Effects of phosphorus on seed yields of subterranean clover, serradella and annual medics

Abstract

In three experiments located near Esperance, Western Australia, the effect of superphosphate phosphorus on seed yields of subterranean clover, serradella and annual medics was measured on newly-cleared soils, using low seeding rates. In two experiments, the relationship between seed yield and the amount of phosphorus applied was linear for subterranean clover and serradella; seed yields increasing by 7-24 kg/ha for each kg/ha of phosphorus applied, depending on species, strain or cultivar, and location. In the third experiment, seed yields of annual medic species also increased markedly with increasing amounts of applied superphosphate phosphorus, this response also depended on species and strain or cultivar, but the responses become less marked with increasing amounts of phosphorus. For the annual medic species, the phosphorus treatments had no effect on average weight of one burr, number of seeds per burr, weight of one seed, or the rate of softening of hard seeds as measured both in a 15/60¦ alternating temperature oven (one cycle/day) or for samples of burrs collected periodically during summer from the field. For all legumes, the appearance of first flowers was not affected by phosphorus treatment.