Glycine

NOTE: The information in this Agnote must be read in conjunction with Introduction to selecting and using pastures in NSW, which covers information on areas of adaptation, sources of variability, species mixtures, and important issues related to animal health and the conservation of native vegetation.
Pasture type and use Creeping, twining, climbing and viny tropical perennial legume for grazing.
Area of adaptation Moist subtropical North Coast on fertile, deeper, well-drained soils out of reach of heavy frost.
Min. average annual rainfall 800 mm
Advantages
  • Its climbing habit and vigorous warm-season growth helps it to smother weeds.
  • It combines well with tall-growing tropical grasses and other twining tropical legumes to build up a big bulk of high-quality feed. This can be used by cattle in the warmer months, or left as a standover to help fill a late autumn / winter feed gap.
Disadvantages
  • Not as hardy as atro, requiring more fertile soils with better moisture-holding characteristics.
  • Succumbs to continuous heavy grazing.
Soil requirements Does best on fertile well-drained soils with adequate depth and moisture-holding capacity. A pH(Ca) > 5.4 is ideal, but cultivar Malawi is tolerant of more acid soils.
Varieties
  • Tinaroo - very late flowering, and roots more readily at nodes than other varieties.
  • Cooper - earlier flowering type and more drought-tolerant.
  • Malawi - late flowering, better suited to lower pH soils than other varieties. (Seed of Cooper and Malawi difficult to obtain.)
Sowing rates:
- as only species Rarely sown alone.
- in mixtures 2–4 kg/ha with other tropical legumes and grasses.
Sowing time October to January is best, but try to avoid hot, dry summer spells.
Companion species Usually sown on warm hill sites with other twining tropical legumes (greenleaf desmodium, atro and axillaris), and with grasses such as setaria, green panic and Rhodes grass.
Inoculation Group H
Major nutrient deficiencies Varies with soil type, but phosphorus, sulfur and molybdenum are the most likely nutrients to be required.
Main insect pests Amnemus weevil larvae can damage roots.
Main diseases Fungal infections of rhizoctonia, cercospora and sclerotinia can attack top growth.
Management Glycine and most viny tropical legumes are susceptible to overgrazing, and need sufficient spelling from heavy grazing. They should not be grazed too severely, so that there is plenty of vine and some leaf remaining to allow good regrowth. The more leaf left on the plant, the faster the regrowth. Aim to retain at least 15 cm height of material to achieve maximum production and persistence.
Livestock disorders of particular note No problems reported.
Additional tips
  • Glycine seed can be very hard and may require some scarification before sowing.
  • The seedlings are slow to establish, and best establishment is achieved on a well-prepared weed-free seedbed. However, on sloping erosion-prone land, one pass with a large offset disc cultivator is the accepted seedbed preparation.
  • The prior use of a registered herbicide to suppress competition may also be worthwhile. Seed is usually broadcast, but should not be sown deeper than 20 mm.
  • Rolling the seedbed after sowing may be worthwhile as it improves seed-to-soil contact. If possible, let newly established tropical legumes flower and seed down well in the first year to establish a good bank of hard seeds.
Further information ‘Glycine’, Queensland Agricultural Journal, Nov.–Dec. 1984, Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DG Cameron).

Acknowledgments

Advice on livestock health disorders was provided by Dr Chris Bourke, Principal Research Scientist, NSW Agriculture, Orange. His contribution is gratefully acknowledged.

Photo: Warren McDonald, Former Technical Specialist (Pastures), NSW Agriculture, Tamworth