The use of native grasses for inter-rows and headlands

(Helping to make something from nothing)

Dr. Ian Chivers

Native Seeds Pty. Ltd.

Why use native grasses?

What characteristics make them so good for inter-rows?

Adaptational advantages

Adapted to:

– Low and irregular rainfall

–Poor and shallow soils

–High summer temperatures

– Low pH soils

– Low soil nutrition

– Frequent fires

–Have developed over millions of years

Management advantages

• Low water requirement for growth

• Suited to poorer soils

• No lime requirement

• Low fertility requirement

• No resowing following dry conditions, drought or fire

Which of these are native grasses?

Which of these are native grasses?Native – large tussock grass

(Poa labillardieri)

Native – Weeping grass

(Microlaena stipoides)

Which of these are natives?

Which of these are natives?

Native – Red grass

(Bothriochloa macra)

Native – Spear grass

(Austrostipa densiflora)

Some of the potential grasses

• Cool season types– Weeping grass

– Wallaby grass

– Wheat grass

• Warm season types– Windmill grass

– Redgrass

– Kangaroo grass

There are many other species that could also be used

Cool season types

• Establish in the autumn – winter – spring period

• Maintain a green cover over the summer

• Will not die off in a drought or thin out each year

Cool season - weeping grass

• A widely distributed grass

• Can establish a full and thick cover that is competitive with weeds

• Highly acid soil tolerant

• Can be mowed regularly

• Very shade tolerant

• Soft texture

Weeping grass growing on a loam soil

Cool Season – Wallaby grass

• A number of species are included in the title

• Widespread genus throughout southern Australia

• All are long-term perennials

• All are highly drought tolerant, heat tolerant, poor soil tolerant

• Maximum size can vary

Wallaby grass can be tall

Austrodanthonia bipartita varBunderra

Rytidosperma bipartitum varBunderra

Wallaby grass can be medium sized

Austrodanthonia richardsonii varHume

Rytidosperma richardsonii varHume

Wallaby grass can be small

Austrodanthonia geniculata var Oxley

Rytidosperma geniculatum varOxley

Wallaby grass growing as dryland crop

Wheat grass

• Cool season perennial (sometimes biennial)

• More vigorous growth, upright plant

• Like ryegrass, but with way better drought and heat tolerance

• Produces a large grain

Sown stand of Oakey wheat grass, Sth Gippsland

Grazing wheat grass at Holbrook, NSW

Harvesting dryland wheat grass in January

– note how green the foliage is and the

high volume of production

Warm season grasses• Establish in the spring - summer period

• Maintain an actively growing cover over the summer

• Usually go dormant in winter

• Of best value as summer and autumn feed

Warm season – Kangaroo grass

• Very widespread native grass

• Occurs from alps to coast, from Darwin to Hobart

• Are many types of Kangaroo grass within the one species

• Can select types that are high DM producers or others that are low DM producers

Burrill Kangaroo

grass – Tall,

upright and leafy

Tangara Kangaroo

grass – Short,

leaves at base,

very floral

Paringa kangaroo grass – taller, leafy type

Redgrass

• Warm season perennial

• Very high drought and heat tolerance

• Strong coloniser on poor soils

• Tolerant of harsh and poor soils

• Can form a complete ground cover

Redgrass growing under very dry conditions

Redgrass under a cedar tree

Windmill grass

• A warm season biennial

• Fast to establish

• Quick ground coverage

• Remains short

• Seedheads can roll and spread seeds

Summary

• There are a number of native grasses that can be used to provide ideal environments for insects

• Choosing and establishing the correct species will provide a long-lived, biodiverse environment