The influence of climate, soil, and management on the composition of native grass pastures on the central, southern, and Monaro tablelands of New South Wales

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 925 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Garden ◽  
P. M . Dowling ◽  
D. A. Eddy ◽  
H. I. Nicol
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Native Grasses ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Stock Management ◽  
Native Grass ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Stock Type

Pastures on 126 properties on the central, southern, and Monaro tablelands were surveyed to determine their botanical composition. Data on climate, soils, pasture sowing, fertiliser history, and stock management were collected to relate current composition to environmental factors and previous management. Native grass-based pastures were found to be widespread, and in many cases, pastures were dominated by native grasses, despite many decades of pasture improvement. Seventeen genera of native perennial grasses comprising over 35 species were identified. The most common species on the central tablelands were Austrodanthonia spp., Bothriochloa macra, and Microlaena stipoides; on the southern tablelands, Austrodanthoniaspp. and M. stipoides; and on the Monaro, Poa spp., Austrodanthonia spp., Themeda australis, and Austrostipa spp. Soil type was the most important factor affecting species distribution, and other soil attributes such as texture, pH, P, and N were also important. Environmental (rainfall) and management (superphosphate application, stock type, stocking rate) factors also influenced distribution. The significant areas of native grass pastures that were found suggest a decline in sown species and a recolonisation of sown pastures with native grasses. The potential for manipulation of botanical composition of these grasslands is discussed, together with their value for production and sustainability.

A survey of farms on the Central, Southern and Monaro Tablelands of New South Wales: management practices, farmer knowledge of native grasses, and extent of native grass areas

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Garden ◽  
P. M. Dowling ◽  
D. A. Eddy ◽  
H. I. Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Large Contribution ◽  
Native Grasses ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Native Grass ◽  
South Wales

Results are presented of a survey of pastoral properties on the Central, Southern and Monaro Tablelands of New South Wales carried out during 1991—92. Landholders were interviewed to obtain information on property size, enterprise types, grazing management, tree clearing, fertiliser history and carrying capacity. In addition, familiarity with native grass species, and knowledge of their value were determined. The main grazing enterprises were wool and beef. The most common form of livestock management was continuous grazing. Most properties had been extensively cleared of trees (average cleared area 80%), and there had been a significant amount of disturbance of the original pastures. This varied from 40% of total property area for the Central and Monaro Tablelands to 60% for the Southern Tablelands. The main form of disturbance was cultivation for pasture sowing or fodder cropping. Landholders had used 80% more fertiliser on disturbed areas than on undisturbed areas, with most fertiliser applied on the Southern Tablelands and least on the Monaro Tablelands. The average carrying capacities of undisturbed and disturbed pastures over the tablelands were 4.3 and 7.7 dry sheep equivalents per hectare, respectively. While most landholders were satisfied with the performance of their sown pastures, there was a lack of knowledge of the contribution of native perennial grasses to pasture production. Using survey data, it was estimated that pastures with native grasses as the major components covered a minimum of 1.38 million hectares or 40% of the surveyed area. With such a large contribution to production, there is a need to assist landholders to identify native perennial grasses so that their potential value can be more fully realised.

Smoke affects the Germination of Native Grasses of New South Wales

1999 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara R. Read ◽  
Sean M. Bellairs
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Native Grasses ◽  
Environmental Stimulus ◽  
Native Grass ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Stimulation Of

The germination responses to plant-derived smoke of seeds of 20 native grass species from New South Wales, Australia, were tested under laboratory conditions. The species belonged to 14 genera including Bothriochloa, Chloris, Cymbopogon, Danthonia, Dichanthium, Digitaria, Eragrostis, Eriochloa, Microlaena, Panicum, Paspalidium, Poa, Stipa and Themeda. The interaction between smoke and husk-imposed dormancy was examined by removing the floral structures surrounding the seeds, when sufficient seeds were available. Smoke was shown to be an important environmental stimulus for breaking the dormancy of native grasses; however, the response differed considerably between different genera and between species of the same genus. For almost half of the species, smoke significantly increased the germination percentage. Panicum decompositum showed the greatest response, with germination increasing from 7.7 to 63.1% when smoke was applied. Panicum effusum had no germination in the absence of smoke, but 16.7% germination when smoke was applied. Stipa scabra subsp. scabra had germination significantly reduced by smoke from 30.2 to 19.9%. Five species had their germination rate, but not the final germination percentage, affected by smoke, and a third of the species were unaffected by smoke. For five of the species, Chloris ventricosa, Dichanthium sericeum, Panicum decompositum, Poa labillardieri and Stipa scabra subsp. falcata, this is the first report of a smoke-stimulated germination response. For those species with germination promoted by smoke, retention of the covering structures did not prevent smoke stimulation of germination. Sowing smoke-treated husked seeds is likely to be preferable as it would still promote greater germination, whereas dehusking seeds can result in the seeds being more susceptible to desiccation and fungal attack in the field. It is suggested that other grassland communities that respond to pyric conditions may also contain species that respond to smoke.

A survey of native grasses in the Goulburn District and factors influencing their abundance.

1991 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 118 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ Munnich ◽  
PC Simpson ◽  
HI Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Species Differences ◽  
New South ◽  
Acid Tolerance ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Native Grasses ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Cent Increase ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Microlaena Stipoides

A survey of natural and improved paddocks on 34 farms was conducted over winter within a 60 km radius of Goulburn on the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. Seventeen of the properties which were found to have significant (greater than 10 per cent) proportions of potentially useful native grasses were resurveyed in the subsequent summer to identify specific Danthonia spp. The survey revealed that useful native yearlong green species such as Microlaena stipoides and Danthonia spp. were relatively abundant in natural paddocks surveyed over winter (16 per cent and 10 per cent respectively), Danthonia being represented by four common species. These natural paddocks, most of which contained Trifolium subterraneum and had some superphosphate input, carried 80 per cent as many stock as their improved counterparts in terms of average DSE/ha. Factors such as cultivation and the presence of naturalized or sown species influenced the abundance of these species, but species differences were apparent. Cultivation reduced the abundance of Danthonia spp. but did not affect the abundance of M. stipoides, which was thus more prevalent than Danthonia spp. in improved pastures. Microlaena stipoides was also more prevalent in uncleared than cleared paddocks. The frequency of Danthonia spp. was negatively associated with high percentage frequencies of annual grasses (principally Vulpia spp.), declining by approximately 2.5 per cent for each 10 per cent increase in annual grasses over winter. The proportion of M. stipoides observed in paddocks appeared to be more influenced by sown pasture species, with lowest percentages recorded where species such as Phalaris aquatica had been sown and highest percentages where no exotic species had been introduced. The abundance of M. stipoides was affected by pH, with percentage frequency increasing as pH declined (down to pH 4 (Cacl~)), indicating the possible acid tolerance of this species. Species' percentages recorded changed with season. For example, Danthonia percentages recorded were considerably greater over summer when flowering heads were obvious than those recorded in winter. This aspect highlights the importance of recording different species during specific seasons to increase the accuracy of frequency estimates.

Evaluation of natural annual pastures of Trangie in central western New South Wales, 2. Botanical composition changes with particular reference to Hordeum leporinum

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (65) ◽  
pp. 662
Author(s):  
RJ Campbell ◽  
JA Beale
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Hordeum Leporinum ◽  
Germination And Growth ◽  
Composition Changes ◽  
Total Soil Nitrogen

The botanical composition of natural pastures stocked at 2.5, 3.7, and 4.9 Merino wethers per hectare was examined over a number of years. Several experiments were conducted in conjunction with the main grazing experiment to determine the relative importance of factors that might be influencing the composition of the pastures. In particular, the importance of nitrogen and sulphur, grazing pressure, and surface mulch were studied. Increased grazing pressure throughout the growing season reduced the proportion of Hordeum leporinum (barley grass) in the pasture. Total soil nitrogen, as affected by stocking rate, did not appear to be important in determining the percentage of barley grass in the pasture. A layer of surface mulch stimulated the germination and growth of barley grass, but not the germination of Erodium crinitum (crowfoot), one of the major broadleaf components of this pasture type.

Wool production, ground cover and botanical composition of pastures grazed by Merino wethers in central western New South Wales. 2. Barrel medic pasture

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 510 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Brownlee
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Research ◽  
New South ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Additional Treatment ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Barrel Medic ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Pasture Area

Two grazing experiments were performed between 1965 and 1969 at the Agricultural Research Station, Condobolin, to determine the carrying capacity of Jemalong barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) pasture. In each experiment the pasture was set stocked with Merino wethers at 3.1, 4.1 and 6.2 ha-1. An additional treatment stocked at 6.2 ha-1 was included in which two-thirds of the pasture area was saved during autumn or periods of feed shortage while stock were confined to the other one-third. In both experiments the pasture supported 3.1 wethers ha-1 under set stocking for three years with little supplementary feeding and regenerated successfully each year. No major changes in botanical composition were recorded, and Jemalong medic remained the major component of the pasture. Autumn saving at 6.2 ha-1 mitigated the effects of the high stocking rate on both animal and pasture, but did not result in worthwhile animal production increases.

Perennial Grass Response to Seasonal Rests in Naturalised Pastures of Central New South Wales.

1996 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Dowling ◽  
DR Kemp ◽  
DL Michalk ◽  
TA Klein ◽  
GD Millar
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Active Growth ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Annual Grasses

The influence of grazing management, herbicide and fertiliser on botanical change in two perennial grass based pastures was assessed over six years at two sites in central New South Wales. Ten treatments at both sites compared continuous grazing, three seasonal rests from grazing (autumn, winter, summer), and herbicide application for seedling grass control, each at two levels of fertiliser addition (nil, recommended). These treatments were designed to screen options for management rather than devise complete systems. In a degraded perennial pasture dominated by annual grasses, the proportion of perennial grasses and forbs increased with summer rests, especially at the recommended fertiliser level. Legumes increased with herbicide application, and annual grasses remained high in the continuously grazed control and other treatments. There were no significant effects on composition from autumn or winter rests. On the summer rest treatment at the recommended fertiliser level, perennial grasses (mostly cocksfoot) increased from 11% to 30% compared with the control where perennial grass declined below 5%. The increase was due to both recruitment and increase in size of existing plants, as a consequence of resting the perennial grasses when actively growing, flowering and setting seed, in favourable seasons. In contrast, on the better quality perennial pasture dominated by phalaris, there were limited management effects and perennial grasses increased on all treatments over time. The absence of a response at this site was attributed to a lenient stocking rate, dominant perennial grasses and limited rainfall during periods when active growth might be expected. Summer rests in this case also led to a small increase in forbs. The data suggest that perennial grasses can be encouraged with a conservative stocking policy that maintains the available feed-on-offer above 1 t DM/ha through seasons of active growth.

Evaluation of natural annual pasture at Trangie in central western New South Wales. 3. Effect of stocking rate on annual-dominated and perennial-dominated natural pastures

1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (92) ◽  
pp. 361 ◽  
Author(s):  
GE Robards ◽  
DL Michalk ◽  
RJ Pither
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Ewe Lamb ◽  
Stocking Rates

A four year experiment is reported during which breeding Merino ewes grazed two natural pasture types at three stocking rates at Trangie in central-western New South Wales. Initially, the pasture on a red brown soil was dominated by cool season annual species, particularly Hordeum leporinum, Erodium species and Medicago species. The pasture on a heavier grey soil was dominated by the perennial grasses Chloris acicularis, C. truncata and Stipa variabilis. Clean wool production of ewes grazing the annual-dominated pasture was significantly (P< 0.05) higher than that of ewes grazing the perennial grass-dominated pasture even though the wool of the ewes grazing perennial pasture had a higher percentage clean yield (P < 0.05). The ewes on the annual-dominated pasture were significantly heavier in autumn and winter, and had a faster rate of wool growth in each season except spring, than ewes grazing perennial pasture. Number of lambs born per ewe, lamb birth weight and lamb growth rate were not affected by pasture type or stocking rate. Stocking rate had a small but statistically significant effect on clean wool production and only small effects on ewe liveweight, regardless of pasture type. When hand feeding of the pregnant ewes became necessary in the poor winters of 1971 and 1972 all stocking rates had to be commenced simultaneously. The significance of perennial grasses in these natural pastures is discussed in relationship to animal production, stocking rate, pasture and soil stability, and regeneration of grasses following favourable seasons.

Wool production, ground cover and botanical composition of pastures grazed by Merino wethers in central western New South Wales. 1. Natural pasture

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 502 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Brownlee
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Annual Medics

A natural pasture consisting predominantly of Aristida, Stipa, Danthonia and Chloris was grazed by Merino wethers set-stocked at 2.04, 1.36 and 1.02 ha-1 at Condobolin in central western New South Wales. Throughout the four years 1965 to 1969, the pasture supported 1.36 wethers ha-1 without supplementary feeding. Wool production per ha increased with increase in stocking rate but wool production per head and liveweight decreased. Although there was a greater percentage of annual medics at the high compared with the low stocking rate, the high stocking rate reduced total ground cover and the density of Aristida.

Topsoil removal and carbon addition for weed control and native grass recruitment in a temperate-derived grassland in northern New South Wales

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon L. Brown ◽  
Nick Reid ◽  
Jackie Reid ◽  
Rhiannon Smith ◽  
R. D. B. (Wal) Whalley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Intervention Strategy ◽  
Native Grasses ◽  
Native Grass ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Weed Cover

Restoring the grassy understorey to temperate woodlands in south-eastern Australia is often disregarded due to a poor understanding of the techniques involved. The natural recruitment of native grasses is uncommon in the remnants of some of these woodlands, so the restoration of the grass layer is often dependent on interventions to overcome restoration barriers. Soil enrichment from agricultural fertilisers favours the invasion of exotic broadleaf weeds and grasses, and is one of the primary barriers to the successful recruitment and establishment of native grasses, which dominated before agricultural development. This study on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales investigated the effects of different weed control treatments – scalping, glyphosate (Roundup®) herbicide, and combinations of glyphosate with carbon (sugar and sawdust) addition and a control (nil treatment) recruitment of native grasses and weed emergence after broadcast seeding. The experimental site was a mown grass lawn consisting of fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreb.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) and paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum Poir). Native grass recruitment varied significantly between treatments. The maximum number of recruits in scalped plots was 29 recruits m–2 compared with an average of <2 recruits m–2 for the glyphosate and glyphosate carbon combinations. Scalping reduced soil nitrogen from 0.6% in non-scalped plots to 0.1% and phosphorus from 191.6 ppm to 40.3 ppm. Maximum weed cover occurred in the glyphosate herbicide treatment (45%), whereas combinations of glyphosate plus either sugar or sawdust maintained weed cover at 13%. The present study suggests that scalping may be a successful intervention strategy because it has the potential to significantly improve native grass recruitment compared with other restoration methods used in this study. Scalping allows more time for native grasses to germinate and establish in the absence of competitive fast-growing exotic weeds.

Sustainable grazing systems for the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. 2. Effect of pasture type and grazing management on pasture productivity and composition

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 457 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Dowling ◽  
D. L. Michalk ◽  
D. R. Kemp ◽  
G. D. Millar ◽  
S. M. Priest ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Minor Component ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Pasture Productivity

This paper reports results from a large-scale field experiment conducted on a naturalised pasture at Carcoar, New South Wales, during the period 1997–2002. Here we describe the effect of pasture type and management on pasture productivity and composition, and discuss implications for long-term productivity. Four different pasture types (unfertilised naturalised, UN; fertilised naturalised, FN; fertilised introduced species, SP; and fertilised chicory, CH) were each subjected to 2 management strategies (continuously grazed, CG; and tactically grazed, TG). Stocking rate was set at a conservative level initially and then adjusted periodically based on ewe performance and minimum values of herbage mass (HM) in winter. TG involved a summer deferment when required and a lower stocking rate than on the CG treatment. CH was managed under a 4-paddock rotation. SP and CH also had 2.5 t/ha lime surface applied before introduced species being sod-sown. Available herbage mass tended to peak during spring and summer and was lowest in late autumn–early winter. Under CG, application of superphosphate to the naturalised pasture increased herbage mass by up to 60%, but most of the response came from annual grasses (mainly vulpia and soft brome), and subterranean clover during spring. Fertiliser initially increased the herbage mass of perennial grasses relative to the unfertilised continuously grazed control, but this component decreased over time. TG increased the perennial grass content. Annual grass herbage mass was greater where fertilised and continuously grazed, but over time declined where unfertilised and/or tactically managed. Legumes were a minor component of these pastures, but were higher where fertilised and lower where tactically grazed. Net pasture growth rate (NGR) varied with seasonal conditions, and was higher where fertiliser was applied. The data suggest that replanting perennial grasses is an effective process for increasing perenniality in this environment providing that it is economic. Further, the implementation of TG over summer has proved to be a useful approach for maintaining or increasing perennial content in existing pastures. However, there is a need to integrate TG with the timing of superphosphate application to maximise the effect on the perennial component and minimise dominance by annual species.

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