This paper reports on the first year of a 3 year programme aimed at developing P. ovata as a crop in the Ord River Irrigation Area (O.R.I.A.) of Kimberley region of Western Australia. The data from one year of trials indicate that Plantago ovata is highly suited to mechanisation and the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA). Machine harvested yields of up to 1.2 t/ha off 0.12 ha were achieved (after cleaning). The maximum hand harvested yield was 2.1 t/ha, 60 per cent higher than any other published value. Cununurra clays proved the best soil type for growth of the crop and this corresponds with an underutilised, developed resource of 14,000 ha
