Rapid changes in simple mixtures of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) lines differing in flowering time and growth habit

1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (84) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
DF Cameron ◽  
RL McCown
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Pod Yield ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Rapid Changes ◽  
Cutting Frequency ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Frequency Changes

The ecological adaptation of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) lines was studied by following changes in the composition of mixtures of the lines. At Weipa, a high rainfall site in north Queensland, the composition of a mixture of four maturity types changed rapidly in favour of the later flowering lines, and the earliest line was almost eliminated by the end of the second year. In binary mixtures at 'Lansdown' near Townsville, defoliation every six weeks favoured erect lines but the proportion of prostrate lines was almost doubled at the three week cutting frequency. Changes in mixture composition could not be related to the dry matter yield or pod yield of the monocultures at either site. The capacity of late flowering lines to increase rapidly in populations growing in high rainfall areas, as demonstrated at the Weipa site, could pose problems for the commercial seed production of earlier flowering lines in such areas.

Comparison of Brazilian and naturalised Australian ecotypes of Stylosanthes humilis in the dry tropics of Queensland

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (72) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
LA Edye ◽  
DF Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Pod Yield ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis

Nine Stylosanthes humilis introductions from Brazil were compared with four Australian ecotypes and two mixtures when grown in swards with a grass Urochloa mosambicensis at two sites in the dry tropics of Queensland with an average growing season of 22 weeks per annum. The swards were harvested at 6-weekly intervals during the growing season at a height of 7.6 cm. Over the three years of the trial, no introduction was superior to cv. Gordon in dry matter and pod yield at the two sites. The Brazilian introductions showed variation in flowering times and growth habit. In general the later flowering, erect types were more productive because they made better growth late in the season, still set seed and competed better with sown grass. The naturalised Australian material gave higher pod yields but lower in vitro digestibilities during the dry season than the Brazilian introductions.

Effect of time of cessation of wet season grazing on Townsville stylo-annual grass pasture at Katherine, N.T

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 544 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Active Growth ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Townsville Stylo

A Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis)-annual grass pasture at Katherine, N.T., was subjected to a series of treatments in 1969-70 and 1970-71 under which plots were grazed heavily from the beginning of the wet season for a period and then allowed to recover undefoliated for the remainder of the season. The dates at which heavy grazing ceased were spaced at 2-week intervals from November 24 to March 16. At the end of the wet season, total dry matter yield was linearly related to length of recovery period. Townsville stylo yield declined as recovery period was reduced from 18 to 8 weeks, but showed little response to a further reduction to 4 weeks. In contrast, annual grass yield showed little change as recovery period was reduced from 18 to 8 weeks, but fell with a further reduction to 4 weeks. As a result, the proportion of Townsville stylo in the pasture at the end of the season was high with long and short recovery periods but reached a minimum with an 8 - 10 week recovery period. Dry conditions prevailed in the first half of both seasons. The evidence suggests that young Townsville stylo is sensitive to heavy grazing when under water stress, and that early grazing for grass control should be imposed only during periods of active growth.

The initial and residual responses to phosphorus fertilizers of Townsville stylo in pure ungrazed swards at Katherine, N.T

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (58) ◽  
pp. 488 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Fisher ◽  
NA Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Yield Data ◽  
Christmas Island ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Phosphorus Fertilizers ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Residual Values ◽  
Second Year

The response of a pure sward of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) to various initial and annual dressings of both superphosphate and calcined Christmas Island C-grade phosphate (CCICP) was determined in a field experiment at Katherine, N.T. Townsville stylo responded to superphosphate up to at least 750 kg ha-1. Initial responses and residual effects in the second year and three-year totals were much greater with superphosphate than with CCICP. CCICP gave very variable yields in the second and third years. Nitrogen concentrations were not affected by applied phosphorus but phosphorus concentrations were increased, more by superphosphate than by CCICP. Residual values of superphosphate were derived from Mitscherlich curves fitted to phosphorus yield data, and from these it was determined that 250 kg ha-1 initial and 100 kg ha-1 annual dressing of superphosphate would give stable uptake of phosphorus at the same level as 250 kg ha-1 in the initial year.

Flowering time and the natural distribution and dry matter production of Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis) populations

1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 501 ◽  
Author(s):  
DF Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Flowering Time ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Late Flowering ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Northern Areas ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Significant Yield

The flowering times of 58 collections of Townsville lucerne from typical sites in northern Australia have been recorded in three spaced plant experiments near Townsville. Thirty-six collections were grown in 1963-64, 15 in 1964-65, and 17 in 1965-66. All the late flowering collections came from sites receiving at least 45 inches annual rainfall. The five collections from south of Rockhampton were all of the early or midseason type and all collections from the far northern areas were late flowering. Partial regression analysis was used to relate the flowering time of a collection to the rainfall (for the five months interval from January to May) and latitude of the collection site. In the first two experiments rainfall, latitude and (latitude)2 all contributed significantly to the regressions, but in the third experiment only rainfall was significant. Correlation coefficients for 1963-64, 1964-65, and 1965-66 were +0.83, +0.97, and +0.93 respectively. A selection was derived from a collection by bulking seed from single spaced plants selected for uniform flowering time and growth habit. The dry matter yields of some collections and selections were compared in two sward experiments near Townsville in 1964-65 and 1965-66. In 1964-65 there were significant yield differences between collections (experiment A, P<0.01) and between selections (experiment B, P<0.001). There were differences in the rates of vegetative growth and differences in the length of growing season, with late flowering types being able to make better growth late in the season when early types were flowering and seeding. Types with erect growth habit had the highest yields and seemed to compete better with sown grasses than the prostrate types. There were no significant yield differences in 1965-66, a very dry year, and the late flowering types failed to set seed.

Effect of time of sowing on flowering and growth of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis)

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (67) ◽  
pp. 182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mannetje L t ◽  
KHLvan Bennekom
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Sowing Date ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Maturity Type ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Late Start ◽  
Spring Sowing

A midseason maturity type of Townsville stylo sown at monthly intervals throughout a year in a glasshouse in Brisbane (27�30' south) started flowering from 42 to 76 days after sowing between February and September, with dry matter yields at flowering ranging from 0.05 to 5.82 g/per plant. Sowings between October and January resulted in flowering after 98 to 157 days, with yields ranging from 26.41 to 54.75 g/per plant. Flowering was mainly determined by daylength, although low temperatures during winter delayed inflorescence elongation. Growth after onset of flowering was measured in plants sown in winter, spring and late summer. Plant weights increased after flowering in all sowings. In the spring sowing this consisted entirely of stem and inflorescence, but in the other sowings leaf was formed after onset of flowering as well. Winter and spring sowings gave the highest, late summer sowing the lowest final yields. The main agronomic implication is that sowing early in the growing season is necessary for obtaining a good first year's yield, but that seed production is little affected by sowing date, ensuring good regeneration even in years with a late start of the growing season.

Herbicides for the control of grass weeds in pastures of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis)

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 790
Author(s):  
IMW Wood
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Plant Population ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Townsville Stylo

The use of herbicides to control annual grasses in pastures of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) was studied at Katherine, N.T. The herbicides chlorthal, trifluralin, benefin, sindone B, and siduron all controlled the annual grasses Digitaria adscendens and Brachiaria ramosa. The outstanding herbicide was chlorthal, which at 6 lb a.i. an acre pre-emergence gave a Townsville stylo dry matter yield of 3250 lb an acre compared with 1130 lb an acre for the unweeded control and 2440 lb an acre for the handweeded control. At maturity there was no grass in the chlorthal plots and 1940 lb an acre in the unweeded control plots. The data suggest that, without defoliation during the growing period, total suppression of Townsville stylo can be expected when the grass population at establishment exceeds 37 per cent of the total plant population.

Effect of times, height and frequency of defoliation on growth and development of Townsville stylo in pure ungrazed swards at Katherine, N.T

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (63) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Pod Yield ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
One Year ◽  
Complete Fertilizer ◽  
Cutting Height

A one-year experiment was done in the field at Katherine, Northern Territory, to determine the influence of defoliation at different times (January, February, and March) and heights (5, 13 and 20 cm) on the growth and development of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) in ungrazed swards grown with complete fertilizer and irrigation. Townsville stylo withstood repeated defoliation at 5 cm provided that cutting started in January, but, when the first defoliation was delayed, single cuts at 5 cm in either February or March killed 82 and 53 per cent of the swards. Defoliation to 5 cm early in the season reduced total cumulative yield by less than 450 kg ha-1, and did not affect pod yield or nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations at the end of the growing season. Immediately after defoliation nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were reduced, but there was rapid recovery to higher levels with 5-cm and the same levels with 13-cm defoliation. Successive defoliation at 4 3 cm in February and March increased yield of pods. Defoliation at both 5 and 13 cm increased relative growth rate compared with the control and less frequently defoliated treatments. Defoliation to 5 cm each four weeks altered the stand morphology to a dense mat of foliage at cutting height. The ability of Townsville stylo to withstand continued defoliation suggests that sustained grazing during the growing season may be successful in controlling grass weeds vulnerable to grazing without greatly reducing pod yield or total dry matter production of Townsville stylo.

The utilization and excretion of sulphur in cattle fed on tropical roughages

1974 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 1015 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Small Decrease ◽  
Heteropogon Contortus ◽  
Total Sulphur ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Townsville Stylo

The effect of additions of sulphateh to the diet of cattle given tropical spear grass (Heteropogon contortus) and Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) was studied in three experiments. In one experiment there was a small increase in the digestibility of dry matter, but the intake of feed was not affected. The concentration of volatile fatty acids in ruminal liquor from cattle offered spear grass was increased by supplemental sulphate; there was a concurrent small decrease in the proportions of propionic and isovaleric acids. Excretion of faecal sulphur varied with the intakes of total sulphur, organic matter, and digestible organic matter, while urinary sulphur excretion varied with the sulphur and organic matter intakes. Excretion of organic sulphur and total sulphate in urine and faeces increased with sulphur intake. The ratio of nitrogen to sulphur in faeces declined when sulphate was given. The retention of nitrogen was correlated with sulphur retention. It was concluded that the intake and digestion of the hays were not limited by the intake of sulphur.

Wet season grazing of Townsville stylo pasture at Katherine, N.T

1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (47) ◽  
pp. 710 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Nitrogen Yield ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Stocking Rates

At Katherine, N.T., stocking rates of 1.33, 1.00, and 0.67 Shorthorn steers an acre for a period of 18 weeks in the wet season beginning January were imposed on established pastures sown to Townsville sty10 (Stylosanthes humilis) alone but subsequently invaded to varying degrees by annual grasses. The experiment was repeated over three years. There were no significant differences in mean liveweight gain per head over three years ; hence liveweight gain per acre at the heaviest stocking rate was approximately twice that at the lightest rate. The mean dry matter yield of grass increased significantly with decreasing stocking rate, but there were no significant differences between stocking rates in Townsville stylo dry matter yield, nitrogen yield, or phosphorus yield. Correlation coefficients were calculated using data from individual paddocks and years. There was a highly significant positive correlation between liveweight gain per head and pasture nitrogen yield, and between liveweight gain per head and pasture phosphorus yield.

Nutritional value of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis) and of spear grass (Heteropogon contortus)-dominant pastures fed to sheep. 1. The effect of plant maturity

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (57) ◽  
pp. 365 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Playne ◽  
KP Haydock
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Heteropogon Contortus ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Nitrogen Intake ◽  
Plant Maturity ◽  
Townsville Stylo ◽  
Maintenance Requirements ◽  
A Site

The voluntary dry matter intake, digestibility and chemical composition of Townsville stylo and of black spear grass cut at different times of the year from a site near Townsville, Queensland, have been examined using penned sheep. Nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus intakes and retention in the sheep were measured. The concentrations of N, P, S, Na, and Ca in most cuts of spear grass and P and Na in Townsville stylo were less than the published requirements of animals. With spear grass, digestible dry matter intake declined rapidly from January to April and more slowly from April to October and by mid-March fell below the estimated energy requirements for maintenance of sheep. There was little change in digestible dry matter intake of Townsville stylo between February and May and the level was well above maintenance requirements. Dry matter intake and dry matter digestibility were linearly related but only about 50 per cent of variations in intake were caused by variations in digestibility. Nitrogen balance was linearly related to nitrogen intake, and sulphur balance was linearly related to sulphur intake. Phosphorus intakes were usually less than 1 g P day-l and animals were usually in negative P retention.

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