The production and water extraction of lucerne and ryegrass under different irrigation frequencies on a shallow soil.

Abstract

Abstract A field experiment was conducted on a shallow soil (low plant available water holding capacity) at Lincoln (Canterbury, New Zealand) to compare the biomass production of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) under four different irrigation frequencies: (T1) replacing water use (WU) twice a week (replicating centre pivot rewetting frequencies); (T2) replacing WU fortnightly (replicating travelling irrigator); (T3) replacing WU every 3 weeks (replicating border dyke); (T4) nil irrigation (rain fed only). Soil water content was measured hourly at 0-30 cm depth and fortnightly at 0-150 cm depth. Plots were sown in March 2011 and defoliated on eight (ryegrass) and five to six (lucerne) occasions each season between September 2011 and May 2014. Annual biomass production during the first year was highest for ryegrass under each treatment because the lucerne crops were still establishing. During the second and third year of experimentation ryegrass yielded higher or similar to lucerne under the irrigated treatments (T1, T2 and T3). This was attributed to a decline in lucerne stands due to weed pressure. It is important to note that the ryegrass crop has received 250-700 kg N/ha per year depending on the irrigation treatment. Under dry conditions (T4) ryegrass yielded more than lucerne in both year 2 and 3. This result contrasts the literature and is attributed to the greater capacity of ryegrass to grow in cooler season and the stony sub-soil meaning lucerne received no summer yield advantage from its deep tap root. Key words: Medicago sativa L., Lolium perenne, biomass, water extraction, irrigation frequency