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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 60(1)

The adoptability of perennial-based farming systems for hydrologic and salinity control in dryland farming systems in Australia and the United States of America*

Anna M. Roberts A B C F , Matthew J. Helmers D and Ian R. P. Fillery E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Future Farm Industries CRC, Department of Primary Industries, Vic. 3685, Australia.

B Previous publications are under the name A. M. Ridley.

C An extended abstract of this paper was presented at the International Salinity Forum, 31 March–3 April 2008, Adelaide, Australia.

D Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, USA.

E CSIRO Plant Industry, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.

F Corresponding author. Email: anna.roberts@dpi.vic.gov.au

Crop and Pasture Science 60(1) 83-99 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP08164
Submitted: 13 May 2008  Accepted: 10 November 2008   Published: 5 January 2009

Abstract

Dryland salinity and water quality problems occur in the Great Plains and cornbelt regions of the United States of America (USA) and southern Australia due to the replacement of native perennial systems by annual species. We outline the hydrological effects of selected farming systems in both countries and review progress towards development of new perennial systems with potential to reduce dryland salinity effects. In Australia, development and large-scale trialling are further advanced than in the USA. In both countries there are usually insufficient benefits to farmers to adopt perennials at the scale needed to reduce environmental effects. Perennials are generally more complex to manage and, for successful adoption, greater skills are often required than to manage annuals. Experience from the Conservation Reserve Program in the USA to encourage conversion of cropland to perennials indicates that the scale of landscape change achieved (in the order of 5%) is still low. Lessons learnt in both countries from experiences include: (1) careful thought as to where perennials are most needed (targeting); (2) plant development programs targeted at key environments; (3) involvement of farmers in research at the outset to ensure that systems developed are profitable and adoptable; (4) the need for a trialling and learning program; (5) appropriate choice of policy tools to maximise environmental outcomes.

Additional keywords: adoption, cropping, incentives, lucerne, profitability, rotations.


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*This is one of the three papers to be published in Crop & Pasture Science from the Second International Salinity Forum held in Adelaide, South Australia, 30 March–3 April 2008. These papers deal with salinity management and include studies on perennial-based farming systems, pasture legumes and woody perennials. A full set of papers from the Congress is available on the website: www.internationalsalinityforum.org/14_final.html.