Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > AN > EA03227
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 45(1)

Persistence of Phalaris aquatica in grazed pastures 1. Plant and tiller population characteristics

B. R. Cullen A B C , D. F. Chapman A and P. E. Quigley B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Agriculture and Food Systems, Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

B Primary Industries Research Victoria, Department of Primary Industries, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.

C Present address and corresponding author: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia. Email: brendan.cullen@csiro.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45(1) 41-48 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03227
Submitted: 9 November 2003  Accepted: 28 March 2004   Published: 21 February 2005

Abstract

Phalaris tiller and plant population characteristics were monitored in sown Australian phalaris–subterranean clover pastures over 3 seasons (1999–2001) to determine the impact of fertiliser and grazing method on phalaris persistence in south-western Victoria. Four grazing systems were tested: set-stocked, low phosphorus (P) fertiliser input (SS low P); set-stocked, high P fertiliser input (SS high P); simple rotation, high P (RG 4 paddock); and intensive rotation, high P (RG intensive). Within each year there was no significant difference in tiller density (tillers/m2) between the grazing systems. Phalaris tiller density declined (P<0.05) on all treatments from June 1999 to June 2001. There was a significant effect of grazing method on tiller size (mg/tiller); tillers growing under rotational grazing systems were much larger than those in set-stocked systems. There was some evidence of tiller size density compensation across the grazing management treatments; however, the slope of the trade-off between tiller size and density was not as steep as those reported for other species. In general, the phalaris tiller populations under rotationally grazed treatments were characterised by lower density per m2 of phalaris clump and larger size, compared with the set-stocked treatments. Both the phalaris tiller and clump density declined at a similar rate on all treatments during this experiment, suggesting that there was some limitation to phalaris persistence irrespective of grazing system. Measured leaf appearance intervals (days/leaf) indicated that a lack of tillering sites was not a contributing factor in the observed tiller density decline. It is likely that the combination of high grazing pressure, below average rainfall and subsoil acidity contributed to the observed phalaris population decline.


Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the assistance of the Sustainable Grazing Systems team at the Pastoral and Veterinary Institute, Hamilton, in setting up and maintaining the trial site, and Gavin Kearney for statistical advice. The Australian Research Council provided a scholarship to the senior author during this study.


References


Bircham JS, Hodgson J (1983) The influence of sward condition on rates of herbage growth and senescence in mixed swards under continuous stocking management. Grass and Forage Science 38, 323–331. open url image1

Brock JL, Fletcher RH (1993) Morphology of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plants in pastures under intensive sheep grazing. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 120, 301–310. open url image1

Brock JL, Hay MJM, Thomas VJ, Sedcole JR (1988) Morphology of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) plants in pastures under intensive sheep grazing. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 111, 273–283. open url image1

Brock JL, Hume DE, Fletcher RH (1996) Seasonal variation in the morphology of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) plants and populations in pastures under intensive sheep grazing. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 126, 37–51. open url image1

Chapman DF, Clark DA (1984) Pasture responses to grazing management in hill country. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 45, 168–176. open url image1

Chapman DF, McCaskill MR, Quigley PE, Thompson AN, Graham JF, Borg D, Lamb J, Kearney GA, Saul GR, Clark SG (2003) Effects of grazing method and fertilizer inputs on the productivity and sustainability of phalaris-based pastures in Western Victoria. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 785–798. open url image1

Clifton C, Schroder P (1997) Productive pastures use water — fact or fallacy? In ‘Proceedings of the 38th Grassland Society of Victoria conference’. (Eds P Sale, L Warn) pp. 41–53. (Grassland Society of Victoria Inc.: Mornington, Vic.)

Costin AB (1980) Runoff and soil nutrient losses from an improved pasture at Ginnindera, southern tablelands, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 31, 533–546.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Cox JW, Fitzpatrick RW, Merry RH, McCaskill M, Mao R (1998) Characterisation of six soil profiles at the MLA SGSKP site at Vasey, Vic. CSIRO Land and Water, Technical Report 38/98, Canberra.

Cullen BR, Chapman DF, Quigley PE (2005) Persistence of Phalaris aquatica in grazed pastures. 2. Regenerative bud and tiller development. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 49–58.
| Crossref |
open url image1

Culvenor RA, Oram RN (1996) Comparison of winter-active phalaris with the Australian cultivar under rotational grazing. 1. Basal area and plant density. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 36, 287–297.
| Crossref |
open url image1

Curll ML, Wilkins RJ (1982) Frequency and severity of defoliation of grass and clover by sheep at different stocking rates. Grass and Forage Science 37, 291–297. open url image1

Dolling PJ (2001) Water use and drainage under phalaris, annual pasture, and crops on a duplex soil in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 305–316.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Fulkerson WJ, Slack K (1995) Leaf number as a criterion for determining defoliation time for Lolium perenne. 2. Effect of defoliation frequency and height. Grass and Forage Science 50, 16–20. open url image1

Genstat 5 Committee (1997) ‘Genstat 5. Release 4, reference manual.’ (Oxford Press: Oxford)

Gilmour AR, Thompson R, Cullis BR, Welham SJ (1997) ‘ASREML.’ (NSW Agriculture: Orange)

Grant SA, Barthram GT, Torvell L, King J, Smith HK (1983) Sward management, lamina turnover and tiller population density in continuously stocked Lolium perenne-dominated swards. Grass and Forage Science 38, 333–344. open url image1

Hill BD (1985) Persistence of temperate perennial grasses in cutting trials on the central slopes of New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 25, 832–839.
| Crossref |
open url image1

Hume DE, Barker DJ (1991) Natural reseeding of five grass species in summer dry hill country. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grasslands Association 53, 97–104. open url image1

Hume DE, Brock JL (1997) Morphology of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) plants in pastures under sheep and cattle grazing. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 129, 19–31.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Kays S, Harper JL (1974) The regulation of plant and tiller density in a grass sward. Journal of Ecology 62, 97–105. open url image1

Lemaire G (2001) Ecophysiology of grasslands: dynamic aspects of forage plant populations in grazed swards. In ‘Proceedings of the 19th international grassland congress’. pp. 29–37. (Fundacao de Estudos Agrarious Luiz de Queiroz: Piracicaba, Brazil)

Matthew C, Assuero SG, Black CK, Sackville Hamilton NR (2000) Tiller dynamics of grazed swards. In ‘Grassland ecophysiology and grazing ecology’. (Eds G Lemaire, J Hodgson, A de Moraes, PC de F. Carvalho, C Nabinger) pp. 127–150. (CABI Publishing: Wallingford, UK)

Matthew C, Black CK, Butler BM (1993) Tiller dynamics of perennation in three herbage grasses. In ‘Proceedings of the 17th international grassland congress’. pp. 143–145. (SIR Publishing: Wellington, New Zealand)

Matthew C, Lemaire G, Sackville Hamilton NR, Hernandez-Garay A (1995) A modified self-thinning equation to describe size/density relationships for defoliated swards. Annals of Botany 76, 579–587.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

McCallum DA, Thomson NA, Judd TG (1991) Experiences with deferred grazing at the Taranaki Agricultural Research Station. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grasslands Association 53, 79–83. open url image1

Morley FHW, Bennett D, McKinney GT (1969) The effect of intensity of rotational grazing with breeding ewes on phalaris–subterranean clover pastures. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 9, 74–84.
| Crossref |
open url image1

Mohler CL, Marks PL, Sprugel DG (1978) Stand structure and allometry of trees during self-thinning of pure stands. Journal of Ecology 66, 599–614. open url image1

Nie ZN, Mackay AD, Barker DJ, Valentine I, Hodgson J (1997) Changes in plant population density, composition and sward structure of a hill country pasture during a pastoral fallow. Grass and Forage Science 52, 190–198.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Pollard JH (1971) On distance estimators of density in randomly distributed forests. Biometrics 27, 991–1002. open url image1

Reeve IJ, Kaine G, Lees JW, Barclay E (2000) Producer perceptions of pasture decline and grazing management. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 331–341.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Ridley AM, Windsor SM (1992) Persistence and tolerance to soil acidity of phalaris and cocksfoot in north-eastern Victoria. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 32, 1069–1075.
| Crossref |
open url image1

Sackville Hamilton NR, Matthew C, Lemaire G (1995) In defence of the –3/2 boundary rule: a re-evaluation of self-thinning concepts and status. Annals of Botany 76, 569–577.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Schroder PM, Clifton CA, Saul GR (1996) Does managing a pasture for high production complement or conflict with maximising water use and recharge control? In ‘Perennial pastures for recharge control: report on a workshop occasional paper No. 04/96, National Dryland Salinity R, D & E Program’. (Eds J Taylor, C Clifton, A Ridley, P Schroder) pp. 52–57. (Land and Water Research and Development Corporation: Canberra)

Verbyla AP, Cullis BR, Kenard MG, Welham SJ (1999) The analysis of designed experiments and longitudinal data by using smoothing splines. Applied Statistics 48, 269–311. open url image1

White RE, Helyar KR, Ridley AM, Chen D, Heng LK , et al. (2000) Soil factors affecting the sustainability and productivity of perennial and annual pastures in the high rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 267–283.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1