Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T20:53:20.006Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Self-Regenerating Annual Forage Legumes for Double Cropping with Irrigated Wheat or Sorghum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

D. K. Muldoon
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Centre, Trangie, NSW, Australia, 2823

Summary

Two relay intercropping systems were investigated on an irrigated clay soil: first, wheat with a self-regenerating summer legume and, secondly, grain sorghum with a winter growing legume. A range of summer and winter legumes were evaluated. Phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides), a free seeding annual, regenerated vigorously as the wheat matured in early summer; cut twice after the wheat harvest it yielded (including the wheat stubble) 7.5 t ha−1 dry matter. Low seed production jeopardized the regeneration of other summer legumes. Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) regenerated under the maturing grain sorghum crop as did snail medic (Medicago scutellata) and woolly, pod vetch (Vicia dasycarpa). Together with the sorghum stubble they yielded 5–6 t ha−1 between sorghum crops. The benefits of including self-regenerating forage legumes in irrigated grain cropping systems is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anderson, G. W. (1975). A comparison of Vicia species for summer grazing and subsequent oat crop production in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 15: 400405.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradley, J., Vimpany, I. A., Milham, P. J. & Abbott, T. S. (1982). Soil Testing Service – Methods and Interpretation. Sydney: Department of Agriculture New South Wales.Google Scholar
Dann, P. R., Duncan, M. & Wheatley, W. (1976). Namoi woolly pod vetch, a versatile vetch for the tablelands. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 87: 2627.Google Scholar
Dipankar, Sen & Weaver, R. W. (1981). A comparison of nitrogen-fixing ability of peanut, cowpea and siratro plants nodulated by different strains of rhizobium. Plant and Soil 60: 317319.Google Scholar
Humphreys, L. R. (1981). Potential of humid and subhumid rangelands for ruminant animal production. In Potential of the World's Forages for Ruminant Animal Production 2nd Ed., 2947 (Eds Child, R. D. and Byington, E. K.). Morrilton, U.S.A.: Winrock International Livestock Research and Training Centre.Google Scholar
Leonard, W. H. & Martin, J. H. (1974). Cereal Crops. New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Lindsay, W. L. & Norvell, W. A. (1978). Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, maganese and copper. Journal of the Soil Science Society of America 42: 421428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muldoon, D. K. (1985a). Summer forages under irrigation. I. Growth and development. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (in press).Google Scholar
Muldoon, D. K. (1985b). Summer forages under irrigation. IV. Forage legumes. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (in press).Google Scholar
Musa, M. M. & Burhan, H. O. (1974). The relative performance of forage legumes as rotational crops in the Gezira. Experimental Agriculture 10: 131140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Northcote, K. H. (1979). A Factual Key for the Recognition of Australian Soils. Adelaide: Rellim.Google Scholar
Papastylianou, I., Puckeridge, D. W. & Carter, E. D. (1981). Nitrogen nutrition of cereals in a short term rotation. I. Single season treatments as a source of nitrogen for subsequent cereal crops. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 32: 703712.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillips, S. H. (1982). No-tillage crop production, review and assessment. In Proceedings of the Second Australian Agronomy Conference, 110. Wagga Wagga, Australia.Google Scholar
Reddy, M. S. & Willey, R. W. (1982). Improved cropping systems for deep vertisols of the Indian semiarid tropics. Experimental Agriculture 18: 277287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, J. R. (1976). Transfer of nitrogen from three pasture legumes under periodic defoliation in a field environment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 16: 863870.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Southwood, O. R. & Wolfe, E. C. (1977). Identifying and using subterranean clovers. N.S.W. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 473: pp. 28.Google Scholar
Wetselaar, R. (1967). Estimation of nitrogen fixed by four legumes in a dry monsoonal area of northwestern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 7: 518522.CrossRefGoogle Scholar