Persistence and productivity of ten perennial Urochloa genotypes with Stylosanthes species in far north Queensland

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 567
Author(s):  
P Anning ◽  
RK Shepherd ◽  
RW Walker ◽  
DC Crowther

Ten perennial accessions of 4 Urochloa species and Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk were sown with a mixture of Stylosanthes species at 6 sites in north Queensland's dry tropics to measure their persistence, productivity and compatibility with legumes. Out of a total of 8 sowings, as 2 sites were resown, grasses failed to establish at all but 3 sites, and at 1 of these, on a sandy soil, they failed to persist. At the remaining 2 sites (Southedge and Boomerang), 4 years after sowing, all sown species were present as dense, weed-free stands averaging 61 and 37% sown grass and 20 and 38% legume by weight. Legume made up a higher proportion of dry matter yield late in the wet season than at the beginning of the wet season. Yield of Basilisk was above average at 9 of the 12 harvests at these 2 sites, while U. mosambicensis CPI 46876 and U. oligotricha CPI 47122 were each always above average at 1 of the sites. Legume yield was not related to sown grass. Yield of green leaf by sown grasses in spring was related to crown density rather than to genotype.

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 544 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips

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.


1966 ◽  
Vol 6 (20) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
LJ Phillips ◽  
MJT Norman

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.


1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 203 ◽  
Author(s):  
JJ Mott

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.


1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (68) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
RL McCown ◽  
P Gillard ◽  
LA Edye

Dry matter yield of three vegetation-fertilizer combinations was found to be closely related to actual evapotranspiration estimated using simple water balance model. Cumulative actual evapotranspiration was estimated for each of 69 years of rainfall records and a description of annual variation in yields obtained using yield/actual evapotranspiration regressions.


2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 2598-2603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisângela Dupas ◽  
Salatiér Buzetti ◽  
André Luis Sarto ◽  
Fernando Braz Tangerino Hernandez ◽  
Antonio Fernando Bergamaschine

The aim of this study was to evaluate dry matter yield and nutritional value of palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) using nitrogen doses and sprinkler irrigation in two periods of the year, aiming at reducing seasonality of forage production. It was used a randomized block design in a split-plot scheme, with five doses of nitrogen (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha/cut), and the sub-plots were defined by the seasons of the year (wet and dry season), with and without irrigation. During the wet season, in the plots with and without irrigation, doses of 175 and 161 kg/ha/cut promoted the highest dry matter yields. During the dry season, 171 kg ha-1N with irrigation resulted in the highest dry matter yield. During the same season, there was no response to N fertilization in the lack of irrigation. Average contents of CP were 10% with and without irrigation. Contents of neutral detergent fiber decreased with nitrogen doses, while acid detergent fiber was not affected by fertilization. Plots under irrigation reached the maximal acid detergent fiber content at N dose of 60 kg ha-1. Irrigation promotes increase of 15% increase in dry matter yield and it increases contents of neutral detergent fiber.


1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 710 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt Watter ◽  
Greg S. Baxter ◽  
Anthony Pople ◽  
Peter J. Murray

Chital deer (Axis axis) are an ungulate species introduced to northern Queensland, Australia, in an environment where land is managed for large scale cattle production. Rainfall and pasture growth are markedly seasonal and cattle experience a nutritional shortfall each year before monsoon rain. The presence of chital is perceived by land managers to reduce dry-season grass availability and this study sought to estimate the potential effect of free-living chital on regional cattle production. Diet overlap was greatest during the wet season when both ungulates principally consumed grass, and least during the dry season when chital diet comprised only ~50% grass. Using local estimates for energy values of wet and dry season grass, and the maintenance energy requirements of chital and cattle, we estimated the relative dry-matter seasonal grass intakes of both ungulates. The grass consumed annually by 100 chital could support an additional 25 cattle during the wet season and an additional 14 cattle during the dry season.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Degife Asefa Zebire ◽  
Gerba Daba Hirpa

Determining the effect of sowing density is crucial for good tillering and production of dry matter yield of green manure crops. An experiment was to determine the effect of sowing density on tiller number, total dry matter yield production and ground cover by green leaf blades of two green manure crops namely winter rye and lolium. Split-plot design was used with a green manure crop as a main factor and sowing density as a sub-plot factor with six blocks in 3 different sowing densities. An advisable sowing density of 50% and 100% did show a significant difference on the number of tillers for winter rye. Sowing density did show a significant linear effect on ground cover by green leaf blades of the crops. Sowing density showed a significant linear effect on total dry matter yield. To evaluate the effect of environment further investigation would be need.


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