Register      Login
The Rangeland Journal The Rangeland Journal Society
Journal of the Australian Rangeland Society
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > RJ > RJ08022
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 30(2)

Grassland development in tropical and subtropical southern China

G. D. Liu A , D. L. Michalk B C , C. J. Bai A , D. G. Yu B and Z. Q. Chen A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Danzhou 571737, Hainan, China.

B New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: david.michalk@dpi.nsw.gov.au

The Rangeland Journal 30(2) 255-270 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ08022
Submitted: 15 April 2008  Accepted: 23 May 2008   Published: 3 June 2008

Abstract

China’s 79 million ha of tropical and subtropical grasslands represent a significant national forage resource with a potential for further development for sustainable livestock production. The species rich original forest vegetation has been converted through natural and human activities to secondary forest, grassland and agricultural land. The grasslands which include savannah, shrubland, coppice forest and arable land sown with exotic legumes and grasses are expected to become China’s third largest livestock production zone. Despite degradation the grasslands retain a high level of biodiversity which has been preserved in germplasm depositories with on-going collection expeditions throughout south China. Productivity of natural grasses is moderate (<5 t DM/ha) but can be increased significantly by augmenting with Stylosanthes and other introduced legumes adapted to the infertile or acidic soils and seasonal rainfall.

Stylosanthes species which is used for grazing, green chop or leaf-meal production, as well as a cover crop in orchards, plantations and forest are successful because they are simple to establish and deliver immediate profits to farmers through improved livestock production or sale of forage for leaf meal manufacture. On-going plant breeding programs are delivering new higher yielding legume and grass cultivars with disease resistance and acid soil tolerance. They are expanding selection priorities to address environmental concerns (e.g. soil acidifying legumes) and to meet the needs of new integrated production systems. Introduced legumes and grasses have provided benefits to the environment through improved soil fertility, reduced soil erosion, increased infiltration rates and reduced weed invasion.

Experts believe that the southern tropical and subtropical grasslands still have the capacity to safely increase production and contribute significantly to the improvement of the regional ecosystem. However, this can only be achieved if current programs on germplasm preservation, breeding new cultivars and developing management systems for integrated production systems need to be balanced with work precision livestock management and promotion of monitoring individual animal performance to achieve improved livestock production efficiency.

Additional keywords: biodiversity, productivity, rangelands, Stylosanthes.


Acknowledgements

Comments by two anonymous referees helped improve the paper for publication.


References


Bai C. J. , Liu G. D. , Wang D. J. , Krishna D. , Qudratullah S. , and Prasad V. L. K. Rama, Rao, S. V., Parthasarthy Rao, P., Ramesh, C. R., Balagopal, R., and Gopalan, A. (2004). Stylosanthes leaf meal for animal industries in China and India. Chapter 24. In: ‘High-yielding anthracnose-resistant Stylosanthes for agricultural systems’. Monograph No. 111. (Ed. S. Chakraborty.) pp. 243–251. (ACIAR: Canberra.)

Bai C. J., Liu G. D., Wang D. J., Yu D. G., Chen Z. Q., Li Z. D. (2007) Selection and breeding of Brachiaria ruziziensis G.et E.cv. Reyan No. 15. Acta Agrenctin Sinica [In Chinese] 15, 566–571. (Accessed 28 May 2008).

Liu G. D. , Bai C. J. , Wang D. J. , and He H. X. (2004). Stylosanthes cultivars in China: their development and performance. In: ‘High-yielding Anthracnose-resistant Stylosanthes for Agricultural Systems’. Monograph No. 111. (Ed. S. Chakraborty.) pp. 156–158. (ACIAR: Canberra.)

Liu G. D. , and Kerridge P. C. (1997). Selection and utilization of Stylosanthes guianensis, for green cover and feed meal production in China. In: ‘Proceedings of the XVIII International Grassland Congress’. (Eds J. Buchanan-Smith, L. Bailey, and P. McCaughley.) pp. 49–50. (Extension Service Saskatchewan Agriculture & Food: Saskatoon.)

Liu G. D. , Noble A. D. , He H. X. , Michalk D. L. , and Ruaysoongnern S. (1999). Soil acidification under Stylosanthes legumes in tropical China: preliminary evaluation of the problem. Vol. 1. In: ‘People and Rangelands: Building the Future. Proceedings of the VI International Rangeland Congress’. Townsville. (Eds D. Eldridge and D. Freudenberger.) pp. 297–298. (VI Internatioal Rangeland Congress, Inc.: Townsville.)

Liu G. D., Phaikaew C., Stur W. W. (1997) Status of Stylosanthes development in other countries. II. Stylosanthes development and utilization in China and south-east Asia. Tropical Grasslands 31, 460–467. (Accessed 28 May 2008).

Ren J. Z., Hu Z. Z., Zhao J., Zhang D. G., Hou F. J., Lin H. L., Mu X. D. (2008) A grassland classification system and its application in China. The Rangeland Journal 30, 199–209. open url image1

Ren J. Z., Li X. L., Hou F. J. (2002) Research progress and trend on grassland agroecology. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 13, 1017–1021.
| PubMed |
open url image1

Ren J. Z., Nan Z. B., Lin H. L., Hou F. J. (2007) Outlook on establishing of a new food system. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 9, 17–21. open url image1

Riggs P. (2003) Agroecological restoration in Guangdong. Leisha Magazine, December Issue.

Sanchez P. A., Salinas J. G. (1981) Low-input technology for managing Oxisols and Ultisols in tropical America. Advances in Agronomy 34, 279–406. open url image1

Shelton H. M. , Franzel S. , and Peters M. (2005). Adoption of tropical legume technology around the world: analysis of success. In: ‘Grassland: A Global Resource.’ (Ed. D. A. Galloway.) pp. 149–166. (Wageningen Academic Publishers: Wageningen.)

Shen Z. Y., Xiao Y. D. (1995) The development of prataculture with southern rural characteristics. Jiangxi Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science 4, 6–9. open url image1

Shi Z. C. (2001) Boosting the vegetation construction of wood and pasture, realizing the balanced development of agroforestry and prataculture. Grassland and Turf 2, 3–5. open url image1

Stocking M. A. (2003) Tropical soils and food security: the next 50 years. Science 302, 1356–1359.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | open url image1

Su S. J., Lin J. R. (1994) Report on pratacultural system engineering of hillyland in Fujian Province, China. Pratacultural Science [In Chinese] 11, 38–41. open url image1

Tang C., Barton L., Raphael C. (1998) Pasture legume species differ in their capacity to acidify soil. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 53–58.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Tscharntke T., Klein A. M., Kruess A., Steffandewenter I., Thies S. (2005) Landscape perspectives on agricultural intensification and biodiversity – ecosystem service management. Ecology Letters 8, 857–874.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Wang R., Wang Y. Z. (2006) Invasion dynamics and potential spread of the invasive alien plant species Ageratina adenophora (Asteraceae) in China. Diversity & Distributions 12, 397–408.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Wen S. (2005). The comprehensive developing and matching technology of forage and cattle production in hilly Red Soil region. In: ‘Characteristics and High Effective Utilization of Red Soil’. (Eds M. Xu, S. Wen and J. Li) pp. 227–248. (Chinese Press of Agricultural, Science and Technology: Beijing)

Wen S. L. , Casanova A. , Scott J. M. , McLeod D. M. , Zhang J. Q. , and Xie L. S. (2004 b). Low input forages for developing red soil wastelands in southern China. In: ‘Forages – From Research into Practice.’ Working Paper 55. (Eds J. M. Scott, D. A. MacLeod, X. G. Xu and A. D. Casanova.) pp. 67–72. (ACIAR: Canberra.)

Wen S. L. , McLeod D. A. , Casanova A. J. , Scott J. M. , Horne P. , Xie L. S. , and Zhang J. Q. (2004 a). Forages for erosion control on red soils of south central China. In: ‘Forages – From Research into Practice.’ Working Paper 55. (Eds J. M. Scott, D. A. MacLeod, X. G. Xu and A. D. Casanova.) pp. 44–49. (ACIAR: Canberra.)

Wu C. C. (1981). Delineation of China’s agricultural resources. In: ‘China Geographer No. 11: Agriculture’. (Eds C.W. Pannell and C.L. Salter.) pp. 27–39. (Westview Press: Boulder.)

Wu Z. Y. , Zhu Y. , and Jiang H. (1987) ‘The Vegetation of Yunnan’. (Science Press: Beijing.)

Xie H. , Richard C. , Xu J. , and Wang J. (2002). Current rangeland management in Zhongdian County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China. In: ‘Yak Productions in Central Asian Highlands. Proceedings of the Third International Congress on Yak’. (Eds H. Jianlin, C. Richard, O. Hannotte, C. McVeigh and J. E. O. Rege.) (International Livestock Research Institute: Nairobi.)

Xinhua News Agency (2005). China to develop 13 million hectares grassland in South. Available at: www.china.org.cn/english/2005/Nov/150028.htm. (accessed 27 May 2008).

Xu J. C., Melick D. R. (2007) Rethinking the effectiveness of public protected areas in southwest China. Conservation Biology 21, 318–328.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | open url image1

Yang L. Z., Liu G. D., Bai C. J. (2005) Effects of nitrogen fertilizer on the growth of Brachiaria brizantha.  Journal of South China University of Tropical Agriculture 8, 27–29. open url image1

Yang Z. Y., Xin G. R., Yue C. Y. (1997) A case study on the benefits of Italian ryegrass–rice rotation system. Pratacultural Science 14, 35–39. open url image1

Yuan F. J., Kui J. X., Li S., Xie Y. B., Guo Z. Y. (2004) The Effect of P, K and S fertilizer on the yield of Brachiaria decumbens.  Sichuan Grassland [In Chinese] 8, 27–29. open url image1

Zhang J. E., Luo S. M., Duan S. S. (2001) The environment of a young litchi orchard planted with forage grass in south China. Acta Horticulturae 558, 311–313. open url image1

Zhang J. H., Cao M. (1995) Tropical forest vegetation of Xishuanhbanna SW China and its secondary changes, with special reference to some problems in local nature conservation. Biological Conservation 73, 229–238.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Zhang J. R., Duan S. S., Luo S. M. (2000) Eco-environmental effects of fruit trees and different pasture inter-planting systems in young orchard on slope land of latosol soils (Hapludox). Soil and Environmental Sciences 9, 42–44. open url image1

Zhang J. Q. , Luo T. , Casanova A. J. , Ying Z. Y. , Horne P. M. , Blair G. J. , Scott J. M. , McLeod D. A. , and Wen S. L. (2004). Evaluation of forage accessions in subtropical Hunan and Fujian. In: ‘Forages for the Red Soil Areas of China’. Paper No. 55. (Eds J. M. Scott, D. A. McLeod, M. G. Xu and A. J. Casanova.) pp. 73–80. (Working ACIAR: Canberra.)

Zhao J. Q., Michalk D. L., Du G. Z., Wen Y. F., Kemp D. R., Nicol H. (2007) Effect of fertilization on pasture in acid soil in Yunnan Province in China. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 523–535. open url image1

Zhao Q. Q. , Gong Z. T. , Hou C. Q. , and Zou G. C. (1990). Tropical soils. In: ‘Soils of China’. (Eds C. W. Li and O. Sun.) pp. 43–73. (Science Press: Beijing.)

Zhao Q. Q. , and Shi H. (1986). On the genesis, classification and characteristics of the soils in tropical and subtropical China. In: ‘Proceedings of the International Symposium on Red Soils’. (Eds C. K. Li, and O. Sun Ou.) pp. 197–228. (Science Press, Beijing.)

Zheng X. L. (2001). Status of plant variety right for agricultural crops in China. In: ‘System for Plant Variety Right in China’. (Ed. R. C. Duan.) pp. 18–20. (Ministry of Agriculture of China: Beijing.)