New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Effect of drill type on establishment of overdrilled lucerne

M. H. DOUGLAS
N. J. GEORGE
New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Redbank Research Station
P. O. Box 42
Clyde, New Zealand

P. D. JOHNSTONE
Agresearch
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Private Bag 50034
Mosgiel, New Zealand

Abstract  The effect of four drill types on the establishment of overdrilled lucerne (Medicago sativa) in a 300-800 mm rainfall tussock grassland environment in New Zealand was examined. The effect of herbicide pre-treatment and oversowing on plant numbers was also investigated. The highest initial seedling population count was 310 seedlings m^-2, but this number declined over three years. All drills established a plant population greater than 56 plants m^-2. A prototype roto-drill gave the highest initial establishment without herbicide because it covered vegetation between coulters and reduced competition, and the triple disc drill had the highest establishment with herbicide. Herbicide pre-treatment provided higher soil moisture during establishment, increased seedling production, and produced a pure lucerne sward. Lucerne establishment by oversowing was only successful on the herbicide-treated plots.

Keywords  lucerne; Medicago sativa; drills; overdrilling; herbicide; plant establishment number; production

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1998, Vol. 41: 161-170

0028-8233/98/4102-0161 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1998

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (757K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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