Presented by

Dr. Anabel Vivas-Marfisi Centre for Rhizobium Studies

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

Murdoch University :

ECCAL: Eastern Cape Community Arable Land Project

SIMLESA: Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Cropping Systems for Food Security in Eastern and Southern Africa

• Use of Conservation Agriculture in community grasslands in South Africa by:

reducing tillage to improve pasture production on marginal lands

use of legumes in maize systems

Murdoch in ECCAL 2007-2011 eastern Cape

RSA:

Direct drilling (CA) at Rockcliffe

Annual re-seeding and resilient legumes sown into grasslands to provide N and winter feed

August 1, 2007-Lushington

• Annual species– Trifolium hirtum– Trifolium vesiculosum– Biserrula pelecinus– Medicago polymorpha– Ornithopus compressus

• Perennial species– Trifolium repens– Medicago sativa– Lotus corniculatus– Lotononis bainesii– Lespedeza cuneata– Desmodium intortum

Legumes still present in March 2010

March 2010

High grazing pressure

Persistence 2007-2011

Annual legumes were also tested in maize rotations-could have application in SIMLESA

Summer maize thriving after annual legume in winter 2010

Murdoch in SIMLESA:

• 2011: • Field trials in Ethiopia set-up in March 2011 • (Pieter Conradie, Lambert Brau)

Inoculation and BNF in Legume/Maize cropping systems (Bako and Hawassa sites)

• Proposed Field trials in Malawi and Mozambique To promote the uptake and development of Rhizobium

technology-Legume inoculant manufacture

Murdoch in SIMLESA:

• Murdoch staff available to assist in:

Legume inoculant manufacture and quality control

Inoculation experiments

Nitrogen fixation and transfer

Specialist training classes

PhD and MSc

Scientist exchange

Murdoch expertise

• Rhizobiology• Resilient and re-seeding legumes• Nitrogen fixation in farming systems

CRS African team: Dr Anabel

Vivas-Marfisi Pieter

Conradie Prof John

Howieson Dr Ron

Yates Prof Graham

O’Hara Neil Ballard