The South Island hill and high country is defined as those areas which were in natural grassland at the time of early European settlement. This includes the major geographical regions of dry hill and high country of Marlborough, Canterbury and North Otago, and the wet acid tussock grasslands of Otago and Southland. To define the most appropriate pasture species for farming in these areas, it is first necessary to define the appropriate environmental factors since they largely determine the types of farming systems possible. Once this has been done, it will be found that there are only one or two pasture species which are the best option in each environment or farming system.
RESEARCH has shown that pasture production on soils without earthworms is limited to considerably less than the true potential. Increased production with beneficial earthworms is associated with pronounced changes in the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Infiltration rate is increased, moisture is conserved and the risk of soil erosion is reduced
Pasture growth rates are presented for three valley floor sites in Central Otago: at Arrowtown and Cromwell on irrigated pasture, and at Poolburn in the Ida Valley on both dryland and irrigated pasture. Yields were obtained from grazing trials cut by a standardised method using a movable cage technique. The mean yield and standard error of individual samples over all years of measurement are given for standard dates at 14-day intervals.
The variation and individuality of Central Otago result from a unique combination of climate and topography. The range and basin structures produce New Zealand's nearest approach to a "Continental" Climate, and on a yearly basis Central Otago can be one of the driest as well as one of the hottest and coldest areas in the country. There are two unique features. The first a dry central core wth horticulture as a dominant activity. The second is a high pastoral plateau, the East Otago Plateau, from 400 to 900 metres altitude, marking the Eastern boundary of Central Otago. The agricultural pattern is traditional but it is suggested there is scope for other non traditional crops. Of all the physical elements surveyed in the past, e.g. rock or soil type, slope or vegetation, there is frequently no reference to climate. However, the resource value of any locality draws from its particular local climate or "topoclimate". Climate when regarded as such requires a new approach to data gathering. Research in Central Otago aims to increase our knowledge of topoclimate on the valley floors and locate special microclimates suitable for possible and existing horticultural crops and at the same time remove some of the hazards. Keywords: topoclimate
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