Evaluation of perennial pasture legumes and herbs to identify species with high herbage production and persistence in mixed farming zones in southern Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 449 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Li ◽  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
G. A. Moore ◽  
A. D. Craig ◽  
B. S. Dear ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Soil ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Ground Water Recharge ◽  
Water Recharge ◽  
Perennial Legumes

Ninety-one perennial legumes and herbs (entries) from 47 species in 21 genera were evaluated at sites in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia over 3 years from 2002 to 2005 to identify plants with superior herbage production, persistence and the potential to reduce ground water recharge. Evaluation was undertaken in three nurseries (general, waterlogged soil and acid soil). Medicago sativa L. subsp. sativa (lucerne) cv. Sceptre was the best performing species across all sites. In the general and acid soil nurseries, Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) cv. Grasslands Puna was the only species comparable with Sceptre lucerne in terms of persistence and herbage production. Trifolium fragiferum L. cv. Palestine and Lotus corniculatus L. SA833 were the best performing species on heavy clay soils prone to waterlogging. Three Dorycnium hirsutum (L.) Ser. accessions persisted well on acid soils, but were slow to establish. Short-lived perennial forage legumes, such as Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. cv. Othello, and three Hedysarum coronarium L. entries, including cv. Grasslands Aokou, had high herbage production in the first 2 years and may be suitable for short-term pastures in phased pasture-crop farming systems. T. uniflorum L. and M. sativa subsp. caerulea SA38052 were highly persistent and could play a role as companion species in mixtures or ground cover species for undulating landscapes. Cullen australasicum (Schltdl.) G.W. Grimes SA4966 and Lotononis bainesii Baker cv. Miles had poor establishment, but were persistent. Chicory, T. fragiferum and L. corniculatus were identified as species, other than lucerne, with the most immediate potential for further selection to increase the diversity of perennial legumes and herbs adapted to southern Australian environments.

Ecology of herbaceous perennial legumes: a review of characteristics that may provide management options for the control of salinity and waterlogging in dryland cropping systems

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S . Cocks
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Alkaline Soils ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
Dry Areas ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Perennial Legumes

Salinity is a widespread problem caused by an imbalance between rainfall and transpiration in the dryland cropping systems of southern Australia. The need to use more perennials has been identified and this paper examines the possibility of replacing annual with perennial pasture legumes and the germplasm available to do so. While lucerne is already used widely in eastern Australia it has only recently been adopted in the wheat belt of Western Australia. There are doubts about its adaptation to acid soils and to climates where summer rainfall is low and ambient temperatures are high. There is also a need to diversify the species available to reduce the likelihood of invasion by exotic diseases and insects. Several genera are likely to be of value in this respect, although few will be as widely adapted as lucerne. Perennial legumes are found in environments ranging from alpine to desert. Targeted collections of genera from the dry areas, especially where soils are acid, are likely to yield species of value. These may include perennial species of Astragalus, Hedysarum, Lotus, Onobrychis, Psoralea, and Trifolium. Some Australian genera, for example Swainsona, Glycine, and Cullen may also be of value. Most of these genera are from alkaline soils, and the need to cope with acid soils that are often high in free aluminium is seen to limit their use in southern Australia. However, since virtually nothing is known of the ecology and ecophysiology of species from the dry areas, it is possible that through selection and the use of adapted rhizobia, some at least may be of value in Australian conditions. Cropping in rotation with perennial legumes is likely to involve several changes in farming systems. It is impossible to predict their nature but it is essential that we understand what these changes are before the species are widely introduced. Account must also be taken of their ability to use water. It is entirely possible that perennials from dry areas are dormant in summer despite the fact that there is no evidence in the literature to this effect. It was concluded that although lucerne is suitable for phase farming, alternatives to lucerne are needed. They will have to match the water-using and nitrogen-fixing capacities of lucerne, and farming systems will be required that make full use of the new germplasm. Collaboration with institutions in the Mediterranean basin and elsewhere is needed and a beginning has been made in this direction.

Evaluation of pasture legumes sown into a prepared seedbed at Tamworth, New South Wales. 2. Seed production and seed reserves

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Lodge
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Medicago Scutellata ◽  
Seed Reserves ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Perennial Legumes ◽  
Seed Yields

Plots sown in 1983 were used to examine the seed production and reserves (residual hardseeds) of 15 annual legumes over 5 years at Tamworth in northern New South Wales. Seed production characteristics were measured in 1983 for these annuals, and for 6 perennial legumes. After the annuals had set seed in 1983, an area of the plots was sprayed to prevent flowering in subsequent years, and the rates of decline in seed reserves were compared with those from areas that seeded annually. Seed yields of the perennials were often significantly lower than those of the annuals except Trifolium glomeratum. Seed yields of T. subterraneum var. subterraneum cvv. Seaton Park and Woogenellup were significantly higher than those of cv. Nungarin and T. subterrarzeum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare. Seed numbers were lowest for Medicago scutellata cv. Sava among the annual medics, and for Nungarin among subterranean clovers. There was little relationship between the mean number of seeds produced from 1983-86 and maturity grading, and between seed numbers and relative dry matter yield. Seed reserves decreased over 5 years by more than 90% in the sprayed treatments of all species. This decrease was not continuous, with the largest declines occurring from December 1983 to August 1984. In the sprayed treatments of Seaton Park, Woogenellup, and Clare, and in both treatments of Astragalus hamosus cv. Ioman, Vicia dasycarpa var. villosa cv. Namoi, and T. hirtum cv. Hykon, none of the original 1983 seed was recovered in 1987. For the annual medics and Nungarin, the number of residual hardseeds in the sprayed treatments in 1987 was about 3-5% of the seed produced in 1983. From 1983 to 1987, seed numbers in the unsprayed treatments declined by 7040% for the annual medics and by 85-95% for Seaton Park, Woogenellup, and Clare. Long-term persistence of annual medics and Nungarin depended on seed production in most years and the maintenance of a high number of residual hardseeds in the soil. In contrast, the mid- and late-maturing subterranean clovers Woogenellup and Clare had low seed reserves and were dependent on seed production in most years for their continued regeneration.

A description of acid soils and the relationships between properties of acid soils and the nutrient status of grazed pastures in the southeast of South Australia

Soil Research ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
TJV Hodge ◽  
DC Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Acid Soil ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Critical Value ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Extractable Soil

Areas of low soil pH in the south-east of South Australia were delineated by using previously submitted soil samples and soil association maps. A survey was then undertaken in the major soil associations to determine the severity and characteristics of highly acid soils. The acid soil types identified were a siliceous sand over clay (Db/Dy) and a siliceous sand over organic matter/sesquioxide pan (Uc). The top 2.5 cm of both soil types was significantly less acid than the remaining portion of the A horizon, with pH decreasing rapidly with depth until the B horizon, where a substantial soil pH increase occurred. As soil pH (0.01 M CaCl2) decreased below 4.5, extractable soil aluminium (0.01 M CaCl2) increased rapidly, to a maximum extractable concentration of 17 �g g-l. These soil types were also found to be deficient in both phosphorus and potassium, with 65% of the sites having extractable phosphorus concentrations below the critical value of 20 �g g-1 and 35% below the critical value for extractable potassium of 80 �g g-l. For subterranean clover, significant positive correlations were observed between soil pH and plant calcium and sulfur, and between extractable soil aluminium and plant aluminium. Significant negative correlations were observed between soil pH and plant manganese and between extractable soil aluminium and plant calcium and magnesium. For ryegrass, significant positive correlations were observed between extractable soil aluminium and plant aluminium and manganese. Significant negative correlations were observed between soil pH and plant manganese and between extractable soil aluminium and plant calcium. No other significant correlations were obtained. The results are discussed in relation to further acidification and management of these acid siliceous sands.

Evaluation of chicory cultivars and accessions for forage in south-eastern Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangdi D. Li ◽  
Zhongnan Nie ◽  
Amanda Bonython ◽  
Suzanne P. Boschma ◽  
Richard C. Hayes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Australia ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The comparative herbage production and persistence of 7 chicory cultivars and 14 accessions collected from diverse regions of the world were evaluated over 3 years in 5 agro-ecological environments across New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic.) and South Australia (SA). Results showed that all cultivars had higher herbage yields than the accessions, but varied greatly among sites. Averaged across all cultivars, total herbage yields were up to 24.6 t DM/ha over 3 years at the Hamilton, Vic. site, but as low as 6.9 and 5.7 t DM/ha at the Wagga Wagga and Bookham, NSW sites, respectively, where chicory only persisted for 2 years. In contrast, the average herbage yield of all accessions was only one-half of that produced by the cultivars at the Hamilton site and about one-third of that at the other 4 sites. All cultivars and accessions persisted well under the favourable climate conditions experienced at the Hamilton site. In contrast, severe drought in 2006 resulted in the death of chicory swards at the Wagga Wagga and Bookham sites, and substantial declines in persistence at the Manilla, NSW and Willalooka, SA sites. Nevertheless, accessions collected from Australia and Asia were more persistent than some of the cultivars and may provide opportunities to select genotypes better adapted to intermittently dry mixed farming systems in south-eastern Australia. Our findings indicated that the current cultivars were best suited to sites similar to the Hamilton site in the winter-dominant, higher rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia. Under these conditions chicory was likely to be productive and persistent for 4 years or longer. In the drier mixed farming zone, chicory may be more suitable in shorter (2–3-year) pasture phases. Further research is required to identify those factors contributing to poor persistence.

Distribution of ground-water recharge, Oahu, Hawaii

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia J. Shade
Keyword(s):  
Ground Water ◽  
Ground Water Recharge ◽  
Water Recharge
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