Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils
Tropical pasture legumes such as <i>Desmanthus</i> are expected to improve pasture productivity in the extensive grazing systems of Northern Australia. However, the soils in these areas are often hostile (e.g., hard-setting and nutrient-deficient), which reduces legume emergence and esta...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/12/2996 |
| _version_ | 1797382322795839488 |
|---|---|
| author | Jonathan W. McLachlan Sajanee G. Gunadasa Chris N. Guppy |
| author_facet | Jonathan W. McLachlan Sajanee G. Gunadasa Chris N. Guppy |
| author_sort | Jonathan W. McLachlan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tropical pasture legumes such as <i>Desmanthus</i> are expected to improve pasture productivity in the extensive grazing systems of Northern Australia. However, the soils in these areas are often hostile (e.g., hard-setting and nutrient-deficient), which reduces legume emergence and establishment. Furthermore, these soils are often not ameliorated with amendments such as gypsum or starter fertilisers before planting. A pot trial was conducted to investigate differences in the emergence and early growth of four <i>Desmanthus</i> species. The legumes were grown in three alkaline clay soils that were unamended or amended with either gypsum (1 t CaSO<sub>4</sub>.2H<sub>2</sub>O ha<sup>−1</sup> equivalent), a starter MAP fertiliser (12 kg P ha<sup>−1</sup> equivalent), or both gypsum and the starter fertiliser. Seedling emergence was recorded daily and shoot yield was determined after six weeks’ growth. Final seedling emergence (as a percentage of viable seeds) varied among the <i>Desmanthus</i> species (c.f. <i>D. leptophyllus</i> = 63%, <i>D. pernambucanus</i> = 68%, <i>D. bicornutus</i> = 85%, and <i>D. virgatus</i> = 86%). On average, across the treatments, gypsum increased seedling emergence by 15%, whereas the starter fertiliser had no effect. The shoot yields and shoot phosphorus content of the <i>Desmanthus</i> species generally increased in response to the starter fertiliser. The collective results demonstrated that there were differences in emergence and early growth among the four <i>Desmanthus</i> species, which indicates that <i>Desmanthus</i> cultivar selection may be important in the relatively hostile soils of Northern Australia. Gypsum was an effective amendment for seedling emergence, whereas the starter fertiliser was an effective amendment to increase legume productivity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:04:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9f6b1a30d7a44820adaa62a25d7029cd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:04:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f6b1a30d7a44820adaa62a25d7029cd2023-12-22T13:46:36ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-12-011312299610.3390/agronomy13122996Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay SoilsJonathan W. McLachlan0Sajanee G. Gunadasa1Chris N. Guppy2School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, AustraliaSchool of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, AustraliaSchool of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, AustraliaTropical pasture legumes such as <i>Desmanthus</i> are expected to improve pasture productivity in the extensive grazing systems of Northern Australia. However, the soils in these areas are often hostile (e.g., hard-setting and nutrient-deficient), which reduces legume emergence and establishment. Furthermore, these soils are often not ameliorated with amendments such as gypsum or starter fertilisers before planting. A pot trial was conducted to investigate differences in the emergence and early growth of four <i>Desmanthus</i> species. The legumes were grown in three alkaline clay soils that were unamended or amended with either gypsum (1 t CaSO<sub>4</sub>.2H<sub>2</sub>O ha<sup>−1</sup> equivalent), a starter MAP fertiliser (12 kg P ha<sup>−1</sup> equivalent), or both gypsum and the starter fertiliser. Seedling emergence was recorded daily and shoot yield was determined after six weeks’ growth. Final seedling emergence (as a percentage of viable seeds) varied among the <i>Desmanthus</i> species (c.f. <i>D. leptophyllus</i> = 63%, <i>D. pernambucanus</i> = 68%, <i>D. bicornutus</i> = 85%, and <i>D. virgatus</i> = 86%). On average, across the treatments, gypsum increased seedling emergence by 15%, whereas the starter fertiliser had no effect. The shoot yields and shoot phosphorus content of the <i>Desmanthus</i> species generally increased in response to the starter fertiliser. The collective results demonstrated that there were differences in emergence and early growth among the four <i>Desmanthus</i> species, which indicates that <i>Desmanthus</i> cultivar selection may be important in the relatively hostile soils of Northern Australia. Gypsum was an effective amendment for seedling emergence, whereas the starter fertiliser was an effective amendment to increase legume productivity.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/12/2996<i>Desmanthus virgatus</i>gypsumlegume establishmentphosphorusstarter fertilisertropical pasture legume |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan W. McLachlan Sajanee G. Gunadasa Chris N. Guppy Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils Agronomy <i>Desmanthus virgatus</i> gypsum legume establishment phosphorus starter fertiliser tropical pasture legume |
| title | Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils |
| title_full | Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils |
| title_fullStr | Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils |
| title_short | Emergence and Early Growth of Four <i>Desmanthus</i> Species in Three Alkaline Clay Soils |
| title_sort | emergence and early growth of four i desmanthus i species in three alkaline clay soils |
| topic | <i>Desmanthus virgatus</i> gypsum legume establishment phosphorus starter fertiliser tropical pasture legume |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/12/2996 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jonathanwmclachlan emergenceandearlygrowthoffouridesmanthusispeciesinthreealkalineclaysoils AT sajaneeggunadasa emergenceandearlygrowthoffouridesmanthusispeciesinthreealkalineclaysoils AT chrisnguppy emergenceandearlygrowthoffouridesmanthusispeciesinthreealkalineclaysoils |