Open AccessSeed production issues that limit supplies or result in high market prices of dryland legume species
Author(s) -
M. P. Rolston
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
grassland research and practice series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2463-4751
pISSN - 0110-8581
DOI - 10.33584/rps.11.2003.3012
Subject(s) - dryland farming , legume , agronomy , production (economics) , perennial plant , agroforestry , limiting , profitability index , yield (engineering) , crop , grassland , biology , agriculture , economics , mechanical engineering , ecology , materials science , finance , metallurgy , macroeconomics , engineering
A barrier to the adoption of many dryland legumes by grassland farmers is the lack of supply and/or the high price of seed. Growers face a number of problems in growing dryland legumes for seed, including a high risk of crop failure; alternatives such as wheat, barley and perennial ryegrass seed are lower risk crops. Gross margins for legume seed crops (including white clover) indicate that they have low profitability, at present prices if yields are average. Pollination remains a serious limitation to production, especially for dryland crops that are not well pollinated by honeybees. Both internationally and in New Zealand there has been a major decline in seed production research in the last decade, and little new research has been published on seed production of a range of dryland legumes. Seed production issues limiting yield in a range of dryland seed crops in New Zealand are identified. The paper concludes with suggestions that may help overcome some of these limitations. Key words: economics, lucerne, production constraints, red clover, white clover