The annual legume pasture in cereal—Ley farming systems of southern Australia: A review

1983 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.W. Puckridge ◽  
R.J. French
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

Annual clovers (Trifolium spp.) have different reproductive strategies to achieve persistence in Mediterranean-type climates

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley C. Norman ◽  
Philip S. Cocks ◽  
Nick W. Galwey
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
High Fecundity ◽  
Risk Of Failure ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Collection Sites ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

The aim of this work was to determine whether different species of annual clover (Trifolium spp.), obtained from the same environment, have different reproductive strategies (combinations of reproductive traits) to achieve ecological success. A better understanding of the traits that improve persistence should allow agronomists to narrow the selection criteria for new clover cultivars for ley-farming systems in southern Australia. Seeds of 18 annual clover species were obtained from 3 Australian and 6 Mediterranean sites and were subsequently grown in a common garden in Western Australia. Reproductive traits, including time of flowering, weight per seed, fecundity, pollen to ovule ratio, and pattern of seed softening, were observed. Accessions of different clover species from the same site of collection had different reproductive strategies. Across a range of collection sites, accessions of the same species demonstrated the same broad reproductive strategy; however, some traits, e.g. the timing of flowering, varied within species across collection sites. Principal component analysis suggested that there are 3 broad reproductive strategies demonstrated by these clover species. At one extreme were the relatively large-seeded clovers (T. subterraneum, T. clypeatum, and T. stellatum). The associated cost of these large seeds is reduced fecundity. The large-seeded clovers do not have high long-term hardseededness (the predominant form of seed dormancy in clovers). The relatively small-seeded clovers were all characterised by high fecundity. Many of the small-seeded clovers have high levels of long-term hardseededness, which allow the risk of failure to be spread across seasons (T. spumosum, T. hirtum, T. lappaceum, T. angustifolium, and T. tomentosum). Some of the small-seeded clovers (T. glomeratum, T. nigrescens, T. campestre, T. cernuum, and T. suffocatum) are generalists, producing as many seeds as possible in each season, with very little hardseededness. There are several possible explanations for the apparent success of such different reproductive strategies among clover accessions of different species at the same site. A plant may achieve the same goal by trading one reproductive trait for another. For example, it may either produce many small seeds to spread the risk of failure or produce fewer large seeds with an inherent competitive advantage. Alternatively, temporal and spatial variation may favour clovers with a number of different reproductive strategies. It is likely that a mixture of species with different reproductive strategies will maximise production and persistence of legume-based pastures in ley-farming systems.

Effect of pasture management on the contributions of fixed N to the N economy of ley-farming systems

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 459 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Peoples ◽  
R. R. Gault ◽  
G. J. Scammell ◽  
B. S. Dear ◽  
J. Virgona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
N2 Fixation ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

The effects of different management regimes on N2 fixation by subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) in annual pastures and lucerne (Medicago sativa) in perennial-based pastures were examined in 5 experiments and 55 commercial paddocks, in which the pastures were grown in phased rotation with crops. The objectives were to quantify the inputs of fixed N2 and to determine ways of increasing nitrogen (N) inputs into ley-farming systems of southern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria. Estimates of annual amounts of N2 fixed, based on above-ground herbage production in grazed pastures, ranged from 5 to 238 kg N/ha for subterranean clover and from 47 to 167 kg N/ha for lucerne. Legume reliance upon N2 fixation for growth (Pfix) was high (>65%) in most annual and perennial pastures examined. The levels of Pfix were generally unaffected by management treatments. As a consequence the amounts of N2 fixed were predominantly regulated by the legume content and herbage yield of pastures rather than by any marked differences in the ability of the legume to fix N. When all experimental results were combined with on-farm measurements of N2 fixation, the data indicated that lucerne and subterranean clover fixed 22-25 kg N for every tonne of legume dry matter produced. Management inputs to annual pastures which improved the productivity of subterranean clover and the amounts of N2 fixed included applications of superphosphate and the removal of grass species with herbicide, although the response to these treatments was not consistent across all sites in all years. Potential inputs from N2 fixation were high in annual pastures, and improved management during a good clover season enhanced the levels of mineral N detected in the soil profile (0-200 cm) the following autumn by 100-200 kg N/ha. However, year-to-year variability in annual pasture productivity and clover content resulted in large fluctuations in amounts of N2 fixed. Perennial pastures containing lucerne provided consistently greater annual herbage production, had more stable legume contents, and fixed on average 90-150% more N2 than neighbouring subterranean clover-based pastures. Even during the 1994 drought when annual pastures failed, lucerne still managed to fix >70 kg N/ha. It is proposed that lucerne-based pastures could represent a more reliable means of improving soil fertility for subsequent crops than annual pastures.

Commercial experience in developing ley farming systems for the Katherine-Darwin region, Northern Territory

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1059 ◽  
Author(s):  
TP Price ◽  
F O'Gara ◽  
ESC Smith ◽  
R Pitkethley ◽  
P Hausler
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Commercial Development ◽  
Plant Disease Control ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Control And Management ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

This paper examines the past, present and likely future commercial development and adoption of ley farming systems in the Katherine-Darwin region(about 12-14�S, 131-132�E, elevation 30-1 10 m) of the Northern Territory. Producers' current practices, adaptations and the extent to which they have adopted a systems approach are reported. Advantages of ley farming and the constraints to its more rapid adoption are described. Also discussed are aspects of crop, cattle and hay production; weed, insect and plant disease control, and management; on-farm demonstrations and the economics of crop production, from the producer's perspective, in the context of ley farming.

Operational aspects of ley farming systems in the semi-arid tropics of northern Australia: a review

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ Yeates ◽  
DG Abrecht ◽  
TP Price ◽  
WS Mollah ◽  
P Hausler
Keyword(s):  
Seed Quality ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Transition Management ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Operational Aspects ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

The ley farming systems proposed for the Australian semi-arid tropics involve rotating an annual pasture (usually legume) with crops sown using no-tillage. These systems were developed to overcome many of the climatic constraints that beset previous attempts at cropping in the region. However, difficulties in the timing of farm operations also contributed to past failures. No analysis of the operational aspects of ley farming had been made; this was the objective of this paper. During the transition between wet and dry seasons rainfall is extremely variable. These periods were shown to be the most critical time for operations in ley farming systems. During the dry-wet transition, management of ley pastures is very difficult because pastures must provide grazing for livestock as well as sufficient soil cover for timely sowing of a following crop. Legume pastures have reduced grazing value at this time due to spoilage by early rain. Similarly, during the wet-dry transition annual pastures must be allowed to set seed at a time when crops are yet to be harvested and stubbles are not available for grazing. It was suggested that including separate paddocks of perennial pasture could reduce the demand on annual pastures during the seasonal transitions. A limited number of days to sow a crop combined with severe yield penalties for late sowing restrict the area that can be sown in any season. Sowing opportunities were determined for 3 locations in the Northern Territory. No-tillage was shown to increase the potential number of sowing days. However, the time available to apply glyphosate before sowing using no-tillage was confined to the morning due to risk of afternoon rainshowers reducing efficacy. The number of seasons where a particular crop or cultivar could not be sown was independent of the method of tillage. The wet-dry transition was shown to be important for harvest operations. Our analysis of 3 sites in the Northern Territory suggests that for mungbean and sorghum, later maturity combined with prompt harvest will reduce the risk of poor seed quality due to weathering and could permit earlier sowing. However, for sorghum, an economic assessment of these practices required research that can quantify the interaction between sowing date, time-to-maturity and grain yield.

Preliminary assessment of bladder clover (Trifolium spumosum L.) as an annual legume for ley farming systems in southern Australia

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Loi ◽  
Brad J. Nutt ◽  
John G. Howieson ◽  
Ron. J. Yates ◽  
Hayley C. Norman
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Agronomic Traits ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
General Hypothesis ◽  
Mixed Crop ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Feeding Value ◽  
Annual Medicago ◽  
Ley Farming Systems

Trifolium spumosum L. (bladder clover) is an aerial seeding annual legume that is adapted to fine-textured soils throughout the Mediterranean Basin. This article is the first of two papers that describe the process of domestication of T. spumosum as a new species to commercial agriculture. This paper describes a broad range of investigations into the ecology, agronomy and rhizobiology of this new species. Through a series of five experiments, we have tested the general hypothesis that T. spumosum accessions demonstrate a range of sought-after agronomic traits and offer an alternative to annual Medicago spp. for ley farming systems in the medium to low rainfall areas of the mixed crop/livestock zone of southern Australia. T. spumosum presents seeds at the top of the canopy in heads that do not readily shatter, so seed can be harvested using conventional cereal harvesters instead of the specialist suction equipment required for harvest of seed from annual T. subterraneum and Medicago spp. T. spumosum was found to be relatively fecund and had high levels of biomass production in comparison to the other annual legumes that were tested. The species also demonstrated high levels of within-season hardseededness (remaining hard in summer and softening in autumn) so seedbanks would be protected from summer rainfall events. In addition, T. spumosum showed high levels of between-season dormancy, which allows the species to carry a seedbank through a cropping phase or series of poor seasons. A herbicide experiment showed that clover species varied in tolerances, with T. spumosum the least sensitive of all of the legumes tested to Flumetsulam. A cross-inoculation experiment to measure symbiotic effectiveness revealed that WSM1325 (current clover strain) surpasses WSM409 (previous strain) in its relationship with the annual clovers of contemporary interest, while being highly effective at nitrogen fixation with T. spumosum. The results of this study and an associated investigation into feeding value indicate that T. spumosum offers a productive alternative to annual Medicago spp. on fine-textured soils. Of the T. spumosum accessions tested, the most promising has been released under the cultivar name of AGWEST Bartolo.

Biserrula and subterranean clover can co-exist during the vegetative phase but are out-competed by capeweed

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 236 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Conning ◽  
M. Renton ◽  
M. H. Ryan ◽  
P. G. H. Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Exponential Model ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Relative Growth ◽  
Broad Leaf ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
The Common ◽  
Pasture Legume

Biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.) is a recently domesticated annual pasture legume developed for ley farming systems that have traditionally relied upon subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). This study examined competitive interactions between biserrula and subterranean clover and the common broad-leaf weed capeweed (Arctotheca calendula L.) during seedling establishment and vegetative growth, in order to develop guidelines for successful legume pasture management. Two glasshouse experiments were conducted to investigate the allocation of biomass to roots and shoots in biserrula, capeweed, and subterranean clover and its relationship with competitive ability in the first 100 days after sowing. In Experiment 1, capeweed had a higher relative growth rate of shoots and roots than the two legumes and developed a more extensive root system. Experiment 2 consisted of growing binary mixtures of the three species at different densities. The effect of competition on the biomass of biserrula, capeweed, and subterranean clover was best modelled by a power–exponential model. Increasing capeweed densities suppressed the biomass production of both biserrula and subterranean clover, whereas capeweed biomass increased with increasing densities of subterranean clover. This study suggests that the competitive advantage of capeweed is mainly conferred during the seedling stage. It also suggests that biserrula and subterranean clover germinating at the same time can co-exist as a mixed sward, at least up until flowering, if biserrula density is high relative to subterranean clover.

Plant population dynamics in subterranean clover and murex medic swards. 3. Effect of pod burial, summer grazing and autumn cultivation on emergence

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 533 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Blumenthal ◽  
RL Ison
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Plant Population Dynamics ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Summer Grazing

Murex medic (Medicago murex Willd.) seedling recruitment is more sensitive to soil water at the time of emergence than subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). Murex medic pods normally lay on the soil surface. Shallow burial of pods may be beneficial when soil moisture is marginal for germination and emergence. In addition, the tightly coiled structure of murex medic pods may also act as a barrier to water uptake by the seed. Two methods of burying murex medic pods were investigated in the field: (i) trampling by sheep hooves through summer grazing; and (ii) through light cultivation in autumn. A glasshouse experiment was also conducted to examine the interaction between the length of time that the soil stays moist and pod burial for CD26 and CD53 murex medic and Dalkeith, Junee, Seaton Park and Woogenellup subterranean clover. In the glasshouse, pod burial was important for the attainment of maximum emergence in all genotypes when soil water was limiting. However, pod structure did not appear to have a limiting role in germination and emergence in murex medic. When tested in the field, pod burial by sheep trampling through summer grazing improved emergence in CD26, possibly because the smaller more open pod was more easily trampled than that of CD53. Summer grazing in CD53 and Dalkeith and autumn cultivation in all genotypes did not improve emergence; possible reasons for this are discussed so to is the role of murex medic in ley farming systems in eastern Australia.

scholarly journals Spontaneous Gene Flow between Cultivated and Naturalized Vicia villosa Roth Populations Increases the Physical Dormancy Seed in a Semiarid Agroecosystem

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 955
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Renzi ◽  
Omar Reinoso ◽  
Matías Quintana ◽  
Petr Smýkal
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Seed Dormancy ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Physical Dormancy ◽  
Vicia Villosa ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Initial Generation ◽  
Plant Maturity ◽  
Cultivated Populations

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) is the second most cultivated vetch worldwide being used as a forage and cover crop. As it is not domesticated, it displays several wild traits including seed dormancy. The physical seed dormancy (PY) variation could be useful depending on the specific context. High PY is desirable for ley farming systems, while low PY is needed to prevent weediness in subsequent crop rotations. Gene flow between cultivated and naturalized populations has important ecological and agronomic consequences. Experiments were conducted to determine the change in the level of PY in spontaneous crosses between European cultivated accessions (EU) characterized by low PY and naturalized Argentinian population (AR) with high PY. Generations G0 (initial generation) to G3 were assessed for their PY in seeds and total dry matter (DM) per plot, at plant maturity. As the result of spontaneous crosses with the AR population, an increase from G0 to G3 in PY and DM in EU accessions was observed, while AR maintained its high PY and DM values. In one mating cycle, selecting for PY lower than 14% and high DM can satisfy breeding objectives for cover crops. Isolation during breeding and seed production is necessary to avoid gene flow. This knowledge extends to other legume species with gene flow between wild and cultivated populations.

A second generation of annual pasture legumes and their potential for inclusion in Mediterranean-type farming systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Loi ◽  
J. G. Howieson ◽  
B. J. Nutt ◽  
S. J. Carr
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Legume Species ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Acid Tolerant ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Pasture Legume

A second generation of annual pasture legumes and their root-nodule bacteria has been released to agriculture in Mediterranean-type environments. These new species emanate from selection activity focussed upon ‘alternative legumes’. In 1992, in response to changing constraints upon production, a program was initiated which sought species with different ideotypic traits to the traditional annual medics and clovers used in agriculture in southern Australia. Traits sought in the new species were deeper root systems, improved persistence from higher hardseed levels, acid tolerant symbioses, tolerance to pests and diseases and ease of harvesting with conventional cereal harvesters. Several cultivars of species new to Australian agriculture such as biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus), French serradella (Ornithopus sativus), gland clover (Trifolium glanduliferum) and improved varieties of arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum) and yellow serradella (Ornithopus compressus) were developed and have had rapid adoption and impact in southern Australian ley- and phase-farming systems. This paper reviews the importance of ley farming for Australian agriculture, the shortcomings of the traditional medics and clovers and the imperatives for a second generation of annual pasture legume species to be developed. In addition to enhancing ley farming, the commercial availability of a second generation of annual pasture legume species has provided a much needed impetus for the development of more flexible and sustainable farming systems.

Effect of root-zone temperatures on morphology, growth and development, yield, and yield components of annual medics

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Amini Dehaghi ◽  
Seyed Ali Mohammad Modarres Sanavy
Keyword(s):  
Yield Components ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Root Zone Temperature ◽  
Yield And Yield Components ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Zone Temperature

Annual medic pastures are an effective component of ley-farming systems (cereal–legume rotations) in Australian areas with a Mediterranean climate, but they have been unsuccessful in areas near the Mediterranean Sea. In some zones with a Mediterranean climate, like Iran and Syria, root-zone temperature is considered the major growth-limiting factor for annual medic early in the growing season. In order to study the effect of low root-zone temperature (RZT) on growth and development, yield, and yield components of some annual Medicago species, an experiment was conducted in a controlled-environment chamber. In this experiment, 3 species of annual medics, namely Medicago polymorpha, M. radiata, and M. rigidula, thought to be adapted to cold and temperate conditions, were used. Four root-zone temperatures (5, 10, 15, and 20�C) were considered. The experimental layout was a completely randomised block design with 4 replications. There were differences among the annual medics for dry matter and yield components. Two species, M. polymorpha and M. rigidula, had more leaf, stem, and root dry matter, plant height, leaf and stem to root ratio, leaf to stem ratio, and leaf area and yield than M. radiata. Therefore, M. polymorpha and M. rigidula may be better suited for ley-farming systems in cold and temperate zones. The results also showed that the 5�C RZT effectively decreased the yield and yield components of the annual medics. In conclusion, application of ley-farming is not likely to be successful when RZT is below 5�C, especially during vegetative development. Therefore, in the zones where soil temperature is greater than 10�C, annual medics have normal growth and produce average yields. Ley-farming (cereal–legume rotation) could be replaced with fallow–cereal rotation.

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