Cocks, P. S .
Abstract:
Salinity is a widespread problem caused by an imbalance between rainfall and transpiration in the dryland cropping systems of southern Australia. The need to use more perennials has been identified and this paper examines the possibility of replacing annual with perennial pasture legumes and the germplasm available to do so. While lucerne is already used widely in eastern Australia it has only recently been adopted in the wheat belt of Western Australia. There are doubts about its adaptation to acid soils and to climates where summer rainfall is low and ambient temperatures are high. There is also a need to diversify the species available to reduce the likelihood of invasion by exotic diseases and insects. Several genera are likely to be of value in this respect, although few will be as widely adapted as lucerne. Perennial legumes are found in environments ranging from alpine to desert. Targeted collections of genera from the dry areas, especially where soils are acid, are likely to yield species of value. These may include perennial species of