scholarly journals On-farm establishment of drought-tolerant pastures on the east coast of the North Island

1993 ◽  
pp. 33-38
Author(s):  
D.R. Smith ◽  
M.W.A. Slay ◽  
M.H. Gray ◽  
G.D. Milne
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
The North ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Clover Content

Seedling and tiller core measurements on 60 paddocks sown in autumn 1991 on the East Coast of the North Island were made to monitor the success of new pastures based on drought-tolerant grasses. Pastures sown into cultivated seedbeds were generally more successful than direct-drilled pastures, having higher content of sown species and less competition from volunteer perennial grasses. In paddocks sown with mixtures of tall fescue and Grasslands Wana cocksfoot, cocksfoot was becoming the dominant,grass, except in areas of paddocks with poor drainage. Cocksfoot establishment in oversown pastures was good, but tall fescue in these paddocks declined to low levels 19 months after sowing. White clover was well established in all classes of pasture, despite relatively low initial seedling numbers in direct drilled and oversown paddocks. In contrast, red clover content declined, particularly in directdrilled and oversown paddocks. Keywords: Dactylis glomerata, direct drilling, Festuca arundinacea, pasture establishment, Phalaris aquatica, oversowing

scholarly journals Demonstration of dryland species on 90 east coast North Island farms

1993 ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
G.D. Milne ◽  
S.C. Moloney ◽  
D.R. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
The North ◽  
Animal Growth ◽  
Direct Drilling

A drought pasture demonstration programme was established on the east coast of the North Island, between 1990 and 1992. Dryland pasture species were established on 1500 ha, on 91 farms, to encourage other farmers to use them rather than relying totally on perennial ryegrass. 97% of pastures were established successfully, proving to farmers that dryland pasture species can be established reliably. As well as establishing pastures after cultivation, it was also proven that these species can be reliably established by direct drilling, or by oversowing onto hill country, using techniques developed in this programme. Some farmers monitored the amount of grazing obtained from the new pastures, and found that on average they received 112% more grazing annually than resident pastures, the largest increases occurring in summer. Many farmers also reported better animal growth rates on the new pastures, especially in summer and autumn. Monitoring of species presence in tiller cores has shown the sown species to be persisting well to date (Nov 1992), with the exceptions of tall fescue and grazing brome when sown onto hill country. The programme reinforced factors important in the establishment and grazing management of dryland pastures. The programme has brought about a noticeable change in attitude to dryland species, and seed sales have increased markedly while ryegrass sales have decreased. Keywords: Cichorium intybus, Dactylis glomerata, drought, Festuca arundinacea, demonstration, dryland pasture establishment

Potential of summer-active temperate (C3) perennial forages to mitigate the detrimental effects of supraoptimal temperatures on summer home-grown feed production in south-eastern Australian dairying regions

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam D. Langworthy ◽  
Richard P. Rawnsley ◽  
Mark J. Freeman ◽  
Keith G. Pembleton ◽  
Ross Corkrey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Stress ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Trifolium Pratense ◽  
Plantago Lanceolata ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
South Eastern

In many south-eastern Australian dairying regions, supraoptimal ambient temperatures (Ta > 30°C) often challenge the perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)-dominated feed-base during the summer months. A glasshouse experiment was undertaken to identify alternative summer-active temperate (C3) perennial forages more tolerant of supraoptimal temperature stress (day/night Ta of 38/25°C) than perennial ryegrass. Supraoptimal temperature stress was imposed both with and without irrigation. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) was the only species to survive 18 days of combined supraoptimal temperature stress and non-irrigation. Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) survived 12 days of this treatment. Twelve days of exposure to these conditions caused death of perennial ryegrass, prairie grass (Bromus catharticus Vahl.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Irrigation (daily to through drainage) mitigated detrimental effects of imposed supraoptimal temperature stress on the growth and survival of all species. Chicory and to a lesser extent lucerne, plantain, and tall fescue may have a role to play in south-eastern Australian dairying regions, where supraoptimal temperature stress is a frequent and ongoing issue.

scholarly journals White clover: loss in drought and subsequent recovery

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 37-41
Author(s):  
I.M. Knowles ◽  
T.J. Fraser ◽  
M.J. Daly
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Trifolium Repens ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Drought Period ◽  
Subsequent Recovery ◽  
The North ◽  
Rate Of Recovery

There are limitations to the production and persistence of white clover in drought prone regions. We report on the population dynamics of white clover during the summer/autumn drought of 2000. Seventeen paddocks were selected from Marlborough, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury and North Otago on the east coast of the South Island, and Wairarapa in the North Island. The pastures were sown in 1998/99 and are comprised of ryegrass, tall fescue, cocksfoot or combinations of these as the grass base, with white clover included in the mix. White clover populations were monitored pre- and post-drought using tiller cores. The percentage of each region's long-term mean rainfall received during the 6-month "drought period" had the largest influence on the presence of white clover in these pastures. Marlborough, with only 73 mm of rainfall during November 2000-April 2001 (23% of its expected rainfall) suffered a 95% reduction in white clover. Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury and North Otago, at 53-61% of expected rainfall had a 40-78% loss. In contrast, Wairarapa, with 303 mm of rainfall, lost only 8%. The rate of recovery was closely related to the magnitude of white clover loss during drought. In regions where large losses occurred, further sampling after 18 months showed little increase in white clover presence. Key words: drought, persistence, populations, seedling, Trifolium repens, white clover

scholarly journals Response of simple grass-white clover and multi-species pastures to gibberellic acid or nitrogen fertiliser in autumn

2013 ◽  
pp. 145-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.H. Van Rossum ◽  
R.H. Bryant ◽  
G.R. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Gibberellic Acid ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Plantago Lanceolata ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Nitrogen Fertiliser

Herbage dry matter (DM) production, botanical composition and nutritive value of pastures were measured in response to the application of 24 g/ ha gibberellic acid (GA; 60 g ProGibb®/ha) and 50 kg N/ha nitrogen fertiliser (N; 106 kg urea/ha) in autumn. Responses were compared for simple two species grass (perennial ryegrass or tall fescue)-white clover pastures and multi-species pastures where herbs (chicory and plantain), legumes (red clover and lucerne) and prairie grass were sown with the simple mixtures. Four weeks after application, the increase in DM yield averaged across pasture mixtures relative to untreated plots was 273, 104, and 493 kg DM/ha for GA alone, N fertiliser alone, and GA and N combined, respectively. Application of GA increased the white clover percentage in all pastures except simple tall fescue pastures. The percentage of herbs in multispecies pastures was increased by application of N but not GA. Crude protein concentration was decreased by GA application in all pastures except simple ryegrass pastures. The results from this study show that it is important to consider the botanical composition of pastures when determining the effect of GA on DM yield and nutritive value. Keywords: crude protein, Cichorium intybus, Festuca arundinacea, gibberellins, Lolium perenne, Plantago lanceolata, nutritive value

Establishment and persistence of perennial grass and herb cultivars and lines in a recharge area, North-West Slopes, New South Wales

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 753 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Boschma ◽  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
S. Harden
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
Tropical Grasses ◽  
North West ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Plant Frequency

Two adjacent sites, one previously cropped and the other a native pasture, were sown with perennial temperate and tropical grasses and herbs (Expt 1), Phalaris aquatica (phalaris) and Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue) cultivars or lines (Expt 2), and perennial tropical grasses (Expt 3) near Manilla, NSW. Establishment, herbage mass and plant frequency were assessed in 2003–06 to (i) identify cultivars/lines with superior persistence, (ii) detect possible mechanisms required for successful production and persistence in a summer-dominant rainfall environment, and (iii) examine the comparative performance of the species groups when sown into previously cropped and native pasture areas. Plots were fertilised annually and grazed or mown at least seasonally. Most cultivars/lines persisted at the previously cropped site, while those on the native pasture site had to be resown and generally failed to persist beyond the first year. At the previously cropped site, summer-dormant tall fescue cv. Resolute MaxP® was the most persistent of the grasses evaluated in Expt 1. Grasses such as Lolium perenne cv. Avalon and Bromus stamineus cv. Gala did not perenneate, but regenerated annually from seed. Native grasses generally had poor establishment; however, Austrodanthonia richardsonii and A. fulva tended to increase in plant frequency over time. Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass) cv. Katambora and Panicum maximum (panic) cv. Gatton were the only tropical grasses that established in Expt 1, and both had plant frequencies similar (P > 0.05) to the temperate grasses at the final assessment. In Expt 2, Resolute MaxP again was the most persistent cultivar/line. Several experimental lines of phalaris (e.g. T39 and M225) had high herbage mass and good persistence compared with commercial cultivars. In Expt 3, Katambora Rhodes grass and Digitaria eriantha ssp. eriantha (digit grass) cv. Premier were the most persistent cultivars and had the highest herbage mass. These data highlighted summer dormancy in temperate grasses and frost tolerance in tropical grasses as two possible mechanisms important for persistence of grasses on the North-West Slopes of NSW and the risks associated with sowing perennial grasses into established native pastures.

AN EVALUATION OF PAWERA RED CLOVER WITH PERENNIAL GRASSES IN A SUMMER-DRY ENVIRONMENT

1983 ◽  
pp. 91-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J.M. Hay ◽  
D.L. Ryan
Keyword(s):  
White Clover ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Prairie Grass

Five grasses (Nui ryegrass, Roa tall fescue, Matua prairie grass, Maru phalaris and experimental cocksfoot selection K1858) were sown in mixtures with Pawera tetraploid red clover and compared with a pure sward of Pawera and with a Ruanui ryegrass/Huia white clover control. Yields were taken when mean herbage height was 18 cm by cutting quadrats to 4 cm. Sufficient sheep were used to graze herbage in 48 hours on a 'Cafeteria' basis. Matua, the most rapidly establishing grass, yielded 900 kg DM/ha of sown grass at the first grazing, 4 to 6 times more than cocksfoot. Roa and Ruanui, and 30% more than Nui and Maru. During the next two years, the Matua/Pawera mixture outyielded other mixtures, with most of its superiority evident in the summer and winter. All mixtures outyielded Ruanui/Huia over the same period.The grasses evaluated varied in their compatability with Pawera, the more aggressive the grass the greater the suppression of DM yield of Pawera in the mixture. However, even the most aggressive grass mixture yielded more legume at each grazing than did the Ruanui/Huia pasture. The place of Matua, Nui and Pawera as useful varieties in this summer dry environment are discussed. Keywords: Pawera red clover, Nui ryegrass, Matua prairie grass, Roa tall fescue, Maru phalaris, K1858 cocksfoot, Ruanui ryegrass, Huia white clover, grazing,summer dry environment, Northern Southland.

Effects of grazing interval on basal cover of four perennial grasses in a summer-dry environment

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Virgona ◽  
A. Bowcher
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Basal Cover ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Supplementary Irrigation ◽  
Movement Index ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata L

The response to variation in grazing interval over the spring–autumn period in southern New South Wales was examined on 4 perennial grass species over 2 years. Plots of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirolan), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L. cv. Porto), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreb cv. Demeter) and a native danthonia (Danthonia richardsonii cv. Taranna), were grazed by sheep every 2, 5 or 8 weeks, either rainfed or given supplementary irrigation. Basal cover was monitored over this period and is combined with measurements of phenological development and herbage mass to explain differences in persistence. The seasons differed with respect to rainfall, 1994–95 being dry compared to 1995–96. Over the 1994–95 season, the relative change in basal cover [RCBC, the ratio of final (May 1995) to initial (September 1994) basal cover] of the 3 introduced perennial grasses was significantly less than 1, which indicated a decline in basal cover over the measurement period. In contrast, RCBC was 1.55 for danthonia. Grazing interval treatments significantly affected RCBC in 1994–95, RCBC increasing with grazing interval. In the 8-week grazing interval, RCBC did not significantly differ from 1. Changes in density were also measured in 1994–95 and followed a similar pattern to RCBC for species effects although there was no significant effect of grazing interval. In 1995–96, there were interactions between watering and both species and grazing interval. The RCBC (September 1995–May 1996) was significantly greater than 1 for cocksfoot and tall fescue under irrigated conditions but not under rainfed conditions. The response to grazing interval depended on water supply. The 5-week grazing interval led to the highest RCBC under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. However, when rainfed, the 5- and 8-week treatments were not significantly different, whereas under irrigation, the 2- and 5-week treatments did not significantly differ. For the 1995–96 season, a movement index (MI, ratio of newly colonised area to that occupied throughout the season) was measured. There was a strong interaction between species and watering but phalaris was the most mobile (highest MI) of the 4 species under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. The absence of any interaction between species and grazing interval in either 1994–95 or 1995–96 suggests that response to grazing of these species may be similar despite differences in survival mechanisms.

scholarly journals Effects of soil fertility on the persistence of dryland cocksfoot and tall fescue pastures

1998 ◽  
pp. 265-270
Author(s):  
D.R. Smith ◽  
T.J. Fraser ◽  
C.A. Moffat ◽  
M.J. Daly
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
The North ◽  
North And South

The persistence of pastures sown with tall fescue, cocksfoot or mixtures of the two species was evaluated by tiller core measurements on 106 paddocks that had been sown in 1989 or 1991 on dryland east coast sheep/beef farms. In both North and South Island paddocks, cocksfoot was the dominant grass in mixtures of tall fescue and cocksfoot. Tall fescue presence was usually much lower than that of ryegrass and other unsown grasses, regardless of sowing mixture. High levels of cocksfoot were associated with low levels of ryegress, browntop and other perennial grasses. North Island paddocks had higher P levels (Olsen P=25) than South Island paddocks (Olsen P=21) but had lower levels of clover (32%) and higher levels of browntop (26%) than South Island paddocks (52% clover, 13% browntop). In North Island paddocks sown with cocksfoot, there were weak, negative associations of white clover with fertiliser N inputs (r = -0.45) and soil P levels (r = - 0.41). These effects of P and N on clover appeared to be owing to increased cocksfoot dominance at high fertility. In the North Island, the best white clover presence was found in pastures that were low in cocksfoot but high in ryegrass, browntop and other unsown perennial grasses. In the South Island there was no significant association of clover with soil test levels or fertiliser history. Comparison of 1996 measurements made on North Island paddocks with 1991 measurements on the same paddocks indicated that establishment effects could have long-term effects on the persistence of tall fescue and cocksfoot. Inclusion of cocksfoot in the seed mix reduced tall fescue persistence. High levels of perennial ryegrass at establishment were also associated with poor tall fescue persistence. These effects appeared to be more important than soil fertility constraints in reducing tall fescue persistence. The presence of other vigorous grasses, such as ryegrass, during establishment may also reduce or delay cocksfoot dominance and thus improve white clover persistence. Keywords: cocksfoot, dryland, pasture persistence, soil fertility, tall fescue

scholarly journals Establishing and managing recent cultivars in arable dryland pastures

1985 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
D.E. Hume ◽  
T.J. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Legume Species ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Tolerant Species ◽  
Prairie Grass ◽  
Summer Crop

Grass and legume species/cultivars available to farmers in the summer dry east coast of New Zealand, other than the traditionally used perennial ryegrasslwhite clover, fall into 3 categories: 1. drought tolerant species/cultivars which will maintain production later into summer and respond quickly after drought, e.g. cocksfoot, tall fescue, lucerne, prairie grass. 2 . species/cultivars which will maximise production in winter and spring, e.g. prairie grass, phalaris, subterranean clover. 3. species/cultivars compatible with summer crop programmes e.g. annual ryegrasses.

scholarly journals The Use of Soil Amendments to Improve Survival of Roadside Grasses

HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 1404-1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Nelson Brown ◽  
Josef H. Gorres
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Red Fescue

Highway rights-of-way are routinely planted with turfgrasses to prevent erosion, filter runoff, and improve aesthetics. However, the roadside is a harsh environment, and perennial grasses often die within the first year, leading to bare ground and annual weeds, which do not prevent erosion during the winter. To improve the survival of perennial vegetation on the roadside, it is necessary to identify the factors limiting vegetation growth and then to either identify plants that can tolerate those factors or identify ways to ameliorate the stresses while still maintaining safety. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of improved cultivars, salt tolerance, and organic matter amendments on perennial grass survival along two highways in Rhode Island. The amendments tested were processed biosolids and composted yard waste, each applied in a 50:50 mixture by volume with existing roadside soil; plain soil was included as a control. We tested 20 improved turfgrass cultivars and one seed mixture with common creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) as the standard. Turfgrass species tested were perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), red fescue, alkali grass [Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl.], idaho bentgrass (Agrostis idahoensis Nash), tufted hairgrass [Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv.], and kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). We found that soil amendment was more effective than either improved genetics or salt tolerance. Establishment, vertical growth, and persistence of vegetation cover were significantly improved by amendment with organic matter, particularly biosolids. In Summer 2009 (the second growing season), turf cover exceeded 50% in the biosolids plots but was below 20% in the plain soil plots with complete loss of cover in the plain soil plots at one location. Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, red fescue, and idaho bentgrass showed the best persistence at the species level, and there were no consistent differences among cultivars.

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