EFFECT OF VARIOUS PELLETING MATERIALS ON ESTABLISHMENT AND GROWTH OF LOTUS PEDUNCULATUS

Abstract

The effects of inoculation and pelleting, with two storage periods, were investigated on the establishment of 'Grasslands Maku' Lotus pedunculatus at three sites. When seeds were sown one day after treatment, none of the treatments gave consistently better establishment than inoculationonly, although the addition of gum arabic adhesive alone significantiy increased establishment on one site. However, after 15-day storage of the seed, establishment was higher from gum arabic adhesive alone than from inoculated-only seed although the effect attained significance on only two sites. In contrast, establishment of pelleted seed, apart from rock-phosphate/dolomite on one site, was similar to or less than that from inoculated-only seed. There was a consistent trend for all pelleting treatments to give a lower degree of establishment than did gum arabic adhesive alone. Lotus dry matter production in the second growing season was measured on one site and the importance of maximizing establishment was demonstrated by the marked treatment effects on lotus yield.