Meeting environmental targets with plantain

For around two decades DairyNZ has focused on developing farm systems that reduce environmental footprint, while maintaining profitable farm businesses, DairyNZ Plantain Potency and Practice Programme Lead Kate Fransen discusses.

This is part of my passion, bringing farmers and scientists together to develop the information and tools required to run profitable businesses while improving environmental outcomes.

I am pleased to lead the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures' Plantain Practice and Potency Programme, which is helping farmers achieve exactly that goal. The programme is a collaborative research initiative that aims to substantially reduce nitrogen lost to freshwater and greenhouse gases, by using Ecotain plantain.

The programme is funded by DairyNZ, Ministry for Primary Industries, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Fonterra, working with six additional research and delivery partners. It builds on existing research and extension projects.

We've achieved some exciting results so far. Ecotain plantain pastures at our Massey University farm reduced nitrate leaching by 20% to 60% over two years, with no impact on milk production. Our Lincoln University trial is showing similar trends after one year. The range in results is due to the amount of plantain in the pastures, and differences in annual rainfall.

Ecotain plantain is used in our research trials because it has proven environmental benefits. Through the programme, we are developing an evaluation system to assess the environmental effectiveness of other plantain cultivars.

Ecotain plantain reduces nitrate leaching by diluting urinary nitrogen and reducing the amount of nitrogen excreted as urine. The plant also changes the urine so that when it is returned to soil it is held in a less leachable form for longer.

We know that farmers have tough nitrogen leaching targets to meet. Canterbury, Horizons and Bay of Plenty regional councils are currently recognising plantain as a mitigation option.

Plantain is fairly easy to integrate into farm systems, although there are some challenges such as maintaining the levels of plantain needed to achieve significant nitrogen leaching reductions. We are working with more than 20 farmers nationwide to develop regionally specific management practices and assess the cost and benefits for businesses.

Tools and information for farmers interested in plantain are available at dairynz.co.nz/plantain. To discuss adding plantain to your system, talk to your local Farm Source TSR.