A new long-term research trial in the Victorian Mallee is helping unpack one of the big questions facing growers – how can legumes be used in cropping rotations to improve profitability, sustainability and system resilience in low rainfall environments?
Mallee Sustainable Farming’s (MSF) Legume-based Cropping Systems project is exploring the long-term impacts of legume-inclusive rotations across a four-year, fully phased trial site at Merrinee, Victoria. Supported through funding from the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program, the project is examining how different legume-inclusive rotation options perform under real Mallee conditions – and what that means for soil fertility, ground cover, and economics.
The trial includes a range of rotations featuring field pea, vetch, IMI and Metro lentil, and cereal phases, selected in consultation with local growers and agronomists to reflect practical farming systems used across the region.
Importantly, the trial is designed to capture seasonal variability over multiple years – season one has already highlighted just how important long-term data collection will be with the 2025 season delivering a difficult start with dry sowing conditions, a late seasonal break and well below average rainfall.
By the completion of the project, the trial aims to provide growers with practical information around:
- the most profitable legume-inclusive rotations
- nitrogen fixation benefits and implications for fertiliser use
- opportunities for weed management
- impacts on ground cover
- overall system performance across varying seasonal conditions.
MSF is now encouraging growers and industry to explore the newly released Millewa Long-term Legume Rotation Trial – Year 1 Results factsheet, now available on the project page alongside further project information and updates – DOWNLOAD HERE!
More information can be found via the MSF Legume-based Cropping Systems Project Page HERE!
