Sowing strategies to increase the plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) content of Manawatu dairy pastures

Abstract

pastures to reduce nitrogen loss, but poor establishment and persistence are commonplace. Four sowing strategies, involving the substitution of ryegrass with increased plantain sowing rates and repeated re-seeding of plantain and other species, were compared on No. 4 Dairy Farm at Massey University. Treatments were: 20, 15, 10, or 5 kg ryegrass with 3 kg white clover and 0, 4, 7, or 10 kg plantain/ha in autumn 2019 (Nil–High), re-seeded with 3, 6, or 9 kg plantain/ha sown in autumn 2020 (Low–High), 3 kg ryegrass, 3 kg white clover and 10 kg plantain/ha after grass herbicide in autumn 2021 (High), 4, 6, or 8 kg plantain/ha in spring 2021 (Low–High) and 4 or 6 kg plantain/ha (Low–Medium) or 12 kg Italian ryegrass/ha (High) in autumn 2023. On average, pasture growth and weed content were not different across treatments, but plantain content increased from 4% to 24%, 32% and 38% for Nil to High, which maintained the highest plantain  content over 5 years. These results show that the substitution of ryegrass with increased plantain sowing rates, and
repeated re-seeding of plantain can increase the plantain content of dairy pastures.