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A comparison of methods of establishing perennial and Italian ryegrasses
Author(s) -
BARTHOLOMEW P. W.,
EASSON D. L.,
CHESTNUTT D. M. B.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1981.tb01542.x
Subject(s) - perennial plant , agronomy , sowing , yield (engineering) , biology , metallurgy , materials science
An experiment extending over a 2½‐year period from June 1976 to October 1978 assessed the effect on herbage yield of method of establishment, species and level of N application. Perennial ryegrass cv. Gremie and Italian ryegrass cv. RvP were established by broadcasting or drilling into cultivated ground or by direct‐drilling, using a Howard Rotaseeder, into paraquat‐sprayed but uncultivated ground. These treatments were combined with annual rates of N application of 0, 120, 240 or 360 kg ha ‐1 . Over the experiment drilling into cultivated ground gave the highest yield—3·6 and 4·8% higher than the broadcast and direct‐drilled treatments, respectively. Italian ryegrass consistently outyielded perennial ryegrass, with an overall mean dry matter yield advantage of 23·7%. There was no significant interaction between sowing method and species; direct‐drilled Italian ryegrass produced a mean yield 17·3% higher than that of drilled perennial ryegrass.