More than 30 producers and agribusiness advisors recently inspected a trial planting of Sulla at Richmond Downs, 15km south of Roma.

The sulla had produced 5.7 tonnes of dry matter per hectare compared to 6.4t DM/ha from oats over the 120 days since sowing on the June 12, 2008.

The trial was part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation-supported Southern Queensland Farming Systems project and showed sulla would also provide an additional 80kg of nitrogen per hectare for subsequent crops.

Andy Arthur, owner of Richmond Downs, said he was impressed with the establishment and early productivity of the sulla and was looking forward to seeing how it performed in the second year.

"One challenge will be controlling weeds over summer when the sulla is not actively growing," Mr Arthur said.

Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries researcher David Lloyd said sulla was a short-lived perennial suited to two to three year rotations in cropping systems.

"In this situation sulla could provide valuable nitrogen inputs as well as high quality winter-spring grazing," Mr Lloyd said.

"It is non-bloating, which offers advantages over lucerne and medics for beef producers."

He said sulla was a temperate legume growing from mid autumn until late spring or early summer and was not productive during the heat of summer.

SQFS project researchers report there is great interest in this species with three Australian cultivars released in the last three years.

Wilpena and Moonbi grazing types have limited seed available at present following release in Queensland, NSW and South Australia.

Flamenco is an upright cultivar more suited to hay production and has been released in Western Australia.

CSIRO farming systems scientist and project leader, Lindsay Bell says sulla and a number of other winter and summer-growing forage legumes suited to short-term rotations in cropping systems are being tested as part of the SQFS project which is a collaboration between GRDC, CSIRO and DPI&F.