Field evaluation of perennial grasses and herbs in southern Australia. 2. Persistence, root characteristics and summer activity

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Contents Vol 48(4)

doi:10.1071/EA07136

Field evaluation of perennial grasses and herbs in southern Australia. 2. Persistence, root characteristics and summer activity

Z. N. Nie ^A ^H ^J, S. Miller ^B ^H ^I, G. A. Moore ^C ^H, B. F. Hackney ^D ^H, S. P. Boschma ^E ^H, K. F. M. Reed ^A ^H, M. Mitchell ^F ^H, T. O. Albertsen ^G ^H, S. Clark ^A ^H, A. D. Craig ^B ^H, G. Kearney ^A, G. D. Li ^D ^H, B. S. Dear ^D ^H

^A Department of Primary Industries, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
^B Struan Research Centre, PO Box 618, Naracoorte, SA 5271, Australia.
^C Department of Agriculture and Food WA, South Perth, WA 6983, Australia.
^D EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (alliance between Charles Sturt University and NSW Department of Primary Industries), Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
^E NSW Department of Primary Industries, 4 Marsden Park Road, Calala, NSW 2340, Australia.
^F Department of Primary Industries, RMB 1145, Chiltern Valley Road, Rutherglen, Vic. 3685, Australia.
^G Department of Agriculture and Food WA, 10 Dore Street, Katanning, WA 6317, Australia.
^H CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
^I Rural Solutions SA, PO Box 2124, Mount Gambier, SA 5290, Australia.
^J Corresponding author. Email: zhongnan.nie@dpi.vic.gov.au





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Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(4) 424–435 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/EA07136
Submitted: 10 May 2007 Accepted: 21 December 2007 Published online: 7 March 2008

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out at seven sites in southern Australia from 2002 to 2006 to measure changes in plant frequency, root characteristics and summer activity for a range of grass and herb species or cultivars. Annual rainfall during the experimental period was on average 75 mm lower than the long-term average. Plant frequency differed significantly between species and between sites. Temperate grasses generally had higher frequencies than subtropical grasses, native grasses and herbs. Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata cvv. Currie, Porto), tall wheat grass (Thinopyrum ponticum cv. Dundas), winter-active tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea cvv. Fraydo, Resolute MaxP) and phalaris (Phalaris aquatica cvv. Atlas PG, Australian) were the most persistent of the temperate perennial species over the experimental period. The frequency of most cultivars declined from year 2 to year 4 after establishment, but the frequency of kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum cv.Whittet) and wallaby grass (Austrodanthonia richardsonii cv. Taranna) increased by over 5% from year 2 to year 3, and cocksfoot (cv. Currie) increased from year 3 to year 4. At two sites where measurements were made, there were significant differences in rooting depth between species. Whittet kikuyu was the deepest among all species with a rooting depth of up to 2 m, followed by phalaris, tall fescue, grazing brome (Bromus stamineus) and tall wheat grass. Root density was affected by plant genotype and soil structure. Root density of the species varied significantly in the subsoil (0.1–1.1 m) and deeper subsoil (1.1–2 m) but not in the topsoil (0–0.1 m). Green-leafiness over summer was generally higher for subtropical grasses, native grasses, herbs and some summer-active temperate grasses, than most temperate grasses with high summer dormancy.

Keywords: environment, pasture genotype.