Productivity of pasture legumes and chicory in central New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Kemp ◽  
D. L. Michalk ◽  
M. Goodacre
Keyword(s):  
White Clover ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Summer Drought ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales

Seven experiments were established across a range of environments (latitude 33°S) in central New South Wales to evaluate 52 legume cultivars and lines against currently recommended cultivars. Plots were grazed by either sheep or cattle after each harvest. Criteria for inclusion were that lines were either commercially available or in the process of being registered. Three experiments also included chicory. Sites had from 600 to 900 mm annual rainfall and were at altitudes of 440–1000 m. The 4-year program included the dry summer of 1990–91. White clover and subterranean clover were the most productive species over time. Among subterranean clovers, the subspecies subterraneum cultivars were more productive than the yanninicum or brachycalycinum subspecies. Other species such as balansa, Persian, strawberry, red and crimson clovers, lotus major and murex medic were more variable in production. These legumes often grew well in the establishment year, but failed to persist. Lucerne was in general, not as productive as white or subterranean clover. Caucasian clover and yellow serradella should be evaluated further as conclusive judgements could not be formed. Chicory was often the most productive species in the experiments, especially over the warmer 6 months of the year. It persisted under a 6-week harvest regime and during the drought year. The newer subterranean clover cultivars, Leura, Goulburn and Denmark all exceeded the production from the previously recommended cultivars, Woogenellup and Karridale, even though no major disease was evident in the later group. The lines 89820D and 89841E were sufficiently productive to warrant further evaluation and possible development as cultivars. In contrast, while Huia, Tahora, Bonadino and Tamar were often as productive as the recommended white clover cultivar Haifa, they were not consistently better. Where summer rainfall occurs and the annual rainfall exceeds 650 mm, the greater potential yield of white clover compared with subterranean clover justifies its use. However, no white clover cultivars survived the summer drought in 1990–91 as intact plants. Further work is needed to develop more drought-tolerant cultivars.

Responses of pasture legumes to zinc on calcareous soils in the Riverina, New South Wales

1962 ◽  
Vol 2 (7) ◽  
pp. 228 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Kleinig ◽  
J Loveday
Keyword(s):  
White Clover ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Calcareous Soils ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Barrel Medic ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Better Than

The low availability of zinc on a number of calcareous grey and brown soils of heavy texture with pH>8, in the Coleambally Irrigation and Balranald areas of New South Wales, resulted in marked deficient symptoms in, and responses to zinc by, Bacchus Marsh subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean L.), grown on these soils. An interaction between zinc and manganese occurred but there was no yield advantage in applying manganese in place of, or together with, zinc. Healthy subterranean clover grew on the surface soil (0-4 in.) of Yooroobla clay, a gilgai puff, but plants on the subsoil, which is exposed when the soil is leveled for irrigation, were extremely, zinc deficient. The pH of the subsoil is generally about 0.5 units higher than that of the surface soil. Legume species and strains differed in their response to zinc. Ladino white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Clare subterranean clover responded less to applied zinc than Bacchus Marsh subterranean clover, and barrel medic 173 (Medicago tribuloides Desr.) responded less than Ladino white clover. When no zinc was applied barrel medic 173 yielded better than Ladino white clover, and Ladino white clover and Clare subterranean clover better than Bacchus Marsh subterranean clover.

Survey of the productivity, composition and estimated inputs of fixed nitrogen by pastures in central-western New South Wales

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Bowman ◽  
W. Smith ◽  
M. B. Peoples ◽  
J. Brockwell
Keyword(s):  
White Clover ◽  
N2 Fixation ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
New South ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Legume Species ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
South Wales

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.

Studies of soil seedbanks in native and sown pastures in northern New South Wales

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Soil Core ◽  
Phalaris Aquatica ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Native Pasture

Total and germinable soil seedbanks (litter and soil) were studied for a native pasture and three sown pastures (dominated by Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirosa) in northern New South Wales from 1993 to 1996. Soil core samples were taken from continuously grazed plots for both pasture types and two oversown treatments in the native pasture and from a spring-autumn rest treatment at the sown pasture sites. At each site above ground herbage mass was also estimated regularly as part of the Temperate Pasture Sustainability Key Program. For all sites and treatments, the proportion of germinable seeds as a percentage of the total (dormant and germinable) seedbank ranged from 1–26% for the native pasture and 1–39% for the sown pastures. Germinable seed numbers ranged from 280 to 26,110 seeds per m2, while total seedbank numbers were from 6700 to 178,360 seeds per m2. Native pasture herbage mass was dominated by native perennial grasses, but seeds of these species were less than 20% of the total seed bank in all treatments in 1994 and 1995. At the sown pasture sites, most of the germinable (51–92%) and total (65–97%) seedbanks were either barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv, annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin), subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) or wireweed (Polygonum aviculare L.). Since seeds of annuals and other forbs generally dominated both the total and germinable seedbanks of these perennial grass-based pastures, these species were likely to increase over time. Seeds of the sown perennial grass Phalaris aquatica L, cv. Sirosa were less than 1% of the total seedbanks in pastures sown in 1990 and less than 3% of those sown in 1979. With above average summer rainfall at the native pasture site in 1996 and prolific growth of redgrass, seeds of this species were 38–63% of the total and 11–29% of the germinable seedbank in May 1996. Except at this site and time, the species composition of the total and germinable seedbanks did not generally reflect the dominance of the above ground herbage mass of these pastures by perennial grasses.

Effects of waterlogging and soil salinity on irrigated agriculture in the Murray Valley: a review

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 761 ◽  
Author(s):  
AM Grieve ◽  
E Dunford ◽  
D Marston ◽  
RE Martin ◽  
P Slavich
Keyword(s):  
Soil Salinity ◽  
White Clover ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Deep Drainage ◽  
Winter Cereals ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Loss Coefficients

A physical model was used to assess the effects of surface waterlogging and soil salinity on the productivity of winter cereals and irrigated dairy pastures on irrigation farms in the Berriquin and Wakool Irrigation Districts of the Murray Valley region of New South Wales. Parameters describing the physical properties of major soil types were combined with statistically derived estimates of rainfall excess over evapotranspiration to establish the incidence of waterlogging. Soils predisposed to waterlogging occupy 150000 ha of Berriquin District (45% of District) and 24 800 ha of Wakool District (73%). Estimates of yield losses from waterlogging ranged from 12.5% in annual subterranean clover-based pastures, 20% in winter cereals, to 25% for perennial ryegrass-white clover pastures. The relationships between yield and soil salinity were determined for barley, wheat, white clover, subterranean clover, and irrigated annual and perennial pastures growing under existing management practices in shallow watertable areas of the 2 Districts. Response functions were applied to soil salinity frequency distributions to derive production loss coefficients. Surveys showed that average soil salinities were lower in Berriquin than in Wakool. In 1984, 43% the soils in shallow watertable areas of Berriquin could be classed as saline, whereas, in 1982 the corresponding figure for Wakool was 72%. A further survey taken in 1984, 2 years after the inception of a deep drainage scheme, showed that saline soils in Wakool had decreased to 46% of the total area.We assessed economic losses associated with soil salinity and waterlogging by applying the derived loss coefficients to achievable yields for known production areas. Total annual losses for the 2 Districts exceeded $A13 million, or 16% of the 1984 value of the District's agricultural production. This figure underestimates real losses because we excluded livestock enterprises other than dairying, as well as summer cropping, from the study. Losses due to waterlogging ($A10 million overall) were more serious than those due to soil salinity (nearly $A4 million), particularly in Berriquin where shallow watertables were less extensive. In Wakool, 2 years' operation of the deep drainage scheme reduced losses due to soil salinity by $A750 000.Thus surface waterlogging and soil salinity cause serious economic losses in the irrigated areas of southern New South Wales. Research into appropriate techniques for on-farm irrigation management may reduce these losses, and delay further development of shallow watertables and soil salinisation, with sub of stantial economic and environmental benefits.

Evaluation of annual pasture legumes in northern New South Wales. 2. Trifolium and Medicago spp. and other legumes

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 563 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
S. Harden
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Smoothing Splines ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Annual Medicago

Two studies to evaluate annual pasture legumes were sown in replicated plots near Tamworth, New South Wales. In the first (experiment 1), 24 entries were sown in 1995 and in a second study (experiment 2) 33 entries were sown in 1996. Green herbage mass (kg DM/ha) was assessed in the year of sowing (spring) and thereafter four times per year until spring 2000. Limited data were also collected to estimate maturity grading, seed yield and seedling regeneration. For each experiment, green herbage mass data were examined using cubic smoothing splines and at the end of each study, green herbage mass values predicted from the model were used to assess the significance (P = 0.05) of differences between cultivars or lines. In spring 2000 (experiment 1), Trifolium subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare had the highest rank of the cultivars and lines, and T. michelianum cv. Paradana the lowest (previously cultivated site). For the native pasture site, CPI 70056B subterranean clover had the highest rank and Ornithopus compressus cv. Paros the lowest. In experiment 2, Clare had the highest rank in spring 2000 and T. resupinatum cv. Bolta had the lowest ranking. Long-term green herbage mass appeared to be strongly influenced by maturity grading, but other factors may have affected the performance of annual Medicago spp., O. compressus, T. resupinatum, and T. michelianum. Results from the current study and previous reported research indicated that T. subterraneum var. subterraneum cvv. York (evaluated as CPI 89846B) and Junee and T. subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare performed best in northern New South Wales.

Evaluation of pasture legumes sown into a prepared seedbed at Tamworth, New South Wales. 1. Dry matter yield

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 287 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Lodge ◽  
BR Cullis ◽  
SM Welsby
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Relative Yield ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Green Material ◽  
Annual Legumes ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales

The potential dry matter production in autumn, winter, and spring of 15 annual and 7 perennial pasture legumes was assessed in ungrazed plots at Tamworth on the Northern Slopes of New South Wales. Seed was sown into a prepared seedbed, and dry matter yield was estimated on 24 occasions from August 1983 to November 1987. The presence of green material at each sampling time. and the actual and total dry matters, were examined. Among the annual legumes, the highest proportion of plots presenting dry matter at all sampling times, and the highest total yields, were found for Trifolium hirtum cv. Hykon (rose clover), T. subterraneum var. subterraneum cvv. Seaton Park and Woogenellup, T. subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare (subterranean clovers), and Medicago aculeata (CPI No. 19416). The highest proportion of bare plots and the lowest dry matter yields were found for local ecotypes of the naturalised legumes T. glomeratum, M. minima and M. polymorpha, Astragalus hamosus cv. Ioman (milk vetch), and T. subterraneum var. subterraneum cv. Nungarin. After October (day 300) in 1983-87 the proportions of plots with >10 kg/ha of dry matter present as green material were Clare 85%; Hykon 78%; Woogenellup 74%; M. aculeata, Seaton Park, and Vicia villosa var. dasycalpa cv. Namoi (woolly pod vetch) 67%; M. scutellata cv. Sava (snail medic) 56%; and M. truncatula cv. Sephi (barrel medic) 52%. Total annual yields of Nungarin were often lower than those of the other subterranean clovers, with Clare having the highest yield in each year. Cumulative yields of Namoi declined markedly after 1985, while those of T. lairtum cv. Hykon increased. Little or no linear relationship was found between maturity grading and the relative yield of the annual legumes, although 4 of the 6 highest yielding legumes were late maturing. Among the perennials, yields of M. sativa cv. Pioneer 581 (lucerne) were above average in 1984-87. Lucerne cv. Pioneer 581 produced more dry matter over 5 years than Onobrychis viciifolia cv. Eski (sainfoin), but about the same amount as O. viciifolia cvv. Othello and Remont. Sainfoin production was high in the first 2 years of the experiment, but lower towards the end. The poor performance of T. repens cvv. Haifa and Huia (white clover) was attributed to high temperatures and low effective rainfall in summer. From these data, 5 annuals (Seaton Park, Woogenellup, Clare, Hykon, and M. aculeata) and lucerne show the most potential for sowing as ley pasture in the low elevation, summer rainfall environments of the Northern Slopes of New South Wales.

Evaluation of legumes for use in short-term leys and natural pastures on the northern slopes of New South Wales

1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (112) ◽  
pp. 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Archer
Keyword(s):  
White Clover ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The North ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Good Potential

A range of temperate legumes was evaluated for winter and spring production for use as either short-term ley pastures, or, when sown from the air, as introduced species into natural pastures on the higher northern slopes of New South Wales. The species were evaluated with and without the annual application of a compound phosphorus and sulfur fertilizer in four experiments from 1975 to 1978. Haifa white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Haifa) was generally the most productive and persistent species with dry matter production in winter and spring ranging from 21 30 to 3600 kg/ha when sown into prepared seedbeds. In natural pastures with applied fertilizer, yields of Haifa ranged from 100 kg/ha in a dry year to 5000 kg/ha. Other persistent species in both ley and natural pastures were Namoi woolly pod vetch (Vicia dasycarpa cv. Namoi) (1110-3520 kg/ha and 470-3350 kg/ha, respectively) and Hunter River lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Hunter River) (1290-2500 kg/ha and 480-2350 kg/ha, respectively). These were the only species to establish themselves satisfactorily in the natural pastures. Other species that showed good potential for ley pastures were Hamua red clover (T. pratense cv. Grasslands Hamua), Clare subterranean clover (T. subterraneum cv. Clare) and Kondinin rose clover (T. hirtum cv. Kondinin), but further evaluation of these legumes is required. The barrel medics were productive in their establishment year averaging 2560 kg/ha dry matter but mean yields in subsequent years were less than 100 kg/ha due to poor regeneration. The natural pastures needed fertilizer to ensure adequate levels of production from the sown legumes. In the ley pastures, a response occurred only in the second year of one experiment. The natural species did not respond to fertilizer. It is concluded that Haifa white clover, woolly pod vetch and lucerne offer significant potential for use in both ley and natural pastures on the north-western slopes

Control of Amsinckia hispida and Juncus bufonius (toadrush) with herbicides

1983 ◽  
Vol 23 (120) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
JE Pratley
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
The Other ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South Wales

The control by herbicides of an infestation of Amsinckia hispida and toadrush (Juncus bufonius) in wheat was investigated at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, during 1979 and 1980. Bromoxynil, bromoxynil+MCPA, terbutryne and methabenzthiazuron+2,4-D were used in both years, dicamba+MCPA in 1979, and dicamba and experimental herbicide DPX4189 (GleanTM�) in 1980. All herbicides reduced weed densities and improved crop yields. Terbutryne gave greatest control of weed populations, in excess of 98% in both years. Grain yield was more than doubled in each case. GleanTM produced the highest grain yield in 1980 although weed control was not as good as from some other herbicides. However, the undersown pasture legumes, particularly subterranean clover, had poorer survival from this herbicide. Dicamba and dicamba+MCPA were inferior to the other chemicals in the control of these weeds.

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.

Characterisation of naturalised strains of Trifolium subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare in northern New South Wales

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Lodge
Keyword(s):  
Seed Weight ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Median Number ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Floral Characters ◽  
Number Of Seeds

Burrs were collected from paddocks on 3 properties in northern New South Wales where the age of the Trifolium subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare swards varied from 19 to 28 years. At 1 site burrs were also sampled from swards sown 2 and 10 years previously. Twenty seedlings from these burrs and 20 plants of certified cv. Clare were grown as spaced plants in a nursery. These were assessed for vegetative and floral characters, flowering time, number of seeds per burr, seed weight, and percentage hardseed after storage at 25/25�C for 6 months and 25/45�C for a further 6 months. For most plants the mean number of days from sowing to first flower was similar to that of Clare. Compared with the naturalised strains, Clare had the lowest (P<0.05) mean number of seeds per burr: about 25% below the mean of the strains (2.7 seeds per burr). While the lowest mean seed weights of the strains were not significantly different from those of Clare, the seed weights of plants from 3 sites were higher (P<0.05) than those of Clare. After storage for either 6 or 12 months, hardseed levels were also lowest (P<0.05) for Clare. Plants from the 2-year-old sward had the same median number of seeds per burr (2.0) as Clare. As sward age increased, the median number of seeds per burr increased to 2.8. Hardseed percentages were lowest for plants of Clare and for those from the 2-year-old sward after 6 months, and for Clare after 12 months. These studies indicated the presence of divergent strains in old swards of Clare in a summer rainfall environment. Natural selection among variability within Clare is the most likely reason for the development of these strains in an environment marginal for the long-term persistence of this softseeded cultivar. Although strains had the same vegetative and floral markings as Clare, differences in ecologically important characters such as number of seeds per burr, seed weight, and hardseededness may result in plants that are better adapted to the environment in which they evolved. From these studies 23 plants of T. subterraneum var. brachycalycinum were selected for further evaluation.

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