Old man Saltbush Improvement Project (P1 FP04)

The Oldman Saltbush improvement project will expand the use of Oldman saltbush through breeding programs targeted at releasing cultivars for livestock grazing with improved nutritional value, palatability and biomass production.

The project utilises comprehensive germplasm collections established in NSW, WA and SA where initial measurements demonstrate substantial variability in plant growth, palatability and nutritional characteristics. The long term aim is to release clonally propagated cultivars suitable for saline and non-saline soils and establish seed orchards for ongoing breeding of improved seed lines.

Objectives

• Develop improved planting material of Oldman saltbush with particular attention to feed value, palatability and productivity
• Evaluate superior plants in clonal evaluation trials and establish seed orchards
• Release clonal cultivar(s) to suit major low rainfall mixed farming regions with saline and non saline soils across southern Australia.

Activities

Evaluate and select individual plants for biomass production, palatability and nutritive value from three clonal sites (Dareton NSW, Tammin WA & Monarto SA), to be released as a commercial cultivar (s). High seed producing male and female plants will also be selected and cross-fertilized to produce a cultivar (s) suitable for growing by seed.

For further information about this project email Project Leader, Peter Jessop