Unique leafy plant shows promise in improving farm water quality.
Dairy farmers Athol New in Canterbury and Thomas Read in Tararua are among more than 100 Kiwi farmers trialling plantain in their pastures - a unique plant that research shows could help reduce nitrogen loss from farms.
Plantain is a leafy herb cows like to eat and researchers say reducing nitrogen is a win for the environment, as less nitrogen going through groundwater into waterways helps improve water quality.
Massey University research, part of the DairyNZ-led Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Plantain Potency and Practice Programme, has found Ecotain plantain can reduce nitrogen loss from dairy farms by 20 to 60 per cent.
Early results from the programme’s Lincoln University farm trial in Canterbury are showing similar trends.
DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says these findings bode well for the future of farming.
“The ultimate goal is for plantain to be widely adopted on dairy farms throughout New Zealand as a regular part of their cows’ diet,” Mackle says. “The work is part of broader dairy sector commitments, programmes and on-farm work to reduce footprint.”
The $22 million programme sees industry, government and farmers working together to research the effects of plantain and support farmers to successfully adopt it on farms.
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The funding partners, DairyNZ, the Government through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Fonterra are working alongside seven additional research and delivery partners.
Mackle says the national programme has more than 20 partner farmers in Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tararua, Manawatu, Canterbury and Southland, who are trialling plantain and will help develop tailored local advice for farmers.
He says this includes taking into account the effects of different soil and climate conditions as it’s important farmers know how to best manage plantain in their local areas.
In a related programme, the DairyNZ-led Tararua Plantain Project, underway for five years, 88 dairy farmers are trialling plantain so far.
On New’s farm Tullba in Mayfield, Canterbury, Ecotain plantain is being sown in all pastures. He has achieved an average of 11 per cent plantain in his pasture alongside ryegrass and clover.
New says he is seeing promising results and is looking forward to learning more from the scientists and other farmers involved in the programme.
Plantain use on the farm has so far reduced nitrogen loss by seven per cent and New is aiming to reduce that further as he plants more plantain. Other environmental actions on his farm have reduced nitrogen loss by a further 43 per cent.
New, his wife Jane and the Tullba team are also planting two hectares in native trees and plants, with plans to plant another six hectares.
This planting filters runoff from farms before it enters waterways, helping to improve water quality. They have also reduced their stocking rate and fertiliser use – which contributes to reducing footprint.
In Tararua, Read says he finds plantain an exciting option. Nitrogen loss from his Manawatu farm has reduced by 10 per cent since he has been using it and he is gradually increasing the proportion of Ecotain plantain in his pasture to achieve even better results.
Read and his wife Jennifer have planted 12,000 trees across their farm, including along waterways and have fenced off wetlands (these make up 10 per cent of their farm) to keep cows out. This protects the wetlands, which is important as they can improve water quality, boost biodiversity and provide habitat for birds and fish.
Other key points
- The programme is working with farmers to develop management strategies and demonstrate how plantain can be successfully integrated into farm systems.
- This includes investigating how farmers can successfully establish and maintain high proportions of plantain in pastures, across a range of different climates.
- At the programme’s Massey University farm trial, scientists are measuring nitrogen leaching from paddocks grazed by 80 dairy cows. After two years, results have shown reduced nitrogen leaching by 20 to 60 per cent in perennial ryegrass and clover pastures containing 30 to 50 per cent Ecotain plantain.
- The programme’s Lincoln University farm trial in Canterbury, on lighter soils under irrigation, shows similar trends. More data is being collected in both trials.
- Ecotain environmental plantain from Agricom is used because it has proven effectiveness. An evaluation system is underway to assess the environmental benefits of all plantain cultivars sold by a range of providers.
- In addition to Massey and Lincoln Universities, the seven-year programme works with a range of research and delivery partners, including Lincoln Agritech, AgResearch, Agricom, Plant & Food Research and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.
- In Tararua, DairyNZ and partners have been supporting farmers for five years to trial and measure the benefits of plantain. So far planting has taken place on 88 dairy farms in the district. Water quality monitoring shows improvements and helps farmers understand where to focus their environmental efforts.
- The partners in the Tararua project are DairyNZ, Agricom, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Fonterra and Nestlé.
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