Research interests

• Pastures in crop rotations
• Pasture agronomy and species evaluation
• Acid soil management
• Sodic soil management
• Lucerne improvement and adoption

Background

Richard Hayes joined NSW Department of Agriculture* in 2000. He is an applied researcher with experience in conducting field- and glasshouse-based research on a broad range of issues relating to plant and soil health relevant to agriculture in southern NSW. He is located at Wagga Wagga Research Institute.

Richard recently completed a research-based Masters degree investigating the capacity of perennial pasture species to use soil water. This follows an Honours degree which focussed on the potential of alternative annual legume species to be used in pasture mixtures.

He is the co-author of a number of scientific and other publications on a diversity of topics including management of sodic soils, the impact of lime on plant nutrition, the adaptation of perennial pasture species to local environments and the benefits of small-seeded annual pasture legumes.

Current research interests include improving lucerne adaptation to acid soils, chicory agronomy, pasture mixtures, perennial wheat and improving soil health through the use of recycled products, such as compost.

*The NSW Department of Primary Industries and its former agencies - NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources - became a part of Industry & Investment NSW on July 1, 2009.

Qualifications

• B. App. Sc. (Agric) – Charles Sturt University 2000  
• B. App. Sc. (Agric) (Hons) – Charles Sturt University 2004 
• M. Phil. – Charles Sturt University 2009

Current projects

• EVERCrop – optimising the use of perennial pastures in crop rotations 
• Perennial wheat field evaluation 
• Phalaris, cocksfoot and tall fescue evaluation for low rainfall environments
• Agronomy and management of chicory 
• Improving lucerne for acid soils  
• Amending acid and sodic soils with organic composts 
• Spatial and temporal variability in soil organic carbon

Recent Publications

Journal papers

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Li GD, Humphries AW and Tidd J (2009) Persistence, productivity, nutrient composition and aphid tolerance of Cullen spp. Crop and Pasture Science 60, 1184-92.

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Orchard BA, Peoples MB, Eberbach PL (2008). Response of subterranean clover, balansa clover and gland clover to lime when grown in mixtures on an acid soil. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59, (9) in press.

Li GD, Lodge GM, Moore GA, Craig AD, Dear BS, Boschma SP, Albertson TO, Miller SM, Harden S, Hayes RC, Hughes SJ, Snowball R, Smith AB, Cullis BR (2008) Evaluation of perennial pasture legumes and herbs to identify species with high herbage production and persistence in mixed farming zones in southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 449-466.

Dear BS, Li GD, Hayes RC, Hughes SJ, Charman N, Ballard RA (2007) Cullen australasicum (syn. Psoralea australasica): a review and some preliminary studies related to its potential as a low rainfall perennial pasture legume. The Rangeland Journal 29, 121-132.

Chan KY, Oates A, Swan AD, Hayes RC, Dear BS, Peoples MB (2006) Agronomic consequences of tractor wheel compaction on a clay soil. Soil and Tillage Research 89, 13-21.

Conferences

Humphries AW, Ballard RA, Charman N, Venkatanagappa S, Denton MD, Marshall E, Hayes RC, Auricht GC (2009) Developing lucerne and rhizobia with improved tolerance to acidic soils: A novel approach. In '14th Australasian Plant Breeding & 11th SABRAO Conference'. Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Australia. (Ed. N Berding). (http://www.plantbreeding09.com.au).

Peoples MB, Swan AD, Angus JF, Hayes RC and Dear BS (2009) The contribution of N-fixing legumes to the productivity of Australian agriculture. INIA International Nitrogen Workshop, 18 May, Chillan Chile.

Hayes R, Dear B, Orchard B, Eberbach P (2008) Benefits of small-seeded annual pasture legumes in pasture mixtures for variable environments. In: “Global Issues, Paddock Action” Proceedings of the 14th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference, 21-25 September, Adelaide, South Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy.

Li GD, Hayes RC, Dear BS (2008) Alternative perennial legumes on acid soils in southern New South Wales, Australia. In 'Multifunctinal Grasslands in a Changing World'. Hohhot, China. (Ed. Organizing committee of IGC/IRC Congress) p. 511. (Guangdong People's Publishing House).

Hackney B, Dear B, Hayes R (2006) Summer dormant temperate grasses are productive and persistent in the medium - low rainfall cropping region of New South Wales. In: "Ground-breaking stuff". (Eds Turner NC, Acuna T and Johnson, RC) Proceedings of the 13th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference, 10-14th September, Perth, Western Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/systems/4498_hackneyb.htm

Dear B, Hackney B, Hayes R, Waters C, Jessop P (2006) Austrodanthonia caespitosa shows potential as a new pasture grass for the low rainfall wheatbelt. In: "Ground-breaking stuff". (Eds Turner NC, Acuna T and Johnson, RC) Proceedings of the 13th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference, 10-14th September, Perth, Western Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/environment/4503_dearb.htm

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Li GD, Lihou C (2006) Production and persistence of a winter-active chicory cultivar in southern NSW. In: "Ground-breaking stuff". (Eds Turner NC, Acuna T and Johnson, RC) Proceedings of the 13th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference, 10-14th September, Perth, Western Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/environment/4516_hayesr.htm

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Li GD, Virgona JM, Conyers MK, Hackney BF (2006) Summer dormancy increases persistence of perennial grasses in a wheatbelt environment. In: "Ground-breaking stuff". (Eds Turner NC, Acuna T and Johnson, RC) Proceedings of the 13th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference, 10-14th September, Perth, Western Australia. Australian Society of Agronomy http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/environment/4517_hayesr.htm

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Li GD (2006). Selection of alternative ‘lucernes’ and native legumes for Australian farming systems. In 'Waging War on Weeds, Battle Plans and Winning Strategies'. (Eds B Hackney, K Bailes, J Piltz and H Burns). Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference of the NSW Grasslands Society, Wagga Wagga NSW, pp. 119-20. (Grassland Society of NSW, Orange).

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Li GD, Virgona JM, Conyers MK, Hackney BF (2006) Managing wireweed in spring-sown pastures. In 'Waging War on Weeds, Battle Plans and Winning Strategies'. Eds B Hackney, K Bailes, J Piltz and H Burns). Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference of the NSW Grasslands Society, Wagga Wagga NSW, pp. 121-2. (Grassland Society of NSW, Orange).

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Li GD (2006) Effect of lime on the persistence and production of two chicory cultivars on an acid soil. In 'Waging War on Weeds, Battle Plans and Winning Strategies'. Eds B Hackney, K Bailes, J Piltz and H Burns). Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference of the NSW Grasslands Society, Wagga Wagga NSW, pp. 123-4. (Grassland Society of NSW, Orange).

Hackney B, Dear B, Hayes R (2005) Perennial grasses for medium and low rainfall areas. Proceedings of the 20th Annual Conference of the NSW Grasslands Society, Orange NSW, pp. 93-4.

Li GD, Dear BS, Hayes RC (2005) Developing new forage plants for acid soils. In Grass Roots and All. Orange, NSW. NSW Grassland Society Annual Conference: Orange

Chan KY, Oates A, Peoples MB, Dear BS, Swan AD, Hayes RC, Sandral GA (2003) Agronomic consequences of tractor wheel compaction on a clay soil. International Soil Tillage Research Organisation 16th Triennial Conference, Brisbane Australia, pp. 295 – 299.

Dear BS, Hayes RC, Sandral GA, Swan AD, Peoples MB, Orchard BA, Chan KY, Oates AA (2003) The change in proportions of annual legume species in response to the presence of lucerne and the addition of gypsum. Proceedings of the 11th Australian Agronomy Conference, Geelong. www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2003/c/14/dear.htm

Hayes RC, Dear BS, Eberbach PL (2003) The effect of surface-applied lime on seed yield of four annual legumes grown in mixtures with phalaris. Proceedings of the Joint Conference of the Grasslands Society of Victoria and the Grasslands Society of New South Wales, Albury NSW, pp. 97 - 98.

Professional associations and activities

• Future Farm Industries CRC
• Australian Society of Soil Science

Fields of Research

• 050304 Soil Chemistry (excl. Carbon Sequestration Science) 
• 050305 Soil Physics 
• 050302 Land Capability and Soil Degradation 
• 070107 Farming Systems Research 
• 070302 Agronomy 
• 070305 Crop and Pasture Improvement (Selection and Breeding) 
• 070306 Crop and Pasture Nutrition

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Pasture species adaptation
• Lucerne improvement
• Soil health
• Perennial wheat