Vigorous expanses of new Australian sulla varieties, providing prolific early winter growth, will be the star attraction of South Australia’s first Sulla field day next month.

Sulla is a new biennial fodder legume that SARDI sulla developer Dr Carolyn de Koning believes could change the face of pasture production in southern Australia.

To prove a point, the Turretfield Research Centre crew have sown 4 hectares of one of Australia’s first varieties, Wilpena, especially for the field day to be held at the Centre, Wednesday, July 9.

"Producers involved in our trial work are often intrigued with Sulla; it’s a pasture that has the knack of getting away early in its second year of growth to provide lush, vigorous early winter growth, where other pastures struggle," she said.

"We’ve set up the field day so farmers can view decent stands of sulla, and compare its performance against traditional pasture based on clover, medics and grasses; what we’ve sown at Turretfield has been thriving on the minimum of opening rains.

"There’s also the chance to look at grazing in progress, and compare the growth of last year’s autumn and spring sown varieties, as well as hear objective information from a lineup of informative speakers."

Dr de Koning believes Sulla’s major role will be as a productive dryland fodder crop, as it has the capacity to make good quality hay with no or minimal irrigation.

The field day program includes Rory Coffey from Pastures Australia, speaking about developments in dryland fodder production and the Pasture’s Australia initiative, uniting AWI, GRDC, MLA, RIRDC and Dairy Australia.

Graham Crocker of NSW DPI will outline objective information on herbicide tolerances to a range of commonly used chemicals on sulla, a consideration in mixed farming enterprises.

Dr de Koning will present information on plant attributes, grazing management, pests and diseases, area of adaptation, potential uses and latest new research insights, from work funded by Pastures Australia.

Two new varieties - Wilpena and Moonbi –are the product of years of research by Dr de Koning’s pasture team, supported through the National Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Program. Early next year, Wrightson Seeds Australia will commercially release them.

"Sulla can be established in Autumn or Spring, is non bloating, offers high yields and excellent quality fodder, is drought tolerant, summer dormant and even has properties which may help protect livestock against internal parasites.

Dr de Koning thinks in mixed farming situations, Sulla will be useful in finishing off prime lambs, and also boosting soil nitrogen, helping to reduce the reliance on expensive nitrogen fertilizers.

For the intensive horse and dairy industries, its offers a rich source of high quality fodder for both hay and silage production.

Registration will help organizers to cater for lunch: Register to Turretfield Research Centre, Rosedale, South Australia, 5350; Switch board (08) 8524 9600; fax: (08) 8524 9088.