Influence of fertiliser and grazing management on North Island moist hill country 3. Performance of introduced and resident legumes

Abstract

A grazing trial was conducted on 99 ha of steep, low fertility hilI country in southem Hawke's Bay, during 1975-81. There were 2 fertiliser treatments: low (LF) and high (HF) superphosphate application (plus lime on HF), and 3 grazing managements -rotational grazing by sheep (RGS) or cattle (RGC), and set stocking by sheep (SSS). A white clover (Trifolium repens L.) similar to Kent wild white, and annual suckling clover (T. dubium Sibth.) were already present in the pastures in small amounts. 'Grasslands Huia' white clover, 'Grasslands Turoa' red clover (T. pratense L.), 'Grasslands Maku' lotus (Lotus pedunculatus Cav.), and Woogenellup subterranean clover (T. subterraneum L.) were oversown into the pasture in 1974. Huia, Turoa, and Grasslands 4703 lotus were oversown again in 1977. Woogenellup subterranean clover was found to be unsuited to the environment. Lotus plants established, but contributed little to total herbage accumulation. Red clover was most important in RGC pastures. Its contribution was short-lived in sheep-grazed pastures, but was significant in the year after oversowing where fertiliser application history was short. Suckling clover produced a significant amount of herbage on steep NW sites during spring. Huia white clover was the most productive of the oversown legumes. However, the resident white clover was more productive than Huia in sheep-grazed pastures but not in RGC pastures. Huia was more responsive to HF (compared with LF) application in RGC than in sheep-grazed pastures -the converse applied for the resident genotype.

Morphological variation among white clover (Trifolium repensL.) populations collected from a range of moist hill country habitats

“…It is well understood that increasing frequency ofdefoliation, as occurs under set-stocking, reduces leaf size and petiole length (Wilman & Asiegbu 1982). Lambert et al (1986) also observed that leaf size of white clover in rotationally grazed cattle swards were larger than those in swards either setstocked or rotationally grazed by sheep. Unlike the present study, they also observed slightly larger leaves on white clover grown under high compared with low fertiliser inputs and slight compared with intermediate and steep slopes.…”

“…The larger leaf size, petiole, and internode lengths of genotypes on north-facing aspects was also observed by Lambert et al (1986). Leaf sizes of white clover genotypes from dry north-facing aspects were larger than those from moist southfacing aspects in a study comparing populations from six farms (Caradus et al 1990).…”

“…33 MATERIALS AND METHODS Three groups of genotypes were collected from Ballantrae Hill Country Research Station, near Woodville. Pasture had been oversown with 'Grasslands Huia' white clover in 1974 and 1977, but contained white clover from previous sowings (Lambert et al 1986). Groups A and B were collected as stolon pieces in autumn 1985 and Group C was collected as buried seed in 1982.…”

Evaluation of clovers in dry hill country 9. White clover at “Ballantrae”, and in central Wairarapa, New Zealand

“…'Grasslands Huia' in the Ballantrae experiment produced considerably more DM than in the trials of Lambertet al (1986)and Chapman & Campbell (1986), also at Ballantrae, where it was oversown into pastures receiving high fertiliser inputs by comparison to this trial. Lambert et al (1986) recorded average total white clover yields ('GrasslandsHuia' plustheresidentgenotype) under sheep grazing of about 1150 kg DM/ha per year over 6 years when57 kg ofP was appliedper ha per year, and 500-550 kg DM/ha per year when only 11kg P was appliedper ha per year. On thebasisof equal fertiliser input, our results can be compared to the 11 kg P/ha per year treatmentof Lambert et al (1986).…”

“…Lambert et al (1986) recorded average total white clover yields ('GrasslandsHuia' plustheresidentgenotype) under sheep grazing of about 1150 kg DM/ha per year over 6 years when57 kg ofP was appliedper ha per year, and 500-550 kg DM/ha per year when only 11kg P was appliedper ha per year. On thebasisof equal fertiliser input, our results can be compared to the 11 kg P/ha per year treatmentof Lambert et al (1986). However, the 500--550 kg DM/ha per year cited above from Lambert et al (1986) is an average for a range of slope and aspect combinations, which includes relatively fertile and moist sites of gentle slope « 12°).…”