Pasture Production and Management

Our current research includes the following areas:

• Root-Soil Interactions: characterising differences in root system architecture and morphology among important pasture species and understanding how these traits influence nutrient and water acquisition, particularly during establishment and early growth.
• Botanical Composition and Management: understanding shifts in botanical composition due to climate, ecology and management, and investigating the role of preferential grazing on species persistence and animal productivity.
• Grass/Legume Competition: understanding competitive interactions in mixed pasture swards, effective management of the legume component for productivity and persistence, and the role of N-cycling for feed quality and sward productivity.
• Legume Growth and Nutrient Management: investigating how legumes respond to nutrient deficiencies (particularly phosphorus) and identifying nutrient management strategies that optimise the growth of legumes and the efficiency of fertiliser application.
• Low-Methane Pastures: identifying low-methane pasture species and management strategies for reducing methane emissions in grazing systems, and investigating the mechanisms that are associated with inhibiting methane production.

Enquiries from prospective Honours, Masters and PhD students are always welcome. We are keen to hear from anyone who has an interest in pasture production and management, and wants to work as part of a research group who are actively involved in optimising the feedbase of Australian grazing systems.