Tropical perennial grasses are an important forage option in the frost prone, summer dominant rainfall zone in eastern Australia. These pastures commonly lack a companion legume and are, at best, irregularly fertilised with nitrogen; therefore, their production potential is not realised. We conducted a study during 2012–16 to evaluate the productivity and persistence of a range of cultivars/lines of eight tropical and two temperate perennial legumes in mixes with digit grass (Digitaria eriantha cv. Premier) at two sites (Bingara and Manilla) in the northern inland region (North-West Slopes) of New South Wales. The sites were subjected to dry conditions during the assessment period, with the Bingara site receiving <25th percentile rainfall for 2 years of the study. Lucerne (Medicago sativa) was the most productive companion legume, with mixes producing 16–18 and 38–46 t dry matter (DM)/ha at the Bingara and Manilla sites respectively. Cultivars of Desmanthus spp. were less productive, with the best performing in mixes producing 13 and 21–23 t DM/ha at Bingara and Manilla respectively. These cultivars were also persistent and readily recruited new seedlings. Their persistence was similar or superior to lucerne, which appeared to be declining, especially at the Manilla site. Mixes of burgundy bean (Macroptilium bracteatum) and digit grass produced 14–17 t DM/ha at the sites but DM tended to decline during the course of the experiment, especially at the Manilla site. Stylosanthes spp. and Chamaecrista rotundifolia had poor persistence, generally failing within 1–2 years of sowing. Therefore, we recommend lucerne and Desmanthus virgatus cvv. Marc and JCU 2 as suitable perennial legumes in mixes with digit grass during drought conditions.

在澳大利亚东部易受霜冻，夏季占主导地位的降雨带，热带多年生草是重要的牧草选择。这些牧场通常缺乏豆科植物，充其量是不定期地施氮。因此，他们的生产潜力无法实现。我们在2012-16年进行了一项研究，以评估八种热带和两种温带多年生豆科植物与品系草（Digitaria eriantha cv。Premier）混合在两个地点（Bingara和Manilla）的生产力和持久性。新南威尔士州的北部内陆地区（西北坡）。在评估期间，这些地点处于干燥条件下，在研究的2年中，Bingara地点的降雨量<25％。琉森（紫花苜蓿）是豆科植物中产量最高的伴侣，在宾加拉和马尼拉地区，混合饲料分别生产16-18吨和38-46吨干物质（DM）/公顷。木犀属植物的品种。产量较低，在Bingara和Manilla的混合物中表现最好，分别为13和21-23吨DM / ha。这些品种也是持久性的，并且容易吸收新的幼苗。它们的持久性类似于或优于卢塞恩，后者似乎正在下降，尤其是在马尼拉地区。勃艮第豆（Macroptilium bracteatum）和数字草的混合物在该地点产生14-17 t DM / ha，但在实验过程中，尤其是在Manilla地点，DM倾向于下降。香囊属。和Chamaecrista rotundifolia持久性差，一般在播种后1-2年内失败。因此，我们建议使用卢塞恩和非洲金莲花。Marc和JCU 2是适宜的多年生豆类，在干旱条件下与数字草混合。