth.
WA Agricultural research collaboration director Kelly Pearce said support from GRDC and the Collaboration would allow the N-ABLE project team to explore innovative cropping systems that were not in widespread use.
"Incorporating grain and pasture legumes into the production system in new ways, presents an opportunity to contribute to a sustainable supply of adequate nitrogen to cereal and canola-based systems, leading to increased productivity and improved grain quality," Dr Pearce said.
The project will develop and evaluate new and emerging legume crop systems.
These systems are part of a range of strategies that will contribute to a potential 50 per cent reduction in synthetic nitrogen use, while maintaining crop yield and profitability in subsequent cereal and canola crops.
The project will investigate the role of biological nitrogen fixation from legumes by conducting field experiments using legume companion cropping and summer active legumes to increase legume biomass and nitrogen fixation.
CSIRO farming systems senior scientist Andrew Fletcher said the project brought together a team of experts in farming systems, legume science and agronomy.
"This exciting project will explore new crop management approaches including the use of legume companion cropping in medium and high rainfall zones, and the use of summer active legumes in high rainfall zones," Dr Fletcher said.
"CSIRO will lead the project and undertake companion cropping experiments, while the DPIRD and Murdoch teams will contribute their expertise in legume science and rhizobial inoculation.
"Stirlings to Coast Farmers will provide vital links to growers and lead the summer active legume research.
"The field experiments will be backed up with simulation modelling to test and refine these systems further."
GRDC managing director Nigel Hart said the N-ABLE project would equip WA growers with new intel on legumes to inform cropping systems for maximum biological nitrogen fixation.
"Supplying sufficient and timely nitrogen to cereal crops is central to maintaining high yield and grain protein content of cereals," Mr Hart said.
"This GRDC-invested project under the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration is one of several projects seeking to harness new innovations in production systems that will contribute to increased profitability and sustainability for WA graingrowers."
N-ABLE is a co-investment between GRDC and a collaboration including its six members: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), CSIRO, Grower Group Alliance, and WA universities Curtin, Murdoch, and The University of Western Australia.
The project's collaborators include CSIRO, DPIRD, Murdoch University, and Albany-based grower group Stirlings to Coast Farmers.
