Impact of phosphorus application and sheep grazing on the botanical composition of sown pasture and naturalised, native grass pasture
J. O. Hill A C D , R. J. Simpson A , A. D. Moore A , P. Graham B and D. F. Chapman CA CSIRO Plant Industry, PO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Yass, NSW 2582, Australia.
C Institute of Land and Food Resources, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
D Corresponding author; present address: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia. Email: Jacqueline.Hill@csiro.au
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 55(12) 1213-1225 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR04090
Submitted: 22 April 2004 Accepted: 12 October 2004 Published: 21 December 2004
Abstract
Botanical composition (basal cover) was measured in 4 replicated pasture treatments based on Phalaris aquatica and Trifolium subterraneum at Hall, ACT (unfertilised with low and high stocking rate; fertilised with low and high stocking rate) and in 2 unreplicated pasture treatments based on native perennial grasses (Austrodanthonia spp. and Microlaena stipoides) and T. subterraneum at Bookham, NSW (unfertilised and low stocking rate; fertilised and high stocking rate). Current economic pressures are encouraging graziers to increase their use of phosphorus (P) fertiliser and to adopt higher stocking rates. The objective of the research was to determine the changes in botanical composition that may result from these changes in grazing systems management.
At Hall, annual species differed in their responses to P fertility. Notably, basal cover of Bromus spp. increased significantly with P application, whereas Vulpia spp. decreased significantly. Basal cover of T. subterraneum also increased significantly with P application when stocking rate was high, but was reduced by P application if stocking rate was low. Basal cover of perennial grasses (P. aquatica and Holcus lanatus) was significantly higher at low stocking rate when P was applied. The botanical composition of high stocking rate treatments was relatively stable over time, which contrasted with less stable composition at low stocking rate.
At Bookham, fertilised pasture in unreplicated paddocks appeared to have a higher basal cover of productive annual species (i.e. Bromus spp. and T. subterraneum), but native perennial grasses appeared to have lower basal cover in comparison with the unfertilised area. These results indicated that in some cases, the influence of P fertiliser and high stocking rates on botanical composition was favourable (i.e. increased basal cover of P. aquatica and T. subterraneum) and in others it could be detrimental (i.e. lower basal cover of native perennial grasses).
Additional keywords: grazing pressure, pasture production, stocking rate.
Acknowledgments
We thank Bruce Hazell, owner of Kia-Ora, and the Bookham Agricultural Bureau for the use of their grazing demonstration site. David Marshall, Adam Stefanski, and staff from the Ginninderra Experiment Station are thanked for technical assistance, Mike Keys for data on botanical composition at Bookham in 1993, and Warren Muller for statistical advice. Denys Garden and Richard Groves read an early version of the paper and provided us with useful suggestions for its improvement.
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