This comprehensive project will combine extension, trials, and technical and economic analysis to support growers to access the benefits of legumes in crop rotations moving forward.
Established as a project with investment by the GRDC, GGA will collaborate with government, agribusiness, researchers, grower groups and growers to address the low adoption of grain legumes in WA farming systems.
Origins of the project stem from GRDC analysis indicating farmers are aware of the benefits of legumes in crop rotations. However, concerns around pulse reliability, profitability and lack of confidence in their consistent production are causing barriers to integration. Consequently, Western Australian farmers have been slow to exploit the recent advances in grain legume genetics, acid-tolerant rhizobia, management strategies, and weed and disease protection products.
Combatting this situation requires an extensive technical and extension program to change grower sentiment, driving new capabilities into profitable cropping systems. The project will see collaboration between government, agribusiness, researchers and end-users to address the current poor rate of adoption of grain legumes in WA farming systems.
Aims
- Demonstrate recent advances in the production of grain legumes, across a range of environments and soil types, through 25 user-defined farm-scale trials and, where appropriate small plot trials.
- Apply trial results to refine best-fit grain legume recommendations
- Produce a statistically rigorous economic analysis of grain legumes as a cash crop in the year they are grown and calculate the financial contribution of grain legumes to the longer-term cropping sequence
- Develop and deploy key messages from credible entities to market the improved performance of grain legumes.
Project Map
Trial locations – 2025 sites (blue), 2024 sites (green), 2023 sites (yellow) and 2022 legume trials for (red).
Centres of Excellence – Green stars show the trial host grower groups locations which are establishing their local knowledge and developing into 13 Centres of Excellence in legumes production around WA.
Legume Leaders – Numbers show local Legumes Leaders, experienced legume growers sharing insights about how and why legumes have been a long-term part of their farm system model.
Grower Group Trials
Project Updates
2026 Grain Legume grower survey OPEN
GGA has released a survey, open to WA growers to better understand the use and perspectives on grain legumes in crop rotations, grain legume use and adoption.
2025 Grain Legume Crop-etition
Winners announced: Find out who won each category in the GGA 2025 Grain Legumes Crop-etition.
Legume Leaders Podcast
With the help of Grower Groups located from Yuna to Esperance, Legume Leaders share their insights over a seven-part series, released throughout 2024.
2023 Legume Survey Results
In 2023, GGA surveyed 105 WA growers on grain legume use and adoption. This survey highlights the need for continued research and collaboration to integrate legumes into sustainable WA farming systems.
Resources
3/4 Legume marketing: How it works in the west
Legume marketing has long been considered a chicken and egg scenario. What comes first? The market or the grower collaborations? This video explores this concept and looks at how growers can collaborate to gain market access.
Hear from John Orr from Premium Grain Handlers, Erin Cahill – grower and AgVivo agronomist and Gnowangerup grower, Timm House. This is the third video of a four part series – a GRDC investment with GGA that aims to increase grower confidence in legumes in Western Australia.
2/4 Legume harvesting (lentils): Tips and tricks for growers
In this video, we hear from Calingiri legume grower John Young and Glen Reithmuller from WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). John shares his experience with implementing legumes into his rotation and Glen explains the surprising efficiency of legume harvestability.
This is the second video in our four part series – a GRDC investment with the Grower Group Alliance that aims to increase grower confidence in legumes in Western Australia.
1/4 GRDC Legume agronomy: How to grow them in the west
Growers in Western Australia are well aware of the benefits of growing legumes in their rotation but often have concerns about reliability and can lack confidence in production.
A GRDC investment with the Grower Group Alliance aims to change that, and in a four-part series, we tackle the agronomy, profitability, marketing, and harvesting of growing legumes in WA.
3/4 Podcast: GRDC podcast: Legume marketing: How it works in the west
Tune into the latest on Legume marketing: How it works in the west.
Hear how to market legume crops with John Orr from Premium Grain Handlers based at Fremantle, Erin Cahill a grower and AgVivo agronomist in Moora WA, and Timm House a grower in Gnowangerup WA.
Tune into the podcast here, or through your usual streaming service
2/4 Podcast: GRDC podcast: Legume harvesting (lentils): Tips and tricks for growers
Have you been thinking of adding a legume to your rotation? In this episode, we are joined by Calingiri legume grower John Young and Glen Reithmuller who is from DPIRD in WA. John shares his experience with implementing legumes into his rotation and Glen shares the surprising efficiency of legume harvestability.
Tune into the podcast here, or through your usual streaming service
1/4 GRDC Podcast: Legume agronomy: How to grow them in the west
In this episode, we tackle the first part of that equation: how to grow them. Joined by agVivo agronomist, and Moora grower, Erin Cahill, listen to how he grows lentils and lupins, plus some agronomic advice for growing other key legumes.
Tune in or through your usual streaming service
Case Study: Harvestability of lupins
Reuben and Yasmine Smith farm alongside Rueben’s parents Terry and Colleen farm a total of 5,100ha, in the Lake Grace region of WA. In 2025, the farm transitioned to total cropping, with one-fifth of the area allocated to a legume or a chemical fallow. Read the full Case Study to learn more about their machinery costs, grain storage, nitrogen decision following legumes, harvest and more.
This case study is supported by LIFT.
Case Study: Harvestability of grain legumes
Situated in Lake Grace, the Clarke farm is 8,000ha and their paddocks span a complex mosaic of soil types, lake bank morel sodic soils, heavy salmon gum clays, gravels, and sand-over-clay profiles. Read the full Case Study about how Leon and Sarah Clarke, Lake Grace, WA manage their rotations, the benefits, legume harvest insights and more.
This case study is supported by LIFT.
GRDC GroundCover: Early-sown harvestable pasture legumes firming as a reliable soil nitrogen option
New harvestable legume pastures have been developed to enhance the profitability of dryland growers, mitigate risk and improve system resilience.
A Western Australian scientist says dormant summer sowing of harvestable annual legumes could be a viable option for dryland growers seeking to reduce fertiliser costs.
GRDC Podcast: Behind the scenes of fungicide resistance testing
In this episode at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) at Curtin University, Dr Nola D’Souza explains how her team detects and tracks fungicide resistance in the lab, the role of AFREN, and the practical steps growers can take to slow its spread.
CFIG boost Legume yields with better inoculants
Explore this quick and easy guide designed to help you assess the risks and rewards of adding more legumes into your crop rotation. Developed by CFIG, this resource supports growers in making informed decisions to improve soil health and productivity.
Farm Weekly coverage: 1 May 2025
Farm Weekly features Greenough Speciality Ag agronomist Nick Eyres and the Yuna Farm Improvement Group, as part of GRDC’s Closing the Economic Yield Gap of Grain Legumes project.
To read the full feature article visit the website. (Subscription required).
GRDC Groundcover
GRDC’s Ground covers recent article: Legumes may push a system closer to yield potential shares how integrating grain legumes into cropping systems could unlock untapped yield potential for Western Australian growers.
GRDC Groundcover
GRDC’s Ground covers recent article: Herbicide and acid tolerance key to WA lentil growth explores how Overcoming agronomic constraints will accelerate the development of a WA lentils industry. Read the full online article.
GRDC GrowNotes
The GRDC GrowNotes series provides comprehensive resources for growers and advisors. These downloadable PDFs cover topics specific to grain legumes in the Western region, such as planning, pest management, planting, and harvesting.
Closing the Economic Yield Gap of Grain Legumes in WA
Recording of the project overview given at the GRDC Grains Research Updates in February 2024, presented by Project Manager Daniel Kidd, Jason Batten from Yuna Farm Improvement Group and Ed Naisbitt from Lakes Information Farming Technology (LIFT).
Ground Cover – Issue 169
Read GRDC’s GroundCover magazine article to learn more about ‘Legume leaders’ – set to share 40 years of Lupin experience.
Legume Leaders Podcast
Hear all the insights from experienced long-term Western Australian legume growers that advocate for legumes in a farming system in a new podcast.
The Business Case for Legumes
- Reduced inputs to the farming systems
- Commercial trends in plant-based protein
- Business resilience through diversified crop options
GIWA Pulse Forum 2022
A day filled with great presenters, thought-provoking content and all things pulses. All the presentations and videos from the day can now be viewed here.
Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council – Resource Library
GLNC’s mission is to promote grains and legumes as part of a balanced diet through evidence-based information while supporting the industry to benefit all Australians.
GRDC – Faba Bean Crop Improvement Plan 2025
Faba beans have played a foundational role in Australia’s pulse production system; delivering both productivity and sustainability benefits for Australian growers and important protein supplies for international markets.
GRDC GroundCover chats to Stirlings to Coast Farmers group about Legume as manure crops trial
Plant-based nitrogen, weed management and disease control are among the benefits a legume manure crop could offer grain growers in Western Australia.
Summer legume crops have effectively fixed nitrogen into the soil during trials at Woogenellup in the Albany Port Zone of Western Australia, pointing to a real potential to reduce fertiliser inputs.
Annual Reports
News
Follow the grower group project partners on Twitter.
Project Team
CFIG
West Midlands Group
West Midlands Group
GGA
Project Shortcuts
Get Involved
Add your details here to follow the project and join our legume knowledge community. You’ll hear about the trial field days and trial results and receive updates when Legume Leaders are added showcasing how and why legumes have been a long-term part of their farm system model.
Contact
Enquiries to Dr Daniel Kidd at GGA
Collaborators
