THE ROLE OF INTRODUCED GRASSES OTHER THAN LOLIUM-PERENNE, DACTYLIS-GLOMERATA, PHALARIS-AQUATICA, AND FESTUCA-ARUNDINACEA IN THE PASTORAL SYSTEMS OF TEMPERATE AUSTRALIA

Pasture improvement throughout temperate Australia has been, with a fe w noted exceptions, confined to the use of only four species i.e. Dact ylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Lolium perenne, and Phalaris aqua tica. However, there are large areas where the above are clearly not a dapted e.g., deep acidic sands in South Australia, salt-affected lands in Victoria, and the low-fertility tablelands of New South Wales. Fur ther plant introduction has identified a limited number of species tha t have been able to perform in specific environmental niches, but ofte n with limited animal production under commercial grazing conditions. It is argued that further grass introduction must take place if pastur e improvement is to continue, not only for increased livestock product ion but also to restore those lands that are in the process of degrada tion. A number of the other temperate perennial grass species exhibiti ng potential for trial and further selection, particularly from the ge nus Bromus, are listed and discussed.