Long term growth rates and water extraction patterns of dryland chicory, lucerne and red clover

Authors

  • H.E. Brown
  • D.J. Moot
  • K.M. Pollock

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33584/rps.11.2003.2991

Abstract

A 5-year experiment was conducted under dryland conditions (mean annual rainfall 660 mm) on a Wakanui silt loam at Lincoln University. The mean annual production of lucerne (20 t DM/ha) was greater than red clover and chicory (16 t DM/ha). The advantage of lucerne increased with time to 6 t DM/ ha in the final year, when the lucerne component of the sward was 94%, whereas chicory and red clover declined to 62 and 0% of their respective swards. The annual production advantage of lucerne was a result of higher growth rates in September and from December to May. The higher summer/autumn growth rates were attributed to a greater water extraction depth, giving lucerne access to more water during this time. The DM yield of all three species had a linear relationship with water use. These results are discussed in relation to the fitness of the three species for a dryland farming system, and how the performance of each would be expected to vary with differing soil type and rainfall situations. Key words: Cichorium intybus, extraction depth, Medicago sativa, Trifolium pratense, water use, water use efficiency

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Published

2003-01-01

How to Cite

Brown, H., Moot, D., & Pollock, K. (2003). Long term growth rates and water extraction patterns of dryland chicory, lucerne and red clover. NZGA: Research and Practice Series, 11, 91–99. https://doi.org/10.33584/rps.11.2003.2991

Issue

Vol. 11 (2003): Legumes for Dryland

Section

Past volumes

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Copyright

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