Performance of a stand of ‘wairau’ lucerne and lucerne-annual ryegrass in the manawatu

Abstract

Stands of lucerne and lucerne-annual ryegrass were maintained over a 6 year period in the Manawatu, with an annual mean total herbage production of 20.4 t DM/ha. The inclusion of either Tama or Paroa did not increase annual production significantly, with or without fertiliser nitrogen. Lucerne/Tama showed an increase inearly spring production. Dead matter and weeds contributed about 1% of total yield. Blue-green aphid infested the lucerne and subsequently severely affected the lucerne dry matter yields in the winter and spring of the seventh year, and caused closure of the investigation. © 1983 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.