Yield responses to lime of phalaris, cocksfoot, and annual pastures in north-eastern Victoria

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
AM Ridley ◽  
DR Coventry

Yield responses of 3 mixed grass-clover pastures [Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirosa (phalaris), Dactylis glomerata cv. Porto (cocksfoot), and annual grass based Trifolium subterraneum L. cv. Trikkala (subterranean clover) pastures] were measured over 5 soil pH treatments at 2 sites in Victoria. One site (Beechworth) was strongly acidic [pH(CaCl2) < 4.21 to a depth of 40 cm and contained high concentrations of soil aluminium (Al). At the other site (Lake Rowan), yield responses to lime application had been measured previously, but only in Al-sensitive wheat cultivars. At Beechworth, pasture yield responses to lime were not consistent but. when observed. occurred in autumn and winter in all 3 pasture types. Phalaris pastures showed yield increases more often than cocksfoot and annual pastures. Low magnesium and calcium concentrations may have limited dry matter production, although yields were reasonable on all treatments. Where lime was applied, growth responses may have been due to alleviation of Al toxicity. At Beechworth, pasture yield was increased where lime increased pH from 4.2 to 4.6 and decreased soil Al (measured in 10 mmol CaCl2/L) from 11 to <3 �g/g soil. Herbage manganese concentrations were not high in phalaris and subterranean clover, and cocksfoot manganese standards were not available. At Lake Rowan (pH 4.7, Al <1 �g/g), no growth responses to lime were seen in any pasture treatment, and annual grass based pastures sometimes had higher yields than phalaris and cocksfoot pastures. On strongly acidic soils such as at Beechworth, incorporation of lime prior to pasture establishment should be considered. Perennial grasses may reduce further soil degradation through acidification. Soil A1 concentrations are commonly lower in ley-cropping areas, and the inclusion of perennial grasses in ley pastures requires further evaluation.


2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge

Seedlings of 3 perennial grasses, Danthonia linkii Kunthcv. Bunderra, D. richardsonii Cashmore cv. Taranna(wallaby grasses), and Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirosa,were each grown in replacement series mixtures with seedlings ofTrifolium repens L. (white clover),Trifolium subterraneum L. var. brachycalycinum (Katzn.et Morley) Zorahy & Heller cv. Clare (subterraneanclover), and Lolium rigidum L. (annual ryegrass). Plantswere sown 5 cm apart in boxes (45 by 29 by 20 cm) at a density of 307plants/m2. Maximum likelihood estimates were usedto derive parameters of a non-linear competition model using the dry matterweights of perennial grasses and competitors at 3 harvests, approximately 168,216, and 271 days after sowing. Intra-plant competition was examined inmonocultures of each species, grown at plant spacings of 2, 5, and 8 cm apartwith plants harvested at the above times.Competition occurred in all perennial grass–competitor mixtures, exceptin those of each perennial grass with white clover and thephalaris–subterranean clover mixture (Harvest 1) and those withD. richardsonii and phalaris grown with white clover(Harvest 2). For D. richardsonii (Harvests 1 and 2) andD. linkii (Harvest 1 only) grown with white clover andthe phalaris–subterranean clover (Harvest 1), the two species in themixture were not competing. In the phalaris–white clover mixture, eachspecies was equally competitive (Harvests 1 and 2). These differences incompetition and aggressiveness reflected differences in individual plantweights in monocultures where there was an effect (P < 0.05) of species ondry matter weight per box, but no significant effect of plant spacing.These data indicated that for successful establishment,D. richardsonii and D. linkiishould not be sown in swards with either subterranean clover or white clover,or where populations of annual ryegrass seedlings are likely to be high.Phalaris was more compatible with both white clover and subterranean clover,but aggressively competed with by annual ryegrass.



1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 683 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. S. Dear ◽  
P. S. Cocks

Subterranean clover seedling numbers and growth in swards containing 1 of 5 perennial pasture species [phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) cv. Sirolan, cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) cv. Currie, lucerne (Medicago sativa) cv. Aquarius, wallaby grass (Danthonia richardsonii) cv. Taranna, and lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) cv. Consol] were compared with those in typical annual pastures and pure clover swards in the wheatbelt of eastern Australia. Presence of a perennial species or the volunteer annual grass (Eragrostis cilianensis) increased the rate of drying of the soil surface (0–5 cm) after late February and May rain, compared with subterranean clover swards. Perennials differed in the rate they dried the soil surface, with the more summer-active lucerne and consul lovegrass drying the profile more rapidly than phalaris. The amount of water in the surface 5 cm, 6 days after the rainfall event on 27–28 February, was strongly negatively correlated (r = –0·75, P < 0·01) with the amount of green perennial biomass, but not related to standing dead material or surface residues. Where perennials were present, a smaller proportion (2–4%) of the clover seed pool produced seedlings in response to late summer rain, compared with pure clover swards (18%). A higher proportion of the seed pool produced seedlings (19–36%) following rain in late autumn but there was no difference between species. The more summer-active perennials (cocksfoot, danthonia, and lucerne) markedly depressed the survival of emerged clover seedlings following both germinations. Of the seedlings that emerged in early March, the proportion remaining by 29 March was 57% in phalaris, 21% in lucerne, 13% in danthonia, and 1% in cocksfoot, compared with a 78% increase in seedlings in pure subterranean clover swards. By 15 May, all perennials had <2 clover seedlings/m2 surviving, compared with 37 in the annual pasture and 964 plants/m2 in pure subterranean clover. Following the May germination, the highest proportion of emerged seedlings surviving until 29 May was in the phalaris swards (40%) and least in the cocksfoot and danthonia swards (2–4%). Presence of a perennial or annual grass decreased (P < 0·05) relative water content of clover seedlings on 15 March from 74% in pure clover swards, to 48% in annual pasture, 34% in phalaris, and 29% in lucerne swards. Clover seedlings growing in pure subterranean swards on 15 March (17 days after germinating rain) were 4 times larger than those in lucerne and twice as large as those in either phalaris or annual pasture. Seed size did not differ between treatments, but available mineral soil nitrogen was significantly higher (P < 0·001) in pure subterranean clover swards (32 mg N/g) compared with perennials (3–13 mg N/g). Strategies such as heavy grazing in late summer to reduce green biomass of the perennials or sowing the perennials at lower densities may reduce the adverse effects that perennials have on subterranean clover seedlings in these drier environments.



1955 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 673 ◽  
Author(s):  
KD McLachlan

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) was grown on 32 virgin soils in pot cultures, and the yield responses to phosphorus, sulphur, and molybdenum were determined for each soil. The soils were collected from a wide area in eastern Australia, extending from south-western Victoria to southern Queensland. Sulphur deficiency occurred almost as frequently as phosphorus deficiency. In fact, 75 per cent. of the soils were deficient in both phosphorus and sulphur. Thirty-one per cent. were deficient in all three elements. The effect of the interaction between the elements on the occurrence and intensity of the deficiencies is shown. Molybdenum responses were obtained only after the other deficiencies had been corrected. A deficiency in one of the elements is no indication of deficiency or sufficiency of either of the other two. There was no correlation between the occurrence or intensity of the deficiencies and the geological origin of the soil parent material, the climate of the regions from which the soils were collected, or such soil characters as colour, organic matter, and texture. Responses to phosphorus were less on the black earths than on the red or yellow podzolic soils; those on the red earths were intermediate. The intensity of sulphur deficiency increased, and the intensity of molybdenum deficiency decreased, with increasing soil pH.



2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. A. Bolland ◽  
Z. Rengel ◽  
L. Paszkudzka-Baizert ◽  
L. D. Osborne

A glasshouse experiment evaluated dried herbage yield responses of dense swards of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum cv. Trikkala) or Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum cv. Aristocrat) to applications of different amounts of lime (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 t lime/ha) to either a loam or a sand. Yields were measured at 4 harvests [29, 51, 86 and 108 days after sowing (DAS)] when ryegrass plants had 3 leaves per tiller. Increasing amounts of lime raised the pH (1: 5, soil: 0.01 mol CaCl2/L) of the loam by 2.7 units and that of the sand by 2.0 units. Applications of lime significantly (P<0.05) increased dry herbage yields, by between 16 and 53%, for: (i) clover on the loam soil at 86 and 108 DAS, and for the sand at 108 DAS; (ii) ryegrass on the loam at 51, 86 and 108 DAS, and on the sand at 108 DAS. Increasing amounts of lime had no effect on the concentration of nutrient elements in dried herbage of either clover or ryegrass, except that the concentration of calcium increased, and the concentration of sodium, manganese and zinc (and boron for ryegrass only) all decreased. Additions of lime had no effect on dry matter digestibility, metabolisable energy, concentration of crude protein or water-soluble carbohydrates in dried herbage at any of the 4 harvests.



1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (57) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
AA McGowan ◽  
IH Cameron

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.



2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 579 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Elliott ◽  
R. J. Abbott

Two series of experiments were conducted in the Mt Lofty Ranges, South Australia, to examine, in a grass–subterranean clover pasture, the contribution of the companion grass to herbage mass and the responsiveness to the application of nitrogen (N) fertiliser. The first study examined the responsiveness, to a single rate of N, of grass–clover pastures containing either Tama ryegrass, sod-sown oats or 1 of 4 perennial grasses, viz. Victorian perennial ryegrass, Demeter fescue, Currie cocksfoot or Australian phalaris. These were compared in 2 experiments, under 3��different cutting frequencies at 3 periods during the growing season. In the other study, consisting of 12�experiments, the response to increasing rate of N fertiliser application of sod-sown oats or the existing pasture were compared over a 3-month period following N fertiliser application in autumn.In autumn and winter, all pastures responded significantly to N fertiliser, whereas in spring, the proportion of clover in each pasture and its growth determined whether or not there was a response to N fertiliser. Clover composition of pastures declined with N application, but clover was not eliminated from swards by application of 210 kg N/ha a year. In both series of experiments, pastures that established well with a high density of sod-sown oats out-yielded all other pastures in autumn and winter, whether the swards were unfertilised or received regular N fertiliser applications. In late winter, pastures sod-sown with Tama ryegrass yielded as well as the pasture sod-sown with oats, and enhanced spring growth significantly compared with perennial ryegrass. However, spring production of Tama ryegrass was poorer than that of perennial ryegrass, and overall no increase in annual production occurred. Of the perennial grasses, the highest yielding when N fertiliser was applied were Currie cocksfoot and perennial ryegrass (yielding in autumn), phalaris (winter), and perennial ryegrass and Demeter fescue (spring). Increased cutting frequency depressed the herbage mass response to N fertiliser following the initial application, but increased herbage N concentration of all pastures and also increased the final clover composition of N-fertilised pasture of 4�pasture types.



1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 367 ◽  
Author(s):  
WD Andrew ◽  
CA Neal-Smith

Over the period 1952-1954 there was no significant difference in the yield of herbage produced annually by the addition to a Phalaris tuberosa L.–Trifolium subterraneum L. pasture mixture, of any one of the following grasses: Agropyron obtusiusculum Lange., Bromus coloratus Steud., Bromus inermis Leyss., Dactylis glomerata L., or Festuca arundinacea Schreb. There were indications of a small change in seasonal production where certain grasses, notably D. glomerata, were included in the mixture. Over the 3-year period the proportion of the sown grass component, in the mixtures where either D. glomerata, B. inermis, or B. coloratus were included, increased by a greater amount than where the simple mixture of phalaris and subterranean clover was used. The addition of each grass also lessened the amount of P. tuberosa in the sown grass component of the yield. In the third year, despite the varying proportions of the phalaris and associated sown grass species, the mean population of the sown perennial grasses in each treatment did not differ significantly from the mean figure of 1.34 plants/sq. lk. The increased production of the sown grass yield component following the association of certain of the above species with P. tuberosa suggests that the latter does not fully exploit the environment. The principle of including another perennial grass when sowing phalaris and subterranean clover might have wide application as a means of combatting "phalaris staggers".



2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Waller ◽  
P. W. G. Sale ◽  
G. R. Saul ◽  
G. A. Kearney

A 4-year field experiment was carried out in south-western Victoria to determine whether tactical stocking might improve perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) persistence and prime lamb production, compared with the more common practice of year-around continuous stocking. Tactical stocking consisted of variable length summer, autumn and winter rotations and continuous stocking in spring. The 2 grazing strategies were compared on 2 contrasting pastures: an upgraded pasture, sown with newer cultivars of perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) with 26 kg phosphorus/ha.year, and a more typical naturalised perennial ryegrass pasture receiving 6 kg phosphorus/ha.year. Paddocks were grazed by Border Leicester x Merino ewes, which were mated to a terminal sire to lamb in September. The effects of the grazing systems and pasture treatments on herbage production and stocking rate are presented in this paper. Herbage production was similar between the treatments, but tactical stocking significantly increased herbage mass during the growing season (P<0.05) compared with continuous stocking. In spring each year, the herbage mass generally exceeded 3000 kg dry matter/ha in tactically stocked paddocks and averaged 500–900 kg dry matter/ha higher than the mass on continuously stocked paddocks. This enabled the year-round stocking rate to be increased by an average of 9% over the 4 years of the experiment. We considered that the stocking rates could not be further increased, despite the higher herbage mass in spring, as stock reduced the dry herbage to a low residual mass by the opening rains in autumn. In contrast, stocking rates averaged 51% higher on the upgraded pasture compared with the typical pasture over the 4 years of the experiment. This indicates that pasture improvement and soil fertility status have a much greater impact on productivity than changes to grazing method. However, tactical stocking was able to increase the sustainability of prime lamb production on upgraded pastures in a dry summer climate, by maintaining herbage cover on the paddocks over the summer–autumn period.



1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 991 ◽  
Author(s):  
ML Curll

From 1973 to 1975 in the Mediterranean environment of southern New South Wales, superphosphate was applied annually at four rates (0, 62, 125 and 250 kg ha-1) to an established perennial pasture with a substantial history of superphosphate use. The pasture was continuously grazed by Border Leicester × Merino ewes (at 10 and 13.3 ha-1), so that plant growth responses to superphosphate could be assessed in sheep production terms and an estimate made of the monetary value of these responses. Growth rate of unfertilized pastures declined over the experimental period, and depending on the quantity of superphosphate applied and stocking rate, responses of fertilized pastures ranged from 20 to 36% in 1973, 28 to 157% in 1974 and 75 to 233% in 1975. From having similar proportions of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum), pastures tended towards clover dominance with little (62 kg ha-1) or no superphosphate, particularly at high stocking rate, and to grass dominance at higher rates of superphosphate, particularly at low stocking rate. By increasing the level of available pasture, superphosphate increased wool production and ewe liveweight, lambs reared, their growth rate and the percentage that reached marketable weight (32 kg). These trends were similar at both stocking rates. Significant quadratic response relationships existed between these parameters and rate of superphosphate. Withholding superphosphate caused a progressive reduction in gross margins of about 37% over the 3 year trial period, while its application increased gross margins, relative to those from unfertilized pastures, by a maximum 10, 42, and 140% for the first, second and third year respectively. It is suggested that these pasture responses calibrated in animal production terms may be extended to other situations most effectively by using the data to test and improve tentative models used to predict fertilizer requirements.



1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ Reuter ◽  
AD Robson ◽  
JF Loneragan ◽  
DJ Tranthim-Fryer

The effects of phosphorus supply on the relationship of copper supply with copper concentrations in various plant parts and yield of Seaton Park subterranean clover were examined. Plants were grown in a glasshouse for 40 and 74 days in pots with four levels of potassium phosphate (0, 13, 39, 65 mg phosphorus/pot) and six levels of copper sulfate (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 pg copper/pot) added, in factorial combination, to a sand deficient in both phosphorus and copper. By increasing the phosphorus levels copper deficiency was induced partly by promoting growth and diluting copper concentrations in plants; and also by depressing copper absorption. Increasing phosphorus changed the distribution of copper in plant tops and the shape of curves relating copper concentration in whole plant tops to yield. At 39 mg phosphorus/pot, the relationship at Day 74 had a marked 'Piper-Steenbjerg' curvature, largely as a result of unusually high copper concentrations in the stems plus petioles of severely copper-deficient plants. At 65 mg phosphorus/pot, the relationship had no 'Piper-Steenbjerg' curvature for whole tops and only a relatively small curvature for stems plus petioles. The data suggests that 'Piper-Steenbjerg' curves in subterranean clover result primarily from high concentrations of copper in the stems plus petioles of severely deficient plants. At both harvests, young leaf blades had critical copper concentrations of around 3 �g copper/g at both 39 and 65 mg phosphorus/pot. However, copper-deficient plants with severe phosphorus deficiency did not respond to copper, and generally had copper concentrations below this critical level in all plant parts. The results confirm the value of copper analysis of young leaf blades for diagnosing copper deficiency in subterranean clover with moderately deficient to luxury supplies of phosphorus.



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