Comparing within paddock yield variability of perennial ryegrass monocultures and perennial ryegrass, white clover and plantain mixtures using yield mapping
Paper
Paper/Presentation Title | Comparing within paddock yield variability of perennial ryegrass monocultures and perennial ryegrass, white clover and plantain mixtures using yield mapping |
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Presentation Type | Paper |
Authors | McLaren, David K. and Pembleton, Keith G. |
Journal or Proceedings Title | Proceedings of the 17th Australian Agronomy Conference (AAC 2015) |
Year | 2015 |
Place of Publication | Australia |
Web Address (URL) of Paper | http://www.agronomyaustraliaproceedings.org/images/sampledata/2015_Conference/pdf/agronomy2015final00239.pdf |
Web Address (URL) of Conference Proceedings | http://www.agronomyaustraliaproceedings.org/index.php/conference-2015-homepage/9-2015/560-2015indexalphaorder |
Conference/Event | 17th Australian Agronomy Conference 2015: Building Productive, Diverse and Sustainable Landscapes (AAC 2015) |
Event Details | 17th Australian Agronomy Conference 2015: Building Productive, Diverse and Sustainable Landscapes (AAC 2015) Parent Building Productive, Diverse and Sustainable Landscapes Event Date 20 to end of 24 Sep 2015 Event Location Hobart, Australia |
Abstract | Diverse mixtures of pasture species have greater potential for exploiting niches within a paddock compared to monocultures resulting in less variability in pasture growth within the paddock. It is unknown if the variability occurs at a scale that is relevant in intensively managed dairy systems. This study assessed the variability in pasture biomass within 6 split paddocks sown to either perennial ryegrass monocultures (PRG) or perennial ryegrass, white clover and plantain mixtures (RCPM) on a dairy farm in north-west Tasmania. The biomass present in each area was mapped immediately prior to grazing in the spring of 2014 and autumn 2015 using a C-Dax pasture meter with a GPS console. Data was interpreted through the Manifold GIS software before being analysed in the R statistical package. There were no significant difference in pasture biomass between the PRG and RCPM treatments, with mean pasture biomass of 2997 and 3162 kg DM/ha respectively. The variation in pasture biomass within each area (as assessed by the co-efficient of variation) was greater in the PRG areas (16.6%) than in the RCPM areas (13.4%). The overall difference between the within plot standard deviation and coefficient of variation for the treatments was small at 65 kg DM/ha and 3.2% respectively. Diverse pastures have increased opportunities to exploit niches existing within dairy paddocks relating to soil diversity. This and other studies suggest that exploitation of niches only has a small impact upon within paddock yield variability. |
Keywords | Pasture mixtures; yield mapping; niche exploitation |
Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 300403. Agronomy |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | University of Tasmania |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/yy600/comparing-within-paddock-yield-variability-of-perennial-ryegrass-monocultures-and-perennial-ryegrass-white-clover-and-plantain-mixtures-using-yield-mapping
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