Legume-based farming in Southern Australia: developing sustainable systems to meet environmental challenges

Development of legume-based farming systems has resulted in Australian agriculture being globally competitive. There is now political pressure for agriculture to become accountable for ‘off-site’ environmental consequences. Farming systems relying on annual species are unsustainable because of a mismatch between the supply and demand of water and N, resulting in N leakage to streams or groundwater. Rainfall in excess of plant requirements coupled with N build-up, permeable soils, limited opportunities for reduction and proximity to surface or groundwater present risks for leakage of NO3–N. We present examples of N leakage from legume systems in southern Australia, where rainfall exceeds 450 mm yr−1, and the evidence suggesting that leakage contributes to stream and groundwater pollution. N build-up in autumn through mineralisation of organic-N from legume-based systems often exceeds 100 kg N ha−1 and N leakage losses can be 15–35 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Stream and groundwater N pollution issues are emerging. Surface water quality problems are already apparent in Victoria although the contribution from legumes, N fertilisers and point sources remains unresolved. Examples of groundwater problems where legumes are a contributing factor have been recorded in New South Wales (NSW), South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA) and Victoria. In Victoria, areas at risk of N groundwater contamination are found along the Great Dividing Range and in southern Victoria. Groundwater pollution causes concern because once problems are found they take decades to reverse. Stores of N in the unsaturated zone combined with limited N monitoring in groundwater suggests that early detection is unlikely. Solutions for reducing off-site consequences are outlined and include management to prevent water and N leakage happening, capture of N before it reaches waterways or groundwater and low input systems including land retirement. For scientists interested in N fixation and biological mediation, future research areas include increasing the proportion of perennials in farming systems, better control of N supply and demand through improved technology and us of N fertiliser, use of nitrification inhibitors and studies of the potential for N immobilisation and reduction through denitrification, both within and below the root zone. Integrated management strategies that address environmental implications from point/micro-scale to paddock and catchment scales are needed as are considerations of other environmental consequences. Research priorities will change from maximising N fixation for profitability towards balancing profitability and environmental goals for more sustainable systems.