Abstract
In 2009, 95 farmers in the mixed farming zone of southern New South Wales (NSW), average annual rainfall 450–700 mm, were surveyed about their use of perennial pasture species. Survey responses indicated that, on average, 52% of land was under crop, 29% contained perennial pasture and 19% annual pastures. The proportion of land sown to perennial pastures and the species used differed with rainfall. Farmers identified concerns about the cost of establishment and poor survival of perennial pasture species as constraints to wider adoption. The survey also revealed that cover-cropping (sowing pasture species under the final grain crop in a cropping phase) was the dominant method of pasture establishment. Large-scale, on-farm participatory experiments were sown with the farm machinery, three at Ariah Park and one at Brocklesby in southern NSW in 2009 (annual rainfall 100 mm less than long-term average), and a further two experiments (one at each location) commenced in 2010 (annual rainfall >200 mm above average). These experiments compared the effect of cereal cover-crop sowing rate (standard rates used by the collaborating farmer and half of the standard rate) on the establishment of the perennials lucerne (Medicago sativa), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), and chicory (Cichorium intybus) sown in different mixes and rates with various annual legume species. The persistence and productivity of individual species were monitored for 2 years after sowing. Results indicated little or no effect of the presence of a cover-crop on the initial establishment of any of the perennials, but pasture species survival were severely affected by cover-crop sowing rates as low as half of the farmer practice (10 kg barley or 12 kg wheat ha–1) in 2009. Despite higher than average annual rainfall in 2010 and 2011, the residual effect of establishing pastures under a cover-crop in 2009 was poorer persistence and lower productivity by lucerne at the standard cover-cropping rate, and by phalaris, cocksfoot and chicory at all cover-crop rates, and an increased incidence of weeds. Similar responses to cover-cropping occurred between 2010 and 2012, even with the wetter establishment conditions in 2010, for phalaris, chicory and weeds, despite demonstration at Ariah Park that higher populations of individual perennial species could be achieved by doubling the sowing rate of pasture seed in 2010. Lucerne compensated for lower plant numbers by increasing herbage growth in response to rainfall, but phalaris could not and total pasture productivity over the first 2 years after establishment was greatly reduced by the use of cover-crops in both 2009 and 2010. Cover-cropping also reduced annual legume seedset, which could have implications for future pasture performance. Lucerne was the most consistently productive perennial pasture species evaluated regardless of establishment technique or climatic conditions.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Perennial pasture covered 29% of surveyed land.
Verbatim
e0“29% contained perennial pasture”
Claim · model-written summary
The perennial pasture share and species used differed with rainfall.
- Taxon
- perennial pasturese0
- Outcome
- proportion of land sown to perennial pastures and the species usede0
Not reportedSettingDirection
Verbatim
e0“The proportion of land sown to perennial pastures and the species used differed with rainfall.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover cropping was the dominant pasture establishment method among surveyed farmers.
Verbatim
e0“cover-cropping (sowing pasture species under the final grain crop in a cropping phase) was the dominant method of pasture establishment.”
Claim · model-written summary
Presence of a cover crop had little or no effect on initial perennial establishment.
- Taxon
- perennialse0
- Treatment
- presence of a cover-crope0
- Outcome
- initial establishmente0
- Direction
- little or no effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“little or no effect of the presence of a cover-crop on the initial establishment of any of the perennials”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crop sowing rates as low as half farmer practice severely reduced pasture survival in 2009.
- Taxon
- pasture speciese0
- Treatment
- cover-crop sowing rates as low as half of the farmer practicee0
- Outcome
- pasture species survivale0
- Qualifier
- in 2009e0
- Comparator
- farmer practicee0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“pasture species survival were severely affected by cover-crop sowing rates as low as half of the farmer practice (10 kg barley or 12 kg wheat ha–1) in 2009.”
Claim · model-written summary
Standard-rate cover cropping in 2009 reduced lucerne persistence and productivity.
- Taxon
- lucerne
Medicago sativae0 - Treatment
- standard cover-cropping ratee0
- Outcome
- persistence and lower productivitye0
- Direction
- poorere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“poorer persistence and lower productivity by lucerne at the standard cover-cropping rate”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover cropping at all rates reduced phalaris, cocksfoot and chicory persistence and productivity.
- Treatment
- all cover-crop ratese0
PhalarisNot reportedComparatorOutcomeDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“by phalaris, cocksfoot and chicory at all cover-crop rates”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover cropping increased weed incidence.
Not reportedTaxonTreatmentComparator
Verbatim
e0“an increased incidence of weeds.”
Claim · model-written summary
Doubling pasture seed sowing rate increased populations of individual perennial species at Ariah Park in 2010.
- Taxon
- perennial speciese0
- Treatment
- doubling the sowing rate of pasture seede0
- Outcome
- populations of individual perennial speciese0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“higher populations of individual perennial species could be achieved by doubling the sowing rate of pasture seed in 2010.”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne compensated for fewer plants by increasing herbage growth in response to rainfall.
- Taxon
- LucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- herbage growthe0
- Direction
- increasinge0
- Qualifier
- in response to rainfalle0
Not reportedSetting
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lucerne compensated for lower plant numbers by increasing herbage growth in response to rainfall”
Claim · model-written summary
Phalaris could not compensate for lower plant numbers.
- Outcome
- could note0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“but phalaris could not”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover cropping greatly reduced total pasture productivity over the first two years after establishment.
- Taxon
- pasturee0
- Treatment
- use of cover-cropse0
- Outcome
- total pasture productivitye0
- Direction
- greatly reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“total pasture productivity over the first 2 years after establishment was greatly reduced by the use of cover-crops in both 2009 and 2010.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover cropping reduced annual legume seed set.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Cover-cropping also reduced annual legume seedset”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne was the most consistently productive perennial species across establishment methods and climates.
- Taxon
- LucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- most consistently productivee0
- Qualifier
- regardless of establishment technique or climatic conditionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lucerne was the most consistently productive perennial pasture species evaluated regardless of establishment technique or climatic conditions.”
The same questions in other papers
cover crop · yield · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results
1 paper in the same direction as this paper · 4 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
2 papers more in this group
See all 6 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.