Fire intensity, pasture type and soil fertility are among the key factors behind survival and recovery of grasses and clover, after the recent south-west Victoria bushfires.
That’s according to Agriculture Victoria land management extension officer Ian Gamble and leading seed producer Ian Notman.
“The hotter the intensity of the fire, the more damage it’s going to do to your pasture,” Mr Gamble said.
“A very critical consideration is the pasture species farmers have, as is the soil fertility status of the paddock, prior to it being burned.
“If the soil has been neglected, it will very much depend on the pasture species, the fire intensity and the soil fertility.”
A timely autumn break would also be a big factor in the time it will take for pasture recovery, and to assess if the paddock will need to be re-sown.
“If they don’t get good rain until May, then the weather is colder, the soil temperature is colder, and it’s going to take longer for seedling emergence or recovery of perennial grass species,” he said.
Mr Gamble said the quickest way to restart pasture was to sow short-lived ryegrass and clover.
Annual, short-lived ryegrasses had less chance of recovery than perennial ryegrass and phalaris, cocksfoot and some clovers.
“Perennial grasses are not relying on seed, they already have an established root system, they produce leaves and are off and running,” he said.
Farmers needed to do a paddock by paddock assessment of annuals, perennials, or native grasses.
Notman Seeds Peter Notman said a fire that moved over the pastures quickly was less likely to cause significant damage.
“I’ve seen fires where the burn wasn’t so hot and there was only a small amount of pasture there. Some of those pastures were good enough not to need to do anything with,” Mr Notman said.
“When there was dry matter cover, and a slower burn, the vast majority of the pasture needed to be resown.”
