Production and persistence of six lucerne cultivars at Narrabri, NSW

Abstract

Seasonal yields and persistence of Hunter River and three introduced lucerne (Medicago sativa) cultivars (African, Du Puits, and Hairy Peruvian) were compared with two C.S.I.R.O.-bred lines, a hay type (C.1212) and a creeping type (Cancreep), over a five-year period between 1963 and 1968 under dryland conditions at Narrabri, New South Wales. After two years, Hunter River had significantly higher plant density than all other cultivars. By maintaining this superiority throughout the experiment, it was never exceeded in dry matter production in any season after the third summer. Spring yields of Cancreep compared favourably with Hunter River for three seasons, and there was little difference between most cultivars for four summers. Cancreep and Hairy Peruvian matched Hunter River in autumn-winter production for two seasons. In all cases decline in production during the third and fourth years is attributed to a lack of persistence in cultivars other than Hunter River.