Assessment of Lotus tenuis for desirable seed production characteristics

Lotus tenuis, narrow-leaf birdsfoot trefoil, is a temperate perennial forage plant recognised for its salinity and waterlogging tolerance. Current demand and usage of L. tenuis in Australia and other parts of the world, particularly South America, are limited by the availability of suitable cultivars with seed production characteristics that facilitate reliable yields and harvestable quantities of seed. Ninety eight accessions/cultivars of L. tenuis were assessed under field conditions at two sites in Tasmania for a range of characteristics including: plant growth habit, seasonal herbage activity/production, plant width and height at flowering, pod shattering, and seed yield. From these results plant selections were made based on low pod shattering ratings and overall growth performance. The future aim is to produce several new cultivars that have a combination of desirable agronomic and seed production characteristics with potential for use in pastures in Australia, particularly where salinity and waterlogging are a common problem.