Comparative productivity of some cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) in north-eastern Victoria

1968 ◽  
Vol 8 (30) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
IH Cameron ◽  
AA McGowan

Eight cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)-Yarloop, Burnley, Bacchus Marsh, Nangeela, Clare, Portugal, Chiltern Valley, and Mt. Barker-were compared in mowing experiments at the Rutherglen Research Station in north-eastern Victoria. All eight had similar total annual yields of dry matter, but all except Chiltern Valley outyielded Mt. Barker (the common district cultivar) in most winters. Yarloop, Burnley, and Bacchus Marsh grew best in winter. Of these, Burnley has most promise, being apparently more persistent than Bacchus Marsh, and having lower oestrogenic potency than Yarloop. There was no difference in greasy wool production from wethers run at five to the acre on Mt. Barker or Bacchus Marsh pastures, despite higher pasture production on the latter. Hay was cut in two seasons ; after feeding equal amounts to each group of sheep, there was a surplus of 20 cwt an acre in favour of the Bacchus Marsh pasture. Clover seed production, winter pasture growth, and sheep liveweights also favoured Bacchus Marsh.

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 223
Author(s):  
Wesley M. Moss ◽  
Andrew L. Guzzomi ◽  
Kevin J. Foster ◽  
Megan H. Ryan ◽  
Phillip G. H. Nichols

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) is Australia’s most widely sown annual pasture legume. Its widespread use as a pasture plant requires a well-functioning seed production industry, and Australia is the only significant producer of subterranean clover seed globally. However, the sustainability of this industry is under threat due to its reliance on ageing harvest equipment and the resultant environmental impacts. In order to evaluate seed harvesting practices, technology, and issues, we report on case studies, workshops, and a survey of seed producers across southern Australia. The Horwood Bagshaw Clover Harvester, designed in the 1950s, remains the most popular subterranean clover seed harvester. We discuss its use and modifications, and document several contemporary issues facing the seed production industry. Issues are primarily soil erosion and degradation; the expensive, slow and labour-intensive harvest process; and poor reliability and maintainability of harvesters that are now at least 30 years old. We conclude the root cause of these issues is the suction harvest technology utilised by the Horwood Bagshaw Clover Harvester. Analysis of the current harvest system is provided to support the development of new approaches to harvest subterranean clover seeds.


1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (59) ◽  
pp. 608 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Rossiter ◽  
GB Taylor ◽  
GW Anderson

Pasture swards of the annual clovers Trifolium subterraneum (CV. Geraldton), T. hirtum (CV. Kondinin), and T. cherleri (CV. Yamina), and a mixture of all three were sown on a gravelly soil at Bakers Hill, Western Australia, in 1964. All pastures were set-stocked at 5 sheep ha-l from April 1965-April 1968, and at 8 sheep ha-1 from April 1968-March 1970. From 1966 onwards the amount of pasture dry matter on offer in July and September was two to four times as great on the subterranean clover pasture as on rose or cupped clover pastures. Moreover, the subterranean clover pasture resisted invasion by volunteer annuals more strongly. The mixed clover pasture was dominated by subterranean clover by 1966, and remained so thereafter. For the first four seasons of grazing, wool production was consistently higher (on average, 14 per cent higher) on rose clover than on subterranean clover pasture, and slightly lower still on cupped clover. In the fifth season, when grazing pressure was higher than previously, the rose and cupped clovers 'crashed', and subterranean clover produced most wool. We argue that the higher wool production on rose clover during 1965-1969 was due to some factor additional to digestible organic matter intake.


1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale

The influence of grazing intensity on the productivity of an irrigated annual pasture was studied for 3 years in northern Victoria. Lax-, medium- and hard-grazing intensities were described by post-grazing pasture heights of 7.2, 5.2 and 3.0 cm, respectively. Also, one instance of variable grazing frequency occurred, in winter of year 1. Hard-grazed plots produced 1 3 and 17% less herbage in years 1 and 2, respectively, than did lax- and medium-grazed plots, which produced similar amounts of herbage. When the interval between grazings was extended, the variation in productivity was reversed; lax grazing resulted in 9% less total production than heavier grazing. In years 1 and 2, there was little effect of grazing treatment on botanical composition until spring, at which time there was a marked reduction in the amount of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) in the hard-grazed plots, with a concomitant increase in grass content. There were no significant effects of grazing intensity on the amounts of weeds in either year. However, in year 3, weeds were important contributors to pasture production early in the season. This, together with reduced clover seed reserves and increased incidence of disease in subterranean clover with hard grazing, suggests that the long-term regenerating ability of an annual pasture may be impaired if severely grazed at regular intervals.


2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 902 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Peck ◽  
N. Habili ◽  
R. M. Nair ◽  
J. W. Randles ◽  
C. T. de Koning ◽  
...  

In the mid 2000s subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) seed producers in South Australia reported symptoms of a red-leaf disease in fields with reduced seed yields. The red-leaf symptoms resembled those caused by several clover-infecting viruses. A set of molecular diagnostic tools were developed for the following viruses which are known to infect subterranean clover: Alfalfa mosaic virus; Bean leafroll virus (BLRV); Beet western yellows virus; Bean yellow mosaic virus; Cucumber mosaic virus; Pea seed-borne mosaic virus; Soybean dwarf virus and Subterranean clover stunt virus. Surveys of subterranean clover seed production fields in 2008 in the south-east of South Australia and western Victoria identified Bean leafroll virus, Alfalfa mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus as present, with BLRV the most widespread. Surveys of pasture seed production fields and pasture evaluation trials in 2009 confirmed that BLRV was widespread. This result will allow seed producers to determine whether control measures directed against BLRV will overcome their seed losses. Bluegreen aphid (Acyrthosiphon kondoi) was implicated as a potential vector of BLRV because it was observed to be colonising lucerne plants adjacent to subterranean clover seed production paddocks with BLRV, and in a glasshouse trial it transmitted BLRV from an infected lucerne plant to subterranean clover in a persistent manner.


1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Hochman ◽  
GJ Osborne ◽  
PA Taylor ◽  
B Cullis

In a field study on four sites, soil acidity, root rot (Phytophthora clandestina), and soil phosphorus were identified as causes of 'subterranean clover decline'. Liming increased herbage and seed production at four sites, with a tendency for lime to increase herbage yields in autumn (22%) and winter (15%) but not in spring. The presence of ryegrass with clover increased total herbage yields, and reduced clover seed production, but there was no interaction with liming. Losses caused by root rot associated with P. clandestina were quantified for the first time in New South Wales. Root rot reduced survival of seedlings as well as herbage production in autumn and/or winter at three of the four sites. In the presence of the disease, lime did not improve root health or seedling survival. On two sites with high aluminium saturation of exchangeable cations (> 17%) and high phosphorus sorption index values, subterranean clover growth responded to high levels of P fertilizer. On one site, where lime increased the soil pH to above 5.5, the P sorption index was temporarily increased, and this was associated with a temporary adverse effect on herbage yields. Some possible mechanisms underlying the seasonality of lime responses are proposed and the practical implications of our findings are discussed.


1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (39) ◽  
pp. 432 ◽  
Author(s):  
JW Gartrell

Sodium molybdate at l 1/2 oz, 3 oz, and 6 oz mixed with 6 lb ground limestone and pelleted onto 12 lb of Trifolium subterraneum cv. Geraldton inoculated with peat culture markedly reduced clover nodulation, growth, and combined nitrogen production compared with nil sodium molybdate. Mixtures of sodium molybdate l 1/2 oz, 3 oz, and 6 oz with l80 lb superphosphate drilled at 180 lb an acre with 12 lb an acre clover seed inoculated and pelleted with 6 lb ground limestone had no effect on nodulation, increased dry matter production by 70 per cent, and increased nitrogen per acre in tops by 110 per cent compared with nil sodium molybdate. The differences persisted into the second growing season.


1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (65) ◽  
pp. 681 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Quinlivan ◽  
AC Devitt ◽  
CM Francis

In two experiments in successive years on a sandy soil in Western Australia, seed production of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) when sown as a commercial crop was greatly influenced by time of sowing, phosphate rates and seeding rate. Early (April) sowing, high phosphate (up to 600 kg ha-1) and higher seeding rates (up to 24 kg ha-1) all increased seed set but the major effect was that of earliness of sowing. Time of sowing interacted with phosphate rates, the time of sowing differences being only fully expressed at high phosphate rates. Artificial nitrogen applied had a significant effect on seed yield in one of the trial years.


1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (60) ◽  
pp. 56 ◽  
Author(s):  
AA McGowan ◽  
WA Williams

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) was sown with barley (Hordeum vulgare) in autumn under a variety of management treatments. Clover seed production was increased when barley emergence was delayed by seed treatment with CCC or paraffin wax, or by delayed sowing, when barley seeding rates were reduced, or when barley was clipped in late winter. The main factor limiting growth of the undersown clover was competition for light, especially in late winter and early spring when light transmission through the barley crop dropped below 60 per cent. Despite a dry spring, interspecific competition for moisture evidently imposed very little restriction on clover growth and seed production. Competition for nitrogen may have occurred earlier in the season.


1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
JN Black

Changes in the pre-emergence distribution of dry matter in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) variety Bacchus Marsh were followed at 21°C, using three sizes of seed and three depths of sowing, ½, 1¼, and 2 in. Decreasing seed size and increasing depth of sowing both reduce the weight of the cotyledons a t emergence. Seed of the three sizes were sown a t three depths in pot culture a t staggered intervals so that emergence was simultaneous. Dry weight in the early vegetative stage was proportional to seed size, and total leaf area and leaf numbers showed similar trends. Plants of each seed size grew at the same relative rate. No effect of depth of sowing could be detected, and this was shown to be due to the cotyledon area a t emergence being constant for any given seed size, regardless of varying depth of sowing and hence of cotyledon weight. It was concluded that seed size in a plant having epigeal germination and without endosperm is of importance: firstly, in limiting the maximum hypocotyl elongation and hence depth of sowing, and secondly, in determining cotyledon area. Cotyledon area in turn influences seedling growth, which is not affected by cotyledon weight. Once emergence has taken place, cotyledonary reserves are of no further significance in the growth of the plants.


1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 777
Author(s):  
MDA Bolland

The effect of superphosphate applications (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 kg P/ha to the soil surface) on the dry matter (DM) herbage production of dense swards of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum cv. Junee) and yellow serradella (Ornithopus compressus cv. Tauro) was measured in a field experiment on deep, sandy soil in south-western Australia. The swards were defoliated with a reel mower at weekly intervals from 88 to 158 days after sowing, to a height of 2 cm for the first 9 cuts, 4 cm for the tenth cut and 5 cm for the eleventh cut. Yellow serradella was more productive than subterranean clover. Consequently, for the relationship between yield and the level of phosphorus (P) applied, yellow serradella supported larger maximum yields and required less P than subterranean clover, to produce the same DM herbage yield. Maximum yields of yellow serradella were 12-40% larger. To produce 70% of the maximum yield for yellow serradella at each harvest, yellow serradella required about 50% less P than subterranean clover. However, when yields were expressed as a percentage of the maximum yield measured for each species at each harvest, the relationship between yield and the level of P applied was similar for both species, and they had similar P requirements.


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