A plantain trial shows its role in reducing nitrogen leaching and boosting profit on Southland farms.
DairyNZ plantain programme lead Kate Fransen said new data showed modest levels of plantain in pastures reduced nitrogen leaching.
Trials at different sites showed a 26% reduction in nitrate leaching with an average of between 17% and 25% Ecotain plantain in the pasture.
Farmers including plantain in their pasture was the "low-hanging fruit" for reducing nitrate leaching, she said.
"We now know you don’t need to have 30% plantain in your pasture to have the positive effect."
Farmers across New Zealand were adapting the science to suit their systems.
In Southland, farmers were maintaining between 8% and 10% plantain across their farms by including it in their re-grassing mix.
Some Southland farmers had begun trialling broadcasting seed with fertiliser into existing pastures to push levels higher, she said.
Modelling estimated farmers achieved between a 7% and 9% higher profit per hectare by including between 10% and 20% of plantain in the pasture respectively, compared with farmers reaching the same nitrate leaching reduction from alternative strategies.
Plantain was recognised as a nitrate leaching mitigation option by Environment Southland, she said.
