Long-term effects of pastoral fallowing on the distribution and performance of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in a hill country pasture

Nie, Zhongnan; Valentine, Ian; Mackay, A. D.; Barker, D. J.; Hodgson, J.

doi:10.33584/rps.6.1995.3381

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Anecdotal evidence suggests that there tends to be a lower onion grass population in intensively grazed and well‐fertilised pastures. This is supported by the findings of Experiment 1, where close defoliation (cutting to 1 cm above ground) significantly reduced corm weight and seedpod numbers of onion grass, and medium to high level of fertiliser application significantly increased the growth of all companion plant species, but not onion grass, which could result in changes to the pasture composition through species competition (Nie et al, 1995). Over its vegetative phase, onion grass relies on its single needle‐like leaf for photosynthesis, which accumulates nutrients for corm growth and seed production at the reproductive phase.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Responses to defoliation and fertiliser, corm development and chemical control of onion grass (Romulea rosea) in the Mediterranean environment of southern Australia

Nie

Zollinger²,

Behrendt³

et al. 2022

Grassland Research

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Background Onion grass (Romulea rosea) is a common weed that infests native and improved pastures in the Mediterranean environments of southern Australia. It is a very challenging weed to control due to its distinctive growth and survival mechanisms involving corms. Methods Three glasshouse experiments were conducted in Australia to investigate the response of onion grass to defoliation and fertiliser application, the development and growth of onion grass corms and the chemical control of the weed in winter and spring. Results Defoliating consistently to 1 cm above ground reduced corm weight by 84% compared with the control. Medium or high fertiliser application did not increase herbage mass of onion grass compared with the nonfertilised treatment. The corm weight of onion grass declined from Weeks 1 to 8 after emergence, remained at 53–60 mg dry matter (DM) corm−1 from Weeks 8 to 19 and then declined on average to 37 mg DM corm−1 up to Week 26 after emergence. New corms started to develop at Week 6 after emergence. A small proportion of the onion grass plants (7.5%) developed multiple new corms (3–6 corms) from a single old corm. The most effective herbicide control was a winter application of metsulfuron methyl or imazamox as an alternative product to protect clover. Conclusions This study has identified the growth and development patterns of onion grass corms, how the plant responded to defoliation and fertiliser application and effective chemical control of this weed. These findings have significant practical implications for the improvement of onion grass‐infested pastures.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Responses to defoliation and fertiliser, corm development and chemical control of onion grass (Romulea rosea) in the Mediterranean environment of southern Australia

Nie

Zollinger²,

Behrendt³

et al. 2022

Grassland Research

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“…Mendes et al [ 49 ] reported that proper grazing management tends to decrease invasive shrubs ( Cistus ladanifer ) and increase the Poacea and Fabacea families, especially Poetea bulbosae , Poa bulbosa L., Trifolium subterraneum L., Erodium botrys (Cav.) Bertol., Trifolium glomeratum and Trifolium tomentosum L. Seven months without grazing led to a 72 to 87% reduction in the density of grasses, clovers and other species [ 51 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Sheep Grazing, Stocking Rates and Dolomitic Limestone Application on the Floristic Composition of a Permanent Dryland Pasture, in the Montado Agroforestry System of Southern Portugal

Carreira

Serrano

Gomes

et al. 2022

Animals

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The Montado is a complex agroforestry–pastoral ecosystem due to the interactions between soil–pasture–trees–animals and climate. The typical Montado soil has an acidic pH and manganese toxicity, which affect the pasture's productivity and pasture floristic composition (PFC). The PFC, on the other hand, can also be influenced by the type and intensity of grazing, which can lead to significant decreases in the amount of biomass produced and the biodiversity of species in the pasture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of grazing type, by sheep, and different stocking rates on the PFC throughout the vegetative pasture cycle in areas with and without dolomitic limestone application. Thus, four treatments (P1UC to P4TC) were constituted: P1UC—without limestone application (U) and continuous grazing (CG); P2UD—U and deferred grazing (DG); P3TD—with the application of limestone (T) and DG; P4TC—T and CG. In DG plots, the placement and removal of the animals were carried out as a function of the average height of the pasture (placement—10 cm; removal—3 to 5 cm). The PFC was characterized in winter, at the peak of spring and in late spring. The PFC data were subjected to a multilevel pattern analysis (ISA). The combination of rainfall and temperature influenced the pasture growth rates and consequently the height of the pasture at different times of the year. Therefore, with the different growth rates of the pasture throughout the year, the sheep remain for different periods of time in the deferred grazing treatments. In the four treatments, 103 plant species were identified. The most representative botanical families in the four treatments were Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae. ISA identified 14 bioindicator species: eight for the winter period, three for the late spring vegetative period and three for the TC treatment.

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“…When paddocks are removed from the rotation, livestock have a smaller effective grazing area and are better able to utilise the spring pasture, where growth often exceeds livestock demand (Suckling 1959). It can also increase nutritive value by increasing the legume content (e.g., Nie et al 1996), although this depends on the timing of closing and re-opening pastures to grazing and on the other species present in the sward. This enables livestock to better maintain pastures in a high-quality vegetative state, such that pastures are grazed at the 2-to 3-leaf stage.…”

Section: Delayed or Deferred Grazingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Will current rotational grazing management recommendations suit future intensive pastoral systems?

et al. 2021

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This review aimed to determine whether current grazing management practices will suit future intensive rotationally grazed pastoral systems. A review of literature on grazing management recommendations found that there was good agreement on the ‘principles’ required for optimal grazing management. While these management practices have stood the test of time, it is concluded that shifts in external pressures (e.g., climate, plant selection and breeding, system intensification) compared to the period when farm-level grazing recommendations were first developed, may necessitate a rethink of current grazing recommendations. Examples include greater pasture masses (e.g., around 4000 kg dry matter (DM)/ha vs. the recommended range of 2600 to 3200 kg DM/ha) where short-rotation (annual, biennial) and tetraploid ryegrasses are sown, provided a consistent post-grazing residual can be maintained (possibly between 40- and 70- mm height). Milder winters and the use of ryegrass cultivars with higher growth rates in late winter/early spring may necessitate either lower target pasture covers at calving or shorter rotation lengths during winter. Longer grazing rotations (well beyond the 3-leaf stage, i.e., equivalent to deferred grazing) can be recommended for select paddocks from mid-spring into summer, to increase seasonal resilience across the farm. Longer residuals (even up to 70 mm - i.e., almost double the recommended height) might improve plant survival during periods of high stress (e.g., heatwaves, droughts). Lastly, diverse species pastures may require specific management to suit dominant species other than perennial ryegrass.

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Long-term effects of pastoral fallowing on the distribution and performance of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in a hill country pasture

Cited by 8 publications

References 10 publications

Responses to defoliation and fertiliser, corm development and chemical control of onion grass (Romulea rosea) in the Mediterranean environment of southern Australia

Responses to defoliation and fertiliser, corm development and chemical control of onion grass (Romulea rosea) in the Mediterranean environment of southern Australia

Effect of Sheep Grazing, Stocking Rates and Dolomitic Limestone Application on the Floristic Composition of a Permanent Dryland Pasture, in the Montado Agroforestry System of Southern Portugal

Will current rotational grazing management recommendations suit future intensive pastoral systems?

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