scholarly journals HERBAGE PRODUCTION OF PASTURE LEGUMES AT THREE SITES IN OTAGO

Author(s):  
R.B. Allen ◽  
I.R. Mcdonald ◽  
N.A. Cullen

White clover (Trifolium repens), red clover (T. pratense), subtcrrnnean clover (T. subterraneum) and alsike clover (T. hybridum) were sown singly or in combinations at three sites in Otago. Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) was included in all clover treatments and was also sown alone. Lucerne (Medicago sativa) was sown alone at two sites. Herbage dry matter production was measured over a three-year period. At the high fertility lnvermay site, white and red clovers gave similar total and legume dry matter production and were markedly superior to alsike and subterranean clovers. White and nlsike clovers were most productive at the higher altitude, low fertility Berwick site, and at the dry, medium fertility Dunback site red clover produced the highest yields. Lucerne greatly outyielded all other species in the second and third years at Invermay and in the third year at Dunback.

Author(s):  
I.R. Mcdonald ◽  
N.A. Cullen

Pitau and Huia white clovers were sown with two rates of Ruanui, Ariki and Manawa ryegrass on high fertility soil at Invermay Agricultural Research Centre and lower fertility soil at Traquair. Although clover establishment in the Pitau white clover treatments was comparable with, or superior to that in the Huia treatments, the latter tended to have a denser growth habit, particularly during spring. Overall, there was little difference in total annual dry matter production between treatments but clover yields varied considerably in all trials. Huia clover dry matter production was superior to Pitau in the first two years but in later years the position was reversed.


1962 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Henderson ◽  
R. S. Edwards ◽  
J. L. Hammerton

1. Data on the dry-matter production of five grass species (each sown with white clover), over the period 1954–56, at six levels of compound fertilizer application, are reported. Perennial ryegrass (S. 101), meadow fescue (S. 215), timothy (S. 48), cocksfoot (S. 26) and bent (N.Z. browntop) were sown in 1953 at appropriate seed rates, each with 2 lb. per acre S. 100 white clover. The fertilizer treatments were 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 cwt. per acre of a compound of composition 10% N, 4% P2O5 and 9·5% K2O, applied in the early spring of each of the years 1954–56. The swards were cut three times a year in 1954 and 1956, but only two cuts were possible in 1955.2. The timothy mixture gave the highest total production of dry-matter over the 3 years, the bent and perennial rye-grass mixtures giving the lowest total productions. Differences between mixtures in annual yield varied in sign and in magnitude from year to year. For example, bent gave the lowest yield in 1954, but outyielded the meadow fescue and the cocksfoot mixtures in 1955, and the perennial rye-grass mixture in 1956. As regards the distribution of dry-matter production over the season, it was found that bent differed from the other mixtures in that a higher proportion of its annual yield was produced at the second and third cuts.3. There were significant linear relationships of dry-matter yield to fertilizer application rate in most of the data. On average over the 3 years, 1·6 cwt. of dry-matter were produced for each cwt. of spring applied fertilizer in the first cut, 0·7 cwt. per cwt. of fertilizer in the second cut, while very small and non-significant responses were found in the third cut. There was no evidence of systematic differences between grass mixtures in response to fertilizer level.4. The yield of clover dry-matter in 1956 (the third harvest year) was least from the cocksfoot and timothy swards, and was significantly and linearly depressed by fertilizer application in all three cuts.


2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 353 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. L. Burkitt ◽  
D. J. Donaghy ◽  
P. J. Smethurst

Pasture is the cheapest source of feed for dairy cows, therefore, dairy pastures in Australia are intensively managed to maximise milk production and profits. Although soil testing commonly suggests that soils used for dairy pasture production have adequate supplies of phosphorus (P), many Australian dairy farmers still apply fertiliser P, often by applying smaller rates more frequently throughout the year. This study was designed to test the hypotheses that more frequent, but lower rates of P fertiliser applied strategically throughout the growing season have no effect on dry matter production and P concentration in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), when soil extractable P concentrations are above the critical value reported in the literature. Three field sites were established on rain-fed dairy pasture soils ranging in P sorption capacity and with adequate soil P concentrations for maximising pasture production. Results showed that applied P fertiliser had no effect on pasture production across the 3 sites (P > 0.05), regardless of rate or the season in which the P was applied, confirming that no P fertiliser is required when soil extractable P concentrations are adequate. This finding challenges the viability of the current industry practice. In addition, applying P fertiliser as a single annual application in summer did not compromise pasture production at any of the 3 sites (P > 0.05), which supports the current environmental recommendations of applying P during drier conditions, when the risk of surface P runoff is generally lower. The current results also demonstrate that the short-term cessation of P fertiliser application may be a viable management option, as a minimal reduction in pasture production was measured over the experimental period.


1985 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Stewart ◽  
I. I. McCullough

ABSTRACTSilage cut twice annually (June and August) from a tetraploid red clover/grass sward and three times annually (May, July and September) from a low nitrogen (N) and high N perennial ryegrass/white clover sward was fed in proportion to dry-matter yield from each cut, over a 10-week period, each winter for 3 years to castrated male cattle of initial live weight 401 kg in year 1 and 425 kg in years 2 and 3. The silages were supplemented with 0, 1, 2 and 3 kg concentrate per head daily.Total dry-matter yield from the red clover/grass sward was similar to that from the perennial ryegrass/white clover sward (high N grass) receiving 360 kg N per ha but the digestibility, particularly of first cut material was much lower. Dry-matter production of the low N grass/white clover sward was 0·73 of high N grass sward and produced silages of similar digestibility and fermentation.Dry-matter intakes by the cattle were higher on the legume-based silages in years when clover made a worthwhile contribution to total yield, but this did not significantly improve utilization or animal performance compared with high N grass silage. Mean daily carcass gain per head on red clover/grass silage was 0·41 kg which was significantly less than the 0·61 kg on white clover/grass silage and 0·59 on high N grass (P < 0·001). Carcass output from red clover/grass silage was 618 kg/ha and 629 kg/ha from white clover/grass, both of which were significantly less than the 863 kg/ha from the high N grass silage (P < 0·001). Dressing proportion was also significantly poorer in animals fed red clover/grass silage compared with the other silage types.


1995 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1401 ◽  
Author(s):  
RR Gault ◽  
MB Peoples ◽  
GL Turner ◽  
DM Lilley ◽  
J Brockwell ◽  
...  

Nodulation, N2 fixation (estimated by 15N natural abundance methods) and dry matter production were studied in a lucerne (Medicago sativa) crop managed for hay production at Ginninderra Experiment Station, A.C .T. Measurements were taken in the year of establishment and during two subsequent growing seasons. There were three treatments: (1) no inoculation and no annual fertilizer applied, (2) initial inoculation and superphosphate applied annually, (3) no inoculation, superphosphate applied annually and ammonium sulfate periodically. Before planting and after each growth season, soil was analysed for extractable mineral nitrogen, total nitrogen and the 15N natural abundance of this nitrogen, to the depth explored by lucerne roots. Before planting, no appropriate root-nodule bacteria (Rhizobium meliloti) were detected in the soil and initially plants were nodulated only in the inoculated treatment. Thereafter nodulation increased on the other treatments. Eight months after sowing there were no differences between treatments in numbers of R. meliloti g-l soil or in nodulation. In the third growing season, almost 30 kg ha-1 (dry wt) of nodules were recovered to a depth of 25 cm. These nodules were primarily located on fine, ephemeral roots and many appeared to be renewed after cutting of the lucerne. In the year of establishment, dry matter yields (0% moisture) totalled 3 to 4 t ha-1 in three hay cuts. In succeeding years, total yields were in the range 10 to 13 t ha-1 in four or five cuts per season. Nitrogen removed in the harvested lucerne reached 340 to 410 kg N ha-lyr-l in the second and third years and between 65 and 96% of this N arose from N2 fixation, depending on the method of calculation used. Poorer dry matter production and N2 fixation in treatment 1 in the third growing season was attributed to an insufficient supply of available phosphorus. Fixed N removed in Lucerne hay from treatment 2 totalled at least 640 kg N ha-1 in the three years of the experiment. Also, there were substantial increases in soil nitrogen due to lucerne growth. Although soil compaction made the quantification difficult, at the end of the experiment it was estimated that there was at least an extra 800 kg N ha-1 in the total soil nitrogen under lucerne compared to strips of Phalaris aquatica grown between the lucerne plots. It was concluded that lucerne contributed at least the same amount of fixed nitrogen to the soil as was being removed in the harvested hay.


1973 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 341 ◽  
Author(s):  
CS Andrew ◽  
PJVanden Berg

The effects of aluminium (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 p.p.m.) on dry matter production and subsequent short-term uptake and translocation of phosphorus in whole plants, and on the uptake of phosphorus by excised roots, of six tropical pasture legumes were ascertained. Macroptilium lathyroides, Desrnodiurn uncinaturn, Lotononis bainesii, and Stylosanthes hurnilis were tolerant species in terms of effects on dry matter production. Glycine wightii was a sensitive species and Medicago sativa a very sensitive one. In the whole plant study, plants were grown in Solution culture with a phosphorus concentration of 2 p.p.m., under the above aluminium treatments. Aluminium increased the subsequent uptake of phosphorus (tops+roots) in all species (phosphorus substrate concentration 1 x 10-5M labelled with 32P, 1 and 3 hr uptake periods). Phosphorus uptake in the tops of the four tolerant species was increased by aluminium treatment, and in the two sensitive species it uas reduced. In both the absence and presence of applied aluminium, L. bainesii was the most efficient species per unit weight of root tissue in sorbing total phosphorus, and in addition had the highest efficiency of translocation of phosphorus from roots to tops. S. humilis was also an efficient species. In the excised root study, addition of aluminium to the solution enhanced the sorption of phosphorus by all species. The enhancement was greater in a relatively strong phosphorus solution (2 x 10-4 M) than in a dilute solution (1 x 10-4). The sorption of phosphorus by excised roots of S. humilis from dilute and relatively strong phosphorus substrates was greater than that of other species, both in the absence and presence of added aluminium. L. bainesii was omitted from the excised root experiments.


1973 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Newton ◽  
J. E. Betts

SummaryDuring 3 years, three groups of 20 Scottish half-bred ewes were grazed on perennial ryegrass, white clover or red clover. During this period the two legumes were oestrogenic, in terms of teat-length extension of wethers, but the perennial ryegrass was not. The white clover was only markedly oestrogenic when there was a high proportion of diseased leaves. The mean litter size and lambing percentage of the ewes grazed on red clover was significantly reduced. White clover, although it was oestrogenic, had no effect on mean litter size or lambing percentage. The mean litter size of the ewes on the perennial ryegrass was 2·35, 2·30 and 2·24, on the white clover was 2·20, 2·33 and 2·23 and on the red clover was 1middot;60, 1·67 and 1·78 for the three lambings. Lambing percentage of the ewes on the perennial ryegrass was 175, 225 and 218, on the white clover was 210, 222 and 189, and on the red clover was 160, 128 and 118 for the three lambings. The lambing date of the ewes grazing on the red clover was significantly later at the third lambing.


1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Dunbabin ◽  
I. H. Hume ◽  
M. E. Ireson

Summary. Perennial ryegrass–white clover swards were irrigated for 3 years every 50, 80 and 120 mm of crop evapotranspiration minus rainfall (ETc–R) and water ponded on the soil surface for either 4, 12 or 24 h at each irrigation. Pasture production and clover content were highly seasonal, peaking in spring and autumn. Frequent irrigation increased dry matter production by an average of 56%. When irrigating at 50 mm ETc–R, dry matter production was decreased by ponding water on plots, 17% for 12 h ponding and 14% if ponded for 24 h. However, when irrigating at an interval of 80 mm ETc–R ponding increased dry matter production by 7% for 12 h ponding and by 25% for 24 h ponding. Ponding also increased production at an irrigation interval of 120 mm ETc–R by 25% for 12 h ponding but only by 2.4% for 24 h ponding. While these increases in dry matter production are large in relative terms the absolute increase in production is small. More water infiltrated per irrigation at longer irrigation intervals, and at longer ponding times. Frequently irrigated, rapidly drained swards used irrigation water most efficiently. The small gain in dry matter production achieved by prolonging ponding at longer irrigation intervals is an inefficient use of water and likely to recharge regional groundwater systems. Oxygen diffusion rate measurements suggested that ponding for as short as 4 h was likely to cause waterlogging stresses and that these stresses were higher when irrigating frequently. The relative increase in waterlogging stress by extending the period of ponding from 4 to 24 h was small.


1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 833
Author(s):  
JD McFarlane

Seven rates of copper were applied to the soil prior to the sowing of strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferumL. cv. Palestine) on an alkaline peat deficient in copper. Symptoms of copper deficiency were evident only on the untreated plots where the clover did not set seed nor persist into the second year.Over five years� production, 1.0 kg Cu/ha continued to provide adequate copper, with regular dressings of superphosphate, for maximum dry matter production and seed yield. It was found that seed yield was more sensitive than vegetative dry matter yield to sub-optimal copper supply. At the lowest rate of applied copper (0.125 kg/ha), the vegetative yield ranged from 53% to 80% of the maximum harvest yield, whereas the seed yield ranged from 15% to 50% of maximum yield.For tissue sampled in the spring, the proposed critical range for copper concentration in the youngest open leaf (YOL) for vegetative dry matter production is 3-35 mg Cu/kg whereas that for seed production is 4.5-5.5 mg Cu/kg. At other times of the year the critical concentrations were higher. It was not clear if this was due to environmental conditions or changing internal requirements for copper.The critical copper concentration range in whole top (WT) tissue of 3.0-4.0 mg/kg for vegetative dry matter production could be applied to all samplings. For seed yield the critical range for copper concentration in WT was 4.0-5.0 mg/kg for the spring harvests. The critical copper concentration in seed for seed production was 5.0-6.0 mg/kg. In the pasture situation a critical concentration of 5.0-6.0 mg Cu/kg in the WT should be adopted when the animal requirement is considered.


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