New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Influence of the timing and duration of pastoral fallowing and nitrogen
fertiliser on pasture and white clover (Trifolium repens) growth in hill
country
Z. N. NIE*
Department of Plant Science+
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
D. J. BARKER
A. D. MACKAY
AgResearch Grasslands
Private Bag 11008
Palmerston North, New Zealand
I. VALENTINE
J. HODGSON
Department of Plant Science+
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
*Present address: Department of Animal Production, The University of Melbourne,
RMB 6200, Terang, Victoria 3264, Australia.
+Now: Institute of Natural Resources.
Abstract In a hill pasture in New Zealand, pastoral fallows
starting from December, January, and February and terminating in June
significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the tiller density of grasses, the
dominant species in the sward. At the conclusion of these fallows, the plant
population (grass + legume + weed) density was only 29-49% of the grazed
control. Fallows from December and January to June significantly (P <
0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) increased the internode length
of white clover. Only the December fallow significantly
(P < 0.05) increased the viable seed population of grasses,
whereas for other treatments and other species in the December fallow there was
no significant difference between the fallowed and grazed swards. The addition
of fertiliser nitrogen significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the decline
in tiller density for the March to June fallow from the time of application. It
improved the specific stolon weight of white clover and reduced the viable seed
population of weeds and rushes (P < 0.05). It is concluded that
pastoral fallows starting from December, January, and February or March with
nitrogen addition and ending in June considerably reduced plant population
density for oversowing new plant species. However, attention to natural
reseeding from grass species should be given when the December to June fallow
is used. The increased dispersion of white clover stolons by internode
elongation in the fallowed swards, especially in the December and January to
June fallows, may improve the distribution and content of white clover.
Keywords nitrogen; pastoral fallow; plant density; viable
seed population; red:far-red ratio; sward structure; stolon
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1998, Vol. 41: 19-29
0028-8233/98/4101-0019 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1998
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (892K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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