Effect of sowing depth and seedling morphology on establishment of grass seedlings on cracking black earths.

Abstract

There is a wide range in the ability of grasses to become established on the cracking black clays of the Inverell district. Some native grasses establish readily on cracking black soils but most of the introduced perennial summer growing grasses are very difficult to establish. This study compared a number of native and introduced grasses in terms of establishment capability, depth of sowing and seedling morphology. In general there was a poor association between establishment capability of a species and the ability of its seedlings to emerge from depth. However, a well developed primary root system and a low shoot to root ratio were generally associated with good establishment capability. The results presented in this paper support the view that a number of seed and seedling features are involved in the progression from a germinating seed through to an established seedling. Species which occupy similar habitats may or may not have similar features.