Caucasian clover establishment in the high country and grazing responses in ryegrass/white clover lowland pasture
type: CreativeWork
description: A trial to measure the effects of establishment techniques and fertiliser application on seedling establishment and early root and rhizome development of Caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum) was sown in early October 1992, on a low-fertility, depleted, short tussock grassland site at Mesopotamia Station, South Canterbury. Three sowing techniques, broadcasting, sod seeding and strip seeding, each with two rates of fertiliser, 150 or 300 kg/ha molybdic sulphur superphosphate (8% P, 20% S), were used. By mid December, 48% and 38% establishment had occurred in the strip and sod seeding treatments respectively, but only 10% in the broadcast. Strip seeding resulted in the earliest taproot and rhizome development of Caucasian clover and the greatest lateral spread of rhizomes. However, all plants strip and sod seeding developed rhizomes after nine months. Plants established by broadcasting were small with few rhizomes in the first season. The higher fertiliser rate improved establishment and growth, particularly in the strip seeding treatment. Strip seeded Caucasian clover established as rapidly as white clover and plants were similar in size after five months. However, Caucasian clover had a larger underground mass which could lead to greater persistence. A grazing trial was established to observe how two cultivars of Caucasian clover and two seed lines of zig zag clover responded to four diverse grazing treatments. The experiment was located at Lincoln University, latitude 43º 39S and longitude 172º 28E on a medium to free-draining soil of medium fertility with an annual rainfall of 651mm. In March 1989 a seed production experiment was established and consisted of Caucasian clover cultivars Alpine and Monaro and zig zag clover seed lines Porters Pass and Kentucky. In spring of 1992 high endophyte ryegrass was direct drilled into this experiment. The first grazing to establish main plot treatments occurred in early October 1993. The experiment design was a randomised blo…
abstract: A trial to measure the effects of establishment techniques and fertiliser application on seedling establishment and early root and rhizome development of Caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum) was sown in early October 1992, on a low-fertility, depleted, short tussock grassland site at Mesopotamia Station, South Canterbury. Three sowing techniques, broadcasting, sod seeding and strip seeding, each with two rates of fertiliser, 150 or 300 kg/ha molybdic sulphur superphosphate (8% P, 20% S), were used. By mid December, 48% and 38% establishment had occurred in the strip and sod seeding treatments respectively, but only 10% in the broadcast. Strip seeding resulted in the earliest taproot and rhizome development of Caucasian clover and the greatest lateral spread of rhizomes. However, all plants strip and sod seeding developed rhizomes after nine months. Plants established by broadcasting were small with few rhizomes in the first season. The higher fertiliser rate improved establishment and growth, particularly in the strip seeding treatment. Strip seeded Caucasian clover established as rapidly as white clover and plants were similar in size after five months. However, Caucasian clover had a larger underground mass which could lead to greater persistence. A grazing trial was established to observe how two cultivars of Caucasian clover and two seed lines of zig zag clover responded to four diverse grazing treatments. The experiment was located at Lincoln University, latitude 43º 39S and longitude 172º 28E on a medium to free-draining soil of medium fertility with an annual rainfall of 651mm. In March 1989 a seed production experiment was established and consisted of Caucasian clover cultivars Alpine and Monaro and zig zag clover seed lines Porters Pass and Kentucky. In spring of 1992 high endophyte ryegrass was direct drilled into this experiment. The first grazing to establish main plot treatments occurred in early October 1993. The experiment design was a randomised blo…
author: Moorhead, Allister J. E.
language: en
keywords: Caucasian clover, seedling establishment, sowing techniques, grazing responses, ryegrass, white clover, fertiliser, high country, pasture
date published: 1997
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:51:05Z
provider: Lincoln University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Lincoln University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/10182/3230