Adaptation of pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides) to coastal New South Wales. 2. Productivity under defoliation

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (65) ◽  
pp. 692 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Ferraris ◽  
MJT Norman

The three pearl millet cultivars, Katherine Pearl, Tamworth and Tiflate, representing mid-season and late-season types, were grown at Camden, New South Wales (34�S). Crops were planted in November and December and subjected to cutting at heights of 10, 30 and 50 cm, at three- and six-weekly intervals, beginning six weeks after sowing. Harvested forage dry matter yield, both total and late-season, was highest under a lenient cutting regime. Late productivity was higher in late maturing varieties. The effect of delayed planting was to increase the yield and quality of late harvests, but not total yield. The yield of the hybrid Tiflate was low. Total harvested forage plus final stubble averaged 11,000 kg ha dry matter for the three cultivars. Forage quality, as assessed by leafiness, protein and organic matter digestibility, was high. With the exception of digestibility, quality was improved by intensive cutting. Late-season digestibility was insensitive to cutting treatment. Varieties differed little in quality attributes. Early dry matter content of all varieties was low, and could adversely affect animal productivity. The results indicated that for the realization of high, well distributed yields concomitant with quality, a tall stubble of about 30 cm, frequently harvested, was desirable. For late productivity, the use of a late-maturing variety can offset the effect of late planting.

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (71) ◽  
pp. 777
Author(s):  
R Ferraris ◽  
MJT Norman ◽  
LK Fussell

Two experiments were carried out at Camden, New South Wales, to compare the productivity under defoliation of an early-maturing (cv. Tamworth) and a late maturing (cv. Katherine Pearl) pearl millet with the sorghum-sudan grass hybrid, Sudax SX-11 A. In experiment 1, harvests were taken at 30 cm stubble height at 3 and 6-week intervals. Total forage dry matter and protein content were similar for all species. Total forage yields were higher and protein content was lower with the 6-week cutting interval. In experiment 2, cutting frequency was kept constant at 3-week intervals, while cutting height was maintained at a. 30 cm and b. above the average apical meristem height until booting and then at 30 cm. Total forage dry matter yields were highest for Sudax and lowest for Tamworth. Regrowth yields generally declined with time, though for Katherine Pearl a relatively high late-season yield was harvested from cutting treatment b. Protein content was maintained at reasonable levels at all harvests. Sudax foliage generally had the highest protein content. Estimated in vivo organic matter digestibility values were little affected by cultivar or cutting regime but showed severe mid-season depression. A significant negative association of digestibility with mean minimum temperature during the regrowth period was noted (r = -0.81 3). In both experiments, the removal of apical meristems reduced the amount of regrowth. Sudax was less susceptible to decapitation because of the substantial contribution of secondary tillers to regrowth.


1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (45) ◽  
pp. 415 ◽  
Author(s):  
PT Mears ◽  
B Barkus

The nutrient requirements of Glycine wightii CV. Clarence were investigated on a krasnozem soil near Lismore, New South Wales. Glycine responded to molybdenum, phosphorus, sulphur, and lime when grown in glasshouse pots. Applied in combination, these nutrients increased dry matter yield of plant tops by a factor 2.4 and nitrogen yield by 3.9. A positive interaction between molybdenum and phosphorus was recorded. Growth of plant tops, roots, and nitrogen yield continued to increase in response to molybdenum applied at 0, 1.6, and 3.2 oa an acre. The lime X molybdenum interaction was negative, but lime increased dry matter yield of glycine in the presence of adequate molybdenum. When glycine was sown with Setaria anceps CV. Kazungula in the field, maximum response of glycine was obtained in the following season, by applying molybdenurr, at 6.5 oz and superphosphate at 8 hundredweight an acre at sowing. The response to fertilizer by glycine was not reflected in total yield of the pasture, due to the low proportion (14 per cent) of the legume in the sward. Glycine contributed only 15 lb of nitrogen an acre to the total sward yield of 85 lb an acre over fourteen months. The effect of the nutrient constituents of molybdenixed superphosphate, the problem of grass dominance and other factors were discussed in relation to the low dry matter and nitrogen yields of glycine grown on krasnoxem soil.


1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (65) ◽  
pp. 685 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Ferraris ◽  
MJT Norman ◽  
AC Andrews

The adaptation of pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides) as a summer forage crop to coastal New South Wales was assessed at Camden (latitude 34�S). Spaced plants of 20 strains, including openpollinated and hybrid types, commercial cultivars and advanced breeding lines, were grown in a time of planting-time of harvest experiment. Only data from the five commercial cultivars are presented. The growth pattern and productivity of three of these cultivars were measured in a second experiment at normal plant spacing. In experiment 1, with planting dates from November 23 to February 14, all cultivars showed a reduction in time to early flowering with later planting. Two maturity groups were recognised: mid-season (cultivars Tamworth, Yates Hybrid and Mx 001) and late-season (Ingrid Pearl and Katherine Pearl). The late cultivars did not differ in yielding ability from the mid-season cultivars, but had fewer tillers, higher leaf content and slightly higher protein content in both experiments. In experiment 1, later planting reduced dry matter yield and tiller number. Relative growth rate in the early reproductive phase of later types, but not that of midseason types, was positively related to length of day. In experiment 2, sown January 25 in 0.5 m rows, Katherine Pearl, Ingrid Pearl and Tamworth all yielded approximately 12,000 kg ha-1 dry matter at 12 weeks from sowing. A maximum growth rate of 37.9 g m - 2 day-1, representing 8.1 per cent utilisation of visible radiation, was achieved with Tamworth between six and eight weeks from sowing. From these preliminary experiments it was concluded that pearl millet satisfied basic performance criteria and justified further study as a potential forage crop for the region.


1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (77) ◽  
pp. 795 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Thompson

A range of temperate annual and perennial legumes, naturalized or commonly sown in the area, was examined at three field sites in low fertility soils derived from granite on the south western slopes of the New England Region, New South Wales. They were compared over a four year period in terms of their persistence, dry matter and nitrogen production and their compatibility with associated temperate perennial grasses, The response of sown grass to nitrogen fertilizer application was also examined in the absence of legume. Ten legumes were examined at one site and six of these at the other two sites. In general, nitrogen yields were ranked similarly to total dry matter yields of all treatments, including grasses in the absence of legume. However, the legumes were ranked differently in terms of productivity of the legume component and productivity of associated grass. At all sites lucerne gave the highest yields of total dry matter and of legume and the lowest yield and persistence of associated grass-comparable to grass growing in the absence of legume or applied nitrogen. Subterranean clover was ranked second or third in total dry matter yield, depending on site, but provided the highest yield of associated grasscomparable to grass receiving high levels of applied nitrogen. Under this legume soil nitrogen levels tended to be highest. Rose clover, sown at one site only, yielded more legume dry matter than subterranean clover but grass yield was comparable to that with lucerne. The results suggest that subterranean clover is the superior legume for successful mixed sowings although inclusion of white clover could be justified. Lucerne appears to be best sown as a pure sward.


1971 ◽  
Vol 11 (50) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Murtagh

The effectiveness of chemical seedbed preparation for sod-sown oats was studied using varying intervals between spraying and sowing. Four herbicides were compared in a second experiment. Both experiments were conducted on paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) dominant pastures on red basaltic soil on the North Coast of New South Wales. Herbicides were most effective when applied at 6.7 kg acid equivalent a hectare. At this rate, the highest yields of dry matter and nitrogen were obtained when there was a three-week interval and considerably less when there was no interval. A mixture of 2,2-DPA (2,2-dichloropropionic acid) and amitrole (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) was more effective than 2,2-DPA alone with a three-week spraying interval but there was no difference with a six-week interval. Both amitrole and a mixture of amitrole and ammonium thiocyanate were ineffective for chemical seedbed preparation on paspalum pastures;


1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
PG Tow

The persistence and water use efficiency of Digitaria eriantha spp. eriantha and Hunter river lucerne were compared on red solodic soil with a hardsetting surface and poor internal drainage, on the North- West Slopes of New South Wales. After prolonged watering, the profile was wet to a depth of 48 � 1.5 cm, with an available moisture store of 90 mm. Over 3 years, persistence of digitaria was excellent. The population of lucerne was reduced following flooding at summer temperatures, Dry matter production of nitrogen (N) fertilised digitaria per mm warm season rainfall was similar to that of tropical grasses adapted to comparable rainfall environments in subtropical Queensland. Lucerne dry matter per mm rainfall was only about half that of digitaria (3.2 v. 6.3 kg). Lucerne grew well in mixture with digitaria except under prolonged wet soil conditions in summer. Artificial solodic profiles were constructed in the glasshouse to compare digitaria and lucerne in monoculture and mixture under varying temperature, moisture, and N regimes. Lucerne showed sensitivity to both high and low moisture levels at summer temperatures but performed very well at spring temperatures and moderate moisture levels where the mean evapotranspiration ratio was 400 g water per g dry matter. Water use efficiency was higher in digitaria than in lucerne, except at spring temperatures without added N. Water use efficiency of the mixture was always similar to that of the most efficient monoculture of the particular treatment.


2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Bowman ◽  
W. Smith ◽  
M. B. Peoples ◽  
J. Brockwell

Total productivity and legume nitrogen fixation (N2 fixation) in dryland pastures were examined in a 2 year study (1999–2001) on 118 farms in central-western New South Wales. Pasture exclosure cages, placed at 217 on-farm sites, were harvested on 7 occasions and the foliage hand-sorted according to species in order to measure shoot dry matter (DM). The separated legume shoot material collected in spring 1999 (52 different legume samples) and 2000 (76 different legume samples) from a subset of representative pastures (41 cages on 28 different farms in 1999, 32 cages on 25 different farms in 2000) was also analysed for concentration of nitrogen (%N) and 15N natural abundance. These data were subsequently used to calculate the proportion of the legume shoot N derived from atmospheric N (%Ndfa), comparative measures of the relative efficiency of N2 fixation (kg N fixed/t DM accumulated) and the amounts of shoot N fixed (kg N/ha). The survey encompassed 8 common pasture types, and 5 others that were less common, ranging from native perennial grass pastures with little legume content to lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) pastures with and without companion clovers. Fifteen legume species were found in the pastures, some only occasionally. Lucerne and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) were the only perennials. Mean spring estimates of %Ndfa were similar in 1999 and 2000 for lucerne (72 and 81%, respectively), rose clover (T. hirtum All., 82 and 77%) and annual medics (Medicago spp., 89 and 86%). For the remaining 12 legume species, measures of %Ndfa ranged from 64 to 95% and averaged 83%. Shoot %N contents were greater for lucerne than for the other 14 legumes and this was reflected in the comparative measures of N2 fixation which ranged from 14.5 kg N/t DM for rose clover to 25.7 kg N/t DM for lucerne in 2000. The most productive pasture type comprised lucerne plus balansa clover [T. michelianum Savi var. balansae (Boiss.) Azn.], white clover or arrowleaf clover (T. vesiculosum Savi), but all pasture types that contained lucerne were highly productive. Spring was the most productive season and summer the least. Lucerne was overwhelmingly the most productive legume and was responsible for >83% of the fixed N in those pastures that contained both lucerne and other legumes. Lucerne productivity was approximately uniform throughout the year whereas, for other pastures, especially those based on rose clover or subterranean clover (T. subterraneum L.), there were sharp peaks in spring and little or no dry matter production over summer. The presence of lucerne in pastures significantly (P<0.05) reduced broadleaf weeds. It was concluded that, where there are requirements in central-western New South Wales agriculture for uniform forage production throughout the year and a high input of fixed N, lucerne is substantially superior to other species.


1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 639 ◽  
Author(s):  
PL Milthorpe ◽  
PR Dann

In 1985, experiments were conducted at 4 localities in south-eastern and central New South Wales, to assess the production potential of tagasaste. The results were disappointing: 2 experiments failed to establish because of soil waterlogging, while production from the other 2 sites was only intermittent. Annual dry matter production did not exceed 3 t/ha at Condobolin or 5 t/ha at Yass. Although survival of established plants was good, production was limited by prolonged dry periods at Condobolin and by low temperatures during winter at Yass. Tagasaste is costly to establish (up to $A500/ha) and difficult to manage. In our environments, conventional pastures or fodder crops which require simpler management would probably out-produce tagasaste at most times during the experimental period.


1984 ◽  
Vol 24 (125) ◽  
pp. 236
Author(s):  
GK McDonald ◽  
BG Sutton ◽  
FW Ellison

Three winter cereals (wheat varieties Songlen and WW 15, triticale variety Satu) were grown after cotton or summer fallow under three levels of applied nitrogen (0, 100 and 200 kg N/ha) at Narrabri, New South Wales. The cereals were sown on August 7, 1980 and growing season rainfall was supplemented by a single irrigation. Leaf area, total shoot dry matter production and ears per square metre were lower after cotton than after summer fallow, while grain yields of cereals sown immediately after cotton were 33% lower than those sown after fallow. Adding nitrogen increased leaf area, dry matter and grain yields of crops grown after cotton and fallow, but significant increases were not obtained with more than 100 kg/ha of applied nitrogen. Crops grown after cotton required an application of 100 kg N/ha for leaf and dry matter production at anthesis to equal that of crops grown after fallow with no additional nitrogen. The corresponding cost to grain yield of growing cotton was equivalent to 200 kg N/ha. The low grain yield responses measured in this experiment (1 8 and 10% increase to 100 kg N/ha after cotton and fallow, respectively) were attributed to the combined effects of late sowing, low levels of soil moisture and loss, by denitrification, of some of the applied nitrogen. The triticale, Satu, yielded significantly less than the two wheats (1 99 g/m2 for Satu c.f. 255 and 286 g/m2 for Songlen and WW 15, respectively), and did not appear to be a viable alternative to wheat in a cotton rotation.


1979 ◽  
Vol 19 (99) ◽  
pp. 437 ◽  
Author(s):  
AC Andrews ◽  
FC Crofts

Four ecotypes of hybrid Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) were compared with common couch (C. dactylon) and kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) at five sites in coastal districts of New South Wales. The sites were Grafton and Coaldale (Lat. 30�S), Mitchells Island (Lat. 32�S) and Richmond and Badgerys Creek (Lat. 34�S). Hybrid Bermudagrass ecotypes 6389 and 692 were established quickly at all sites while ecotypes 71 9 and 632 were satsifactory. Kikuyu was strong at all sites except Grafton but the rate of establishment of common couch was poor. At the frost-free sandy site of Mitchells Island, Bermudagrass ecotypes 719, 692, 6389, and 632 outyielded kikuyu by 75, 65, 65 and 35%, respectively. However, at Grafton and Coaldale, the highest yielding Bermudagrass ecotype, 719, had only 35% higher production than kikuyu. At the frost prone southern sites of Richmond and Badgerys Creek, the annual production of kikuyu was equal to that of ecotypes 719, 6389, 692 and 632. Common couch yields were equal to kikuyu at all sites except at Richmond. At Mitchells Island, the hybrid Bermudagrasses outyielded kikuyu in spring, summer and early autumn but in the late autumn kikuyu had equal and sometimes higher growth rates than the best Bermudagrasses. In winter, the growth of both species was negligible, although kikuyu, unlike the Bermudagrasses, did produce some new shoots at the base of the sward. Data on persistence under grazing were collected from only three of the sites but trends were similar to establishment. Ecotype 6389 had the highest persistence rating of the Bermudagrasses. Kikuyu failed at the poorly drained sandy site of Grafton but remained strong at the other sites. It was concluded that hybrid Bermudagrasses were of potential value for pastures in New South Wales, especially for sites with sandy soils and low frost incidence.


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