Effect of time of cessation of wet season grazing on Townsville stylo-annual grass pasture at Katherine, N.T

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 544 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Active Growth ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Townsville Stylo

A Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis)-annual grass pasture at Katherine, N.T., was subjected to a series of treatments in 1969-70 and 1970-71 under which plots were grazed heavily from the beginning of the wet season for a period and then allowed to recover undefoliated for the remainder of the season. The dates at which heavy grazing ceased were spaced at 2-week intervals from November 24 to March 16. At the end of the wet season, total dry matter yield was linearly related to length of recovery period. Townsville stylo yield declined as recovery period was reduced from 18 to 8 weeks, but showed little response to a further reduction to 4 weeks. In contrast, annual grass yield showed little change as recovery period was reduced from 18 to 8 weeks, but fell with a further reduction to 4 weeks. As a result, the proportion of Townsville stylo in the pasture at the end of the season was high with long and short recovery periods but reached a minimum with an 8 - 10 week recovery period. Dry conditions prevailed in the first half of both seasons. The evidence suggests that young Townsville stylo is sensitive to heavy grazing when under water stress, and that early grazing for grass control should be imposed only during periods of active growth.

Wet season grazing of Townsville stylo pasture at Katherine, N.T

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 710 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Nitrogen Yield ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Stocking Rates

At Katherine, N.T., stocking rates of 1.33, 1.00, and 0.67 Shorthorn steers an acre for a period of 18 weeks in the wet season beginning January were imposed on established pastures sown to Townsville sty10 (Stylosanthes humilis) alone but subsequently invaded to varying degrees by annual grasses. The experiment was repeated over three years. There were no significant differences in mean liveweight gain per head over three years ; hence liveweight gain per acre at the heaviest stocking rate was approximately twice that at the lightest rate. The mean dry matter yield of grass increased significantly with decreasing stocking rate, but there were no significant differences between stocking rates in Townsville stylo dry matter yield, nitrogen yield, or phosphorus yield. Correlation coefficients were calculated using data from individual paddocks and years. There was a highly significant positive correlation between liveweight gain per head and pasture nitrogen yield, and between liveweight gain per head and pasture phosphorus yield.

Herbicides for the control of grass weeds in pastures of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis)

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 790
Author(s):  
IMW Wood
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Plant Population ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Townsville Stylo

The use of herbicides to control annual grasses in pastures of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) was studied at Katherine, N.T. The herbicides chlorthal, trifluralin, benefin, sindone B, and siduron all controlled the annual grasses Digitaria adscendens and Brachiaria ramosa. The outstanding herbicide was chlorthal, which at 6 lb a.i. an acre pre-emergence gave a Townsville stylo dry matter yield of 3250 lb an acre compared with 1130 lb an acre for the unweeded control and 2440 lb an acre for the handweeded control. At maturity there was no grass in the chlorthal plots and 1940 lb an acre in the unweeded control plots. The data suggest that, without defoliation during the growing period, total suppression of Townsville stylo can be expected when the grass population at establishment exceeds 37 per cent of the total plant population.

Fire and survival of Stylosanthes spp. in the dry savanna woodlands of the Northern Territory

1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 203 ◽  
Author(s):  
JJ Mott
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
The Other ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Native Grass ◽  
Hard Seed ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Good Germination

A series of burns was carried out during the early and late, dry season and early wet season, in mixed native grass-legume plots containing Stylosanthes humilis, S. hamata, S, scabra and S. viscosa as the legume component. The least mortality was shown by S. scabra, but its survival was poor in any sward more than 3 years old. After burning the other species relied solely on seedling regeneration for subsequent season's growth. Fire killed a considerable quantity of seed, but its heat softened hard seed in the soil and good germination occurred with summer rains. However, the presence of a large proportion of soft seed through the winter months could lead to out-of-season germination and subsequent death of seedlings after unseasonal winter rains. Although the total dry matter yield of swards was reduced by all fires, burning could play an important part in increasing yields of S. hamata in swards overgrown by dense native grass, since it increases the amount of soft seed in the soil. If burning causes a high mortality of mature plants of the perennials S. scabra and S. viscosa, a reduction in stocking rate may be needed to ensure regeneration of a productive sward, as these species have slow seedling growth rates.

The effect of pre-treatment of native pasture and sowing rate on establishment of Townsville lucerne of Tippera clay loam at Katherine, NT

1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
HP Miller
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
First Year ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Made In

At Katherine, N.T., on Tippera clay loam soil, Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis H.B.K.) was sown in December 1965 at 4, 16, and 64 lb an acre of abraded pods into uncleared uncultivated perennial native pasture that had been subjected to three pre-treatments : heavy grazing in the previous wet season, late dry season burning, and early wet season burning. The amount and incidence of rainfall was particularly favourable for establishment. At counts made in December 1965, and in January and February 1966, pre-treatment did not affect Townsville lucerne density, which was proportional to sowing rate on all pre-treatments. Dry matter yields of Townsville lucerne in April 1966 were higher after early wet-season burning than after other pre-treatments. At a final seedling count at the start of the next wet season, December 1966, there was an interaction between pre-treatment and sowing rate, seedling density showing an approximate correspondence with dry matter yield of Townsville lucerne in April 1966. At the practical sowing rates of 4 and 16 lb an acre, first and second year seedling densities and first year yields were comparable with average figures for Townsville lucerne established with full land clearance and cultivation.

The effects of superphosphate on the growth and development of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) in pure ungrazed swards at Katherine, NT

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 716 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Relative Water ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Yield Responses

The effects of four levels of superphosphate (0, 112, 224, and 448 lb an acre) on the growth and development of ungrazed Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) in pure swards were examined on virgin Tippera clay loam at Katherine, N.T. Yields and distribution of dry matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus, leaf area, and growth rate, were measured every two weeks. Leaf relative water content and soil water extraction were measured at the end of the wet season. Yield responses to superphosphate were curvilinear and fitted regressions of the form y = a nx + bx + c at all harvests. Superphosphate encouraged root exploitation of the soil volume, but phosphorus deficient swards were more resistant to drought. The maximum recovery of phosphorus was 20, 14, and 14 per cent respectively when 112, 224, and 448 lb an acre superphosphate was applied. Loss of 31 per cent dry matter, 34 per cent nitrogen, and 44 per cent phosphorus in the eight weeks following maximum yield was concluded to be due to translocation to the root system. Even with 448 lb an acre superphosphate the phosphorus content of standing material was below the the critical percentage quoted in the literature as indicating phosphorus sufficiency.

Performance of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) lines in pure swards and with the annual grass (Digitaria ciliaris) under various defoliation treatments at Katherine, N.T

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (69) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Ive ◽  
MJ Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Certified Seed ◽  
Phosphorus Concentration ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Late Sowing

Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) selections collected from twelve naturalized populations, in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and certified seed of the Katherine ecotype ('lines'), were grown for three years in a field experiment at Katherine, N.T. (latitude 14.3�S). In the third year, the experiment was oversown with Digitaria ciliaris. Flowering of all lines was delayed by late sowing, but was hastened by drought. However, the order in which the lines flowered was basically the same for all three years, and similar to that at Lansdown, Queensland (latitude 19.7�S). Although seasonally dependent, highest dry matter production was associated with erect mid- or late mid-season maturity lines which were often lowest in nitrogen and phosphorus concentration. There were no differences between lines in their ability to compete with Digitaria. Grazing reduced the proportion of grass in the swards compared with the forage harvested and non-defoliated treatments largely because Townsville stylo appeared to withstand grazing and trampling better than Digitaria.

The establishment and yield of fodder crops grown in Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) leys at Katherine, NT

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 755
Author(s):  
MJ Fisher ◽  
LJ Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Grain Sorghum ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Climatological Data ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Fodder Crops ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Cultivation Techniques

Two experiments were done at Katherine, N.T. to compare the effectiveness of minimum cultivation techniques for establishing both bulrush millet and grain sorghum for stock feed in weedy leys of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis). Measurements were made of crop yield and regeneration and weediness of the swards after cropping. In the first experiment, tyne cultivation ('chisel ploughing') in the dry season was compared with mouldboard ploughing and rotary hoeing in the wet season and with shallow tyne cultivation ('chisel sweeps') in the early wet season. In the second experiment chisel sweeps in the early wet season and chisel ploughing and rotary hoeing in the wet season proper were used. Crops were established in 6-inch drills and 3-feet rows in both experiments. In the first experiment, chisel sweeps gave yields within 14 to 28 per cent of those obtained by mouldboard ploughing or rotary hoeing, and in the second experiment there were no yield differences between cultivation treatments. Climatological data suggest that no difficulty would be encountered in using chisel sweeps at Katherine in at least three years in five. In the first experiment, establishment technique had no effect on crop yield, but in the second seasonal conditions were more favourable and yield in 6-inch drills was higher than in 3-feet rows. Both crop species completely suppressed the ley and in the second experiment, but not the first, Townsville sty10 content in the year following cropping was 23 per cent greater in the cropped compared with the uncropped treatments. Millet produced more dry matter than sorghum (17420 cf. 13120 lb an acre), but the same nitrogen yield (83.4 lb an acre). In millet 1.2 per cent dry matter and 3.2 per cent nitrogen were in the heads, and for sorghum the figures were 24.8 and 53.7. Sorghum appears to have potential as cattle forage.

Herbicides for weed control in grain sorghum crops in the Northern Territory

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (46) ◽  
pp. 588
Author(s):  
IMW Wood
Keyword(s):  
Good Control ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Grain Sorghum ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Grain Yields ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Grass Weed

In experiments conducted in the 1968-69 wet season at the Katherine Research Station, Northern Territory, a number of herbicides gave good control of the grass weed Pennisetum polystachyon in grain sorghum crops. Linuron at 3 lb a.i. an acre and PCP at 20 lb a.i. an acre as pre-emergence applications effectively controlled grasses with no apparent adverse affects on the crop. With both there were significantly higher grain yields than on unweeded control plots containing an average of 1378 lb dry weight of P. polystachyon an acre. Fluometuron at 3 lb a.i. an acre late pre-emergence and early post-emergence and chlorthal at 7 lb a.i. an acre pre-emergence controlled grasses but did not increase grain yields. Further investigations are warranted with these herbicides, as banded applications to the interrow may overcome the apparent problem of crop phytotoxicity. Chlorthal at rates that gave good grass control had no adverse effect on Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis). This could be an important advantage when sorghum is sown in rotation with Townsville stylo pasture or where the crop is undersown with Townsville stylo.

The effect of chisel ploughing and inter-row cultivation on soil water content and yield of bulrush millet (Pennisetum typhoides) at Katherine, N.T

1966 ◽  
Vol 6 (20) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
LJ Phillips ◽  
MJT Norman
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Pennisetum Typhoides ◽  
Nitrogen Yield ◽  
Multifactorial Experiment

A multifactorial experiment comprising combinations of three pre-wet-season chisel ploughing treatments, three wet-season chisel ploughing treatments, and three inter-row cultivation treatments was carried out on bulrush millet (Pennisetum typhoides S. & H.) at Katherine, N.T., in 1963-64, and was repeated in 1964-65. Pre-wet-season ploughing throughout the growth of the nitrogen yield of millet when treatments had very little effect on the dry matter or nitrogen yield of millet crop. Increasing the depth of wet-season ploughing increased the dry matter and sampled at 7 and 12 weeks after sowing, but at the final sampling, 18 weeks after sowing, only the differences in dry matter yield were maintained. Responses in dry matter and nitrogen yield were obtained to one inter-row cultivation, but not to a second. Differences in dry matter yield due to wetseason ploughing and inter-row cultivation were associated with differences in soil water content measured in the 1-4 feet profile in 1964-65.

The effect of time of application of superphosphate on seasonal yield of dry matter from annual pasture

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (57) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
AA McGowan ◽  
IH Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Time Of Application ◽  
Phosphorus Requirement ◽  
June July

The effect of time of application of superphosphate on the dry matter produced from a subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum)annual grass pasture was studied. Treatments involved an annual topdressing of superphosphate, at 125 kg ha-1, in a particular month of the year, for each of the twelve months ; there was also an unfertilized control. In winter, dry matter yield was increased by 350-1190 kg ha-1 when superphosphate was applied at any time of the year. Winter yields were higher after application in January to May (mean 1570 kg ha-1) than in October to December (mean 1190 kg ha-1) or in June-July (mean 1230 kg ha-1). In spring, the greatest increases in dry matter yield were from topdressing in August or September (1600 and 1210 kg ha-1 respectively). Spring yields following application in other months were smaller but usually significantly greater than the yield of unfertilized pasture. The response to autumn application of superphosphate was much greater in winter than in spring. This was not due to a lower phosphorus requirement by the pasture in spring than in winter.

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