Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI) researchers say the gum producing crop guar could be the ideal summer grain legume for rotation with winter wheat on some of the more marginal, lighter, loamy soils in Central and south west Queensland.

New crops research scientist Col Douglas has been overseeing guar trials at the QDPI research station at Biloela, Central Queensland, for three years, working to identify guar grain lines with commercial potential. At Roma, in south west Queensland, growers collaborating in GRDC supported Sustainable Farming Systems research have been undertaking guar seed population and fertiliser trials.

Mr Douglas says Australia imports 3000 tonnes of guar gum annually, equating to about 12,000 tonnes of guar seed.

"The domestic market value has been $330 a tonne for the last two years. Well managed guar grain crops could return dryland yields averaging one tonne per hectare, with irrigated yielding up to three tonnes to the hectare," Mr Douglas said.

Contact Col Douglas 07 4992 9111