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1
Čačija, Maja, Petra Runjak, and Ivan Juran. "Entomofauna lucerne na pokušalištu Šašinovec." Glasilo Future 4, no. 4 (October 20, 2021): 37–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.32779/gf.4.4.3.
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Lucerna (Medicago sativa L.) je cijenjena je krmna kultura koja ima gospodarsku, poljoprivrednu i nutritivnu vrijednost te primjenu nalazi i u medicini. Na uzgoj i prinos svake kulture, pa tako i lucerne, veliki utjecaj može imati prisutna entomofauna. Ona može pozitivno, ali i negativno utjecati na prinose, ovisno o tome radi li se o korisnim ili štetnim kukcima. Cilj rada bio je istražiti dinamiku pojave entomofaune na lucerni, primjenjujući različite metode hvatanja štetnika (endogejski mamci, pitfall mamci, žute ljepljive ploče i entomološka mreža). Istraživanje je provedeno na pokušalištu Šašinovec Agronomskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu od kraja veljače do sredine svibnja 2019. godine. Očitavanja ulova obavljana su jednom tjedno. Determinacijom uhvaćenih vrsta utvrđeno je da najveći broj jedinki pripada redu Diptera (36,99 %), nakon kojeg slijede redovi Collembola (21,94 %), Hemiptera (19,75 %) i Coleoptera (18,75 %). Najmanji broj uhvaćenih jedinki pripada redovima Hymenoptera (1,88 %) i Lepidoptera (0,69 %). Osim razlike u brojnosti uhvaćene entomofaune po redovima, vidljiva je i razlika u brojnosti kukaca uhvaćenih različitim metodama hvatanja. Najviše kukaca ulovljeno je na žutim ljepljivim pločama (38,62 %), iza kojih slijede pitfall mamci (32,66 %) i ulov entomološkom mrežom (28,28 %), a najmanje jedinki prikupljeno je korištenjem endogejskih mamaca (0,44 %). Rezultati ovog istraživanja pridonose poznavanju entomofaune lucerne, što može utjecati na način održavanja i njege usjeva te na optimalno vrijeme i način zaštite nasada
2
Humphries, A. W., and G. C. Auricht. "Breeding lucerne for Australia's southern dryland cropping environments." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, no. 2 (2001): 153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar99171.
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Lucerne is a deep-rooted perennial forage legume with an important role in preventing dryland salinity in southern Australian cropping regions. Annual cereal production has created a water-use imbalance, which is placing the industry under threat through rising saline watertables and resultant dryland salinity. Lucerne is being incorporated into cropping systems to reduce groundwater recharge and improve the sustainability of grain production. Existing lucerne varieties have been developed for the animal industries, primarily for the areas with high rainfall or irrigation. The new challenge is to develop lucernes specifically for southern Australian cropping systems. This paper provides a background literature review of the breeding challenges that are anticipated in the development of these new types of lucerne. Lucerne is intolerant of acidic soils, waterlogging, saline soils, and intensive grazing. Other important attributes covered include the ability of the plant to fix nitrogen with existing rhizobia and be resistant to diseases that affect lucerne and other crops in the rotation. Finally, this paper addresses some of the breeding strategies that will be used to screen lucerne germplasm for tolerances to these soil conditions and diseases.
3
Stevenson, Judy. "Glass Lamps from San Vincenzo al Volturno, Molise." Papers of the British School at Rome 56 (November 1988): 198–209. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0068246200009600.
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LUCERNE VITREE DA SAN VINCENZO AL VOLTURNO, MOLISEA. S. Vincenzo al Volturno è stata rinvenuta un'interessante forma di lucerna vitrea, all'interno delle strutture della villa di V–VI secolo d.C.; “copie” di questa forma sono state riprodotte, nel IX secolo, nelle officine vetrarie annesse alla famosa abbazia benedettina. Queste lucerne possono essere riconosciute dalla forma dei manici, che si connettono alla parte superiore dell'orlo, staccandosi verticalmente da esso. Inoltre sembra che le lucerne fossero dotate di basi concave, in grado di sorreggere il pezzo, simili a quelle di una bottiglia. Le lucerne di V e VI secolo sembra avessero tre manici, laddove in quelle di IX se ne riscontrano solo due.È stato ricostruito il profilo completo di una lucerna databile fra V e VI secolo. Da altri tre siti di mia conoscenza provengono simili forme cronologicamente collocabili fra V e VI secolo: Belmonte presso Altamura, in Puglia; S. Giovanni di Ruoti presso Potenza, in Basilicata; via Carminiello ai Mannesi, a Napoli.Nell'articolo si discute l'ipotesi di una regionalizzazione della forma, nonché la possibilità di un unico centro di produzione per la regione, fra V e VI secolo; si adombra inoltre l'idea di una rinascita di tradizioni Romane e Tardo-Romane nel IX secolo.Altre forma di lucerne, come ad esempio quelle sospese a corto gambo, sono altresi ampiamente testimoniate a S. Vincenzo per ambedue i periodi di cui ci si sta occupando.
4
Harris, R. H., M. C. Crawford, W. D. Bellotti, M. B. Peoples, and S. Norng. "Companion crop performance in relation to annual biomass production, resource supply, and subsoil drying." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59, no. 1 (2008): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar07135.
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A field experiment located in NE Victoria compared the productivity of cereals sown into mature lucerne (companion crop) with cereals and lucerne grown as monocultures. Additional nitrogen (N) and water was applied to investigate if increased resource supply could alleviate competition and improve cereal performance in the presence of lucerne. Cereal plant populations, lucerne and cereal biomass, and cereal grain yields and protein were measured throughout the experiment. Soil water content was also monitored over time to determine whether companion cropping compromised the ability of lucerne to extract deep soil water. While companion cropping depressed both lucerne and cereal production, the combined annual biomass production was greater than cereal and lucerne when grown alone. Averaged over the three seasons, companion cropping resulted in a 31% increase (P < 0.05) in total annual biomass compared with the lucerne monoculture, and an 18% increase compared with the cereal monoculture in the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons. Cereals growing with lucerne produced fewer tillers, spikes and consequently cereal biomass compared with cereals growing as a monoculture. Therefore, companion crops yielded 25% less (P < 0.05) grain compared with the cereal monoculture over the 3-year study. Competition for N and light in the pre-cereal stem elongation period, were likely causes. Increasing the supply of N and water did not result in a main treatment (monoculture v. companion crop) by additional resource interaction, indicating that cereal responses were the same irrespective of lucerne’s presence. The application of N, water and these combined inputs, resulted in a 13–40%, 35% and 49% increase (P < 0.05) in cereal grain yields, respectively. While companion cropping compromised lucerne’s capacity to extract water from deep soil layers to a degree, this practice was still able to maintain drier subsoil in comparison to the cereal monoculture.
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Irwin, J. A. G., D. L. Lloyd, and K. F. Lowe. "Lucerne biology and genetic improvement - an analysis of past activities and future goals in Australia." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, no. 7 (2001): 699. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar00181.
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Breeding methodologies for cultivated lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), an autotetraploid, have changed little over the last 50 years, with reliance on polycross methods and recurrent phenotypic selection. There has been, however, an increase in our understanding of lucerne biology, in particular the genetic relationships between members of the M. sativa complex, as deduced by DNA analysis. Also, the differences in breeding behaviour and vigour of diploids versus autotetraploids, and the underlying genetic causes, are discussed in relation to lucerne improvement.Medicago falcata, a member of the M. sativa complex, has contributed substantially to lucerne improvement in North America, and its diverse genetics would appear to have been under-utilised in Australian programs over the last two decades, despite the reduced need for tolerance to freezing injury in Australian environments. Breeding of lucerne in Australia only commenced on a large scale in 1977, driven by an urgent need to introgress aphid resistance into adapted backgrounds. The release in the early 1980s of lucernes with multiple pest and disease resistance (aphids, Phytophthora, Colletotrichum) had a significant effect on increasing lucerne productivity and persistence in eastern Australia, with yield increases under high disease pressure of up to 300% being recorded over the predominant Australian cultivar, up to 1977, Hunter River. Since that period, irrigated lucerne yields have plateaued, highlighting the need to identify breeding objectives, technologies, and the germplasm that will create new opportunities for increasing performance. This review discusses major goals for lucerne improvement programs in Australia, and provides indications of the germplasm sources and technologies that are likely to deliver the desired outcomes.
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Ballard, R. A., B. R. Shepherd, and N. Charman. "Nodulation and growth of pasture legumes with naturalised soil rhizobia. 3. Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, no. 2 (2003): 135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea02047.
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An assessment was made of the ability of 2 genetically diverse cultivars of lucerne (Trifecta and Sceptre) to nodulate and form effective symbioses with the strains of Sinorhizobium meliloti naturalised in 50 soils. Soils were collected from 42 dryland lucerne pastures and 8 irrigated multiple-use lucerne stands in the south-east of South Australia. The density of lucerne in the paddock, age of the lucerne stand and rhizobial inoculation practice were recorded at sampling. The lucerne swards were on average 5.6 years old (range 1–28) and had a mean plant density of 25 plants/m2 (range 3–66). The lucerne in 39 of the paddocks had been inoculated with rhizobia at sowing.The most probable number of rhizobia (S. meliloti) able to nodulate lucerne was determined for each soil. The most probable number of lucerne rhizobia exceeded 1.0 × 103/g in 23 of the soils. The most probable number of rhizobia in the soil was significantly correlated (r = 0.64) with soil pH. All 13 soils that contained less than 1.0�×�102�rhizobia/g had a pH of less than 6.3.The effectiveness at nitrogen fixation of each population of soil rhizobia was determined in a glasshouse experiment. There was no significant interaction between lucerne cultivar and soil inoculant. Generally, the soil rhizobia were highly effective, with 35 of the 50 soil inoculants producing more than 70% of the shoot dry weight associated with an effective inoculant strain (WSM826). Decreased lucerne shoot dry weights resulting from the remaining soil inoculants were associated with a lower most probable number of rhizobia in the soil, rather than poor symbiotic effectiveness of those rhizobia. This study highlighted the ability of both Trifecta and Sceptre lucernes to form an effective symbiosis with the rhizobia that have naturalised in the soils across a 25 000 km2 region of South Australia. It also showed that soil acidity is detrimental to rhizobial survival even in a perennial legume system and suggests that rhizobia that persist and form nodules in acidic soils should be a focus in the selection of new inoculant strains for lucerne.
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Ridley, A. M., B. Christy, F. X. Dunin, P. J. Haines, K. F. Wilson, and A. Ellington. "Lucerne in crop rotations on the Riverine Plains. 1. The soil water balance." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, no. 2 (2001): 263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar99165.
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Dryland salinity, caused largely by insufficient water use of annual crops and pastures, is increasing in southern Australia. A field experiment in north-eastern Victoria (average annual rainfall 600 mm) assessed the potential for lucerne grown in rotation with crops to reduce the losses of deep drainage compared with annual crops and pasture. Soil under lucerne could store 228 mm of water to 1.8 m depth. This compared with 84 mm under continuous crop (to 1.8 m depth), except in 1997–98 where crop dried soil by 162 mm. Between 1.8 and 3.25 m depth lucerne was able to create a soil water deficit of 78 mm. The extra water storage capacity was due to both the increased rooting depth and increased drying abiliy of lucerne within the root-zone of the annual species. Large drainage losses occurred under annuals in 1996 and small losses were calculated in 1997 and 1999, with no loss in 1998. Averaged over 1996–1999, drainage under annual crops was 49 mm/year (maximum 143 mm) and under annual pastures 35 mm/year (maximum 108 mm). When the extra soil water storage under lucerne was accounted for, no drainage was measured under this treatment in any year. Following 2 years of lucerne, drainage under subsequent crops could occur in the second crop. However, with 3 or 4 years of lucerne, 3–4 crops were grown before drainage loss was likely. Our calculations suggest that in this environment drainage losses are likely to occur under annual species in 55% of years compared with 6% of years under lucerne. In wet years water use of lucerne was higher than for crops due to lucerne’s ability to use summer rainfall and dry soil over the summer–autumn period. During the autumn–winter period crop water use was generally higher than under lucerne. The major period of increased soil water extraction under lucerne was from late spring to midsummer, with additional drying from deeper layers until autumn. Under both lucerne and crops, soil dried progressively from upper to lower soil layers. Short rotations of crops and lucerne currently offer the most practical promise for farmers in cropping areas in southern Australia to restore the water balance to a level which reduces the risk of secondary salinity.
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Abt, Thomas. "Der klassische Privatwaldkanton Luzern im Aufbruch | Fundamental changes to contemporary private forest ownership in Canton Lucerne." Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen 159, no. 7 (July 1, 2008): 174–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.3188/szf.2008.0174.
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After the French Revolution, the forests of Lucerne have been divided and privatized more than in any other region of Switzerland. Today, approximately 70% of Lucerne's forests are owned by individuals or private organizations. Only by realignment of the Lucerne Forest Service, initiated in 1997, as well as by disassembling its sovereign and operational tasks, has it been possible to overcome disadvantages of small scale private forestry. The formation of regional organizations is crucial in this regard.
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Boschma, S. P., and R. W. Williams. "Using morphological traits to identify persistent lucernes for dryland agriculture in NSW, Australia." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 59, no. 1 (2008): 69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar06206.
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This paper reports on several studies conducted to better understand the variability between lucerne cultivars and lines, and use this to predict persistence in dryland grazing pastures in eastern Australia. Morphological traits of 20 cultivars/lines were measured in irrigated and dryland spaced plant experiments. Studies were also conducted to describe variation among lucernes in their utilisation of starch and responses to water deficit, pests and diseases. Multiple regression analyses were used to develop simple models where the measured traits could be used to predict persistence of lucerne lines in dryland evaluation experiments. Although there was significant variation among cultivars/lines in most measured traits, no single trait reliably predicted persistence of cultivars/lines in dryland evaluation experiments. However, variation in persistence at both sites could be explained by models developed by multiple regression using differences in the mean lengths of the longest stems at 10% flower in summer and winter. Persistent lucernes were those that had relatively long stems in summer and short stems in winter. Water use efficiencies, starch utilisation patterns and resistances to pests and diseases of different lucernes provided some improvement to this simple model, but these improvements were not consistent.
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Malbert, C. H., and R. Baumont. "The effects of intake of lucerne (Medicago sativaL.) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerataL.) hay on the motility of the forestomach and digesta flow at the abomaso-duodenal junction of the sheep." British Journal of Nutrition 61, no. 3 (May 1989): 699–714. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/bjn19890156.
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1. The relations between food intake, reticulo-ruminal motility and abomasal digesta outflow were investigated in ewes receiving lucerne (Medicago sativa) v. orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) hay. Abomasal digesta outflow was recorded continuously by means of an electromagnetic flowmeter probe inserted into a duodenal T-shape cannula and the motility using strain-gauge force transducers. Volumes and turnover rates of both rumen and abomasal liquid phases were measured by CrEDTA dilution.2. The voluntary intake of lucerne was higher (60%) than that of orchard grass hay, and paralleled by an increased abomasal outflow (65%) corresponding to an increased number of gushes of digesta through the flowmeter probe: 129/h instead of 78/h on orchard grass hay. Abomasal motor activity was enhanced (35%), and periods of regular spiking activity were seen passing along the duodenum at a higher velocity for the lucerne diet than for the orchard grass diet. The increased abomasal outflow with lucerne hay was associated with a higher reticulo-ruminal turnover rate, but not abomasal turnover rate. Abomasal, but not reticulo-ruminal volume, was increased (30%) when lucerne hay was fedad lib.3. The total number of reticulo-ruminal contractions was increased by 6.6% when the dry matter entering the duodenum was increased by 70.6%, suggesting the level of voluntary intake, rather than reticulo-ruminal motility, as a major factor governing abomasal outflow in sheep.4. More frequent passages of digesta, unrelated to duodenal contractions, were recorded in ewes receiving lucerne compared with orchard grass. Both a higher viscosity of the contents due to the addition of guar gum and the impairment of antroduodenal motility by 5-hydroxytryptophan were able to reduce the flow rate of orchard grass digesta, but did not affect the higher flow rate of lucerne digesta. The findings suggest that the high abomasal outflow in sheep fed on lucernead lib.is related to a low viscosity of the contents that are propelled, even in the case of antral contractions of low magnitude.
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Chenost, M., F. Deverre, J. Aufrère, and C. Demarquilly. "The use of the gas-test technique for predicting the feeding value of forage plants." BSAP Occasional Publication 22 (1998): 255–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0263967x0003278x.
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The ‘gas test’ technique (Menke and Steingass, 1988) is becoming popular for predicting the feeding value of forages. However the relationships observed by Khazaal et al. (1995) between in vivo data and prediction measurements on grasses and legume hays were less good with the gas test technique than with the in situ technique. The present results are part of the work undertaken at the laboratory with the aim of improving the accuracy of the technique on various types of foods (Chenost et al., 1997).Seventy-nine forages (24 green (G) grasses, 38 grass hays (H), five G lucernes and 12 lucerne H) of known in vivo organic matter apparent digestibility (OMD) out of which 45 (17 G grasses, 16 grass H, five G lucernes and seven lucerne H) of known voluntary dry-matter intake (DMI), both measured with sheep, were chosen based on the range of variation of their OMD (from 0-490 to 0-808) and of their crude protein content (CP from 48 to 253 g/kg DM).
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Harris, R. H., J. R. Hirth, M. C. Crawford, W. D. Bellotti, M. B. Peoples, and S. Norng. "Companion crop performance in the absence and presence of agronomic manipulation." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58, no. 7 (2007): 690. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar06148.
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A field experiment located in southern New South Wales compared the component yields of cereal–lucerne companion crops (cereals sown into established lucerne) with the yields of cereal and lucerne monocultures. In-crop lucerne herbicide suppression, cereal crop types (wheat and barley), and top-dressed nitrogen (N) were evaluated for the potential to improve cereal production in the presence of lucerne. Plant populations and biomass, cereal grain yields, and grain quality (protein, screenings, and contamination) were measured. Over the 3-year study, cereals sown into established lucerne (4 years of age at the commencement of the experiment) yielded 17% less (P < 0.05) grain than the cereal monoculture. Companion cropping also resulted in a 71% reduction (P < 0.05) in lucerne biomass over the growing season compared with the lucerne monoculture, but a 3-fold (P < 0.05) increase in total (cereal and lucerne) biomass production. There were no differences between wheat and barley crops in the presence of lucerne, although extensive lodging in the 2003-barley monoculture did result in a significant main treatment (+/0 lucerne and +/0 in-crop lucerne suppression) × crop type (wheat and barley) interaction in grain yield, but not cereal biomass. N top-dressed after tillering onto cereal–lucerne companion crops did not increase grain yield, although it did increase cereal biomass in 2003. Whilst in-crop lucerne suppression did not increase cereal grain yields, it did increase (P < 0.05) cereal biomass and reduced lucerne biomass at cereal maturity and contamination (lucerne pods and flowers) of the cereal grain. However, this practice reduced (P < 0.05) lucerne populations, and therefore potentially threatens the longer term viability of lucerne stands so more research is recommended to develop less detrimental strategies for achieving effective in-crop lucerne suppression. This study combined with results from others, suggests that rainfall was a major factor determining cereal responses in the presence of lucerne, and although there were responses in cereal biomass to additional N and herbicide suppression, these strategies appear to only have potential under favourable growing-season conditions.
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Edwards, Lauren E., Kate J. Plush, Cameron R. Ralph, Rebecca S. Morrison, Rutu Y. Acharya, and Rebecca E. Doyle. "Enrichment with Lucerne Hay Improves Sow Maternal Behaviour and Improves Piglet Survival." Animals 9, no. 8 (August 15, 2019): 558. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9080558.
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This study investigated the effects of providing lucerne hay on the behaviour and the performance of sows housed in farrowing crates during farrowing and lactation. Seventy-two mixed parity sows received either 1 kg lucerne hay daily from entry into the farrowing crate (−2 d from expected farrowing date) until weaning at 17 d (lucerne group, n = 36), or received no additional enrichment (control group, n = 36). In the 18 h prior to farrowing, the sows in the lucerne treatment spent more time performing nest-building behaviour (14.8% lucerne vs 11.1% control, p = 0.0009) and less time sham-chewing (1.0% lucerne vs 1.9% control, p = 0.01) than control sows, and gave birth to fewer stillborn piglets/litter (0.1 lucerne vs 0.4 control, p = 0.027). After farrowing (Day 3), the control sows spent less time lying than the lucerne sows (26% control vs 43% lucerne, p < 0.05). The control sows also spent less time interacting with their piglets during early lactation compared to late lactation (25.5% Day 5 vs 47.3% Day 12, p < 0.05), suggesting reduced maternal behaviour in this group. The lucerne sows continued to interact with the lucerne throughout lactation, indicating that they still found the enrichment rewarding after the nesting period had ceased. Based on these results, lucerne enrichment was considered to improve sow welfare during farrowing and lactation and reduce the number of stillborn piglets.
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Davies, S. L., and M. B. Peoples. "Identifying potential approaches to improve the reliability of terminating a lucerne pasture before cropping: a review." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, no. 5 (2003): 429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea02042.
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In the mixed cropping regions of Australia, the perennial fodder legume lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is being utilised to improve the sustainability of farming systems through improving soil fertility and reducing groundwater recharge. However, the full rotational benefits of lucerne cannot be realised without a reliable approach to terminate the lucerne phase before cropping. Farmer surveys have identified difficulties in successfully removing lucerne before cropping as a significant problem with lucerne-based phase-farming systems. In 1 survey up to 40% of the respondents were not satisfied with the level of lucerne control they were achieving, while in another survey 49% indicated that lucerne removal issues were a constraint to further adoption of lucerne on their farms. Most growers used herbicides to kill lucerne, usually in conjunction with cultivation or grazing. Respondents estimated that herbicides were capable of killing 80% of the lucerne, but most regarded this level of control unsatisfactory. Lucerne removal using herbicides is ineffective when lucerne is able to regenerate from buds in the crown that have not received a lethal herbicide dose. Systemic herbicides such as glyphosate and the auxinic herbicides are predominantly translocated to those parts of the plant with a high demand for photosynthate, often the apical meristems. Hence, effective control of lucerne can only be achieved through targeted application of systemic herbicides to lucerne plants that are actively translocating photosynthate to the crown and taproots. Evidence presented in this review suggests that this is most likely to occur when the storage reserves in the crown and taproot are being replenished several weeks after defoliation. The importance of timing of removal and the potential for intercropping are also discussed.
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Liew, E. C. Y., and J. A. G. Irwin. "Differential disease reactions on lucerne genotypes inoculated with Phytophthora medicaginis isolates from lucerne and chickpea." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, no. 5 (1997): 545. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/a96143.
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Stem inoculation of clonally propagated lucerne genotypes was used to assess levels of host species and genotype specialisation in Phytophthora medicaginis. A quantitative assessment of pathogenic aggressiveness of 29 P. medicaginis isolates (from lucerne and chickpea) on 9 different clonally propagated lucerne genotypes revealed no significant difference in aggressiveness between isolates from lucerne and those from chickpea on all of the lucerne genotypes. This supported previous studies which showed that P. medicaginis isolates from lucerne and chickpea were indistinguishable using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Analysis of pathogenic aggressiveness towards individual lucerne genotypes revealed, for the first time, specificity of individual P. medicaginis isolates. This has implications for breeding for resistance to P. medicaginis in lucerne, where screening should be done using the widest range of pathogen specificity obtainable.
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Dalal, R. C., E. J. Weston, W. M. Strong, M. E. Probert, K. J. Lehane, J. E. Cooper, A. J. King, and C. J. Holmes. "Sustaining productivity of a Vertosol at Warra, Queensland, with fertilisers, no-tillage or legumes. 8. Effect of duration of lucerne ley on soil nitrogen and water, wheat yield and protein." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, no. 10 (2004): 1013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea03166.
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Soil nitrogen (N) supply in the Vertosols of southern Queensland, Australia has steadily declined as a result of long-term cereal cropping without N fertiliser application or rotations with legumes. Nitrogen-fixing legumes such as lucerne may enhance soil N supply and therefore could be used in lucerne–wheat rotations. However, lucerne leys in this subtropical environment can create a soil moisture deficit, which may persist for a number of seasons. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of varying the duration of a lucerne ley (for up to 4 years) on soil N increase, N supply to wheat, soil water changes, wheat yields and wheat protein on a fertility-depleted Vertosol in a field experiment between 1989 and 1996 at Warra (26°47′S, 150°53′E), southern Queensland. The experiment consisted of a wheat–wheat rotation, and 8 treatments of lucerne leys starting in 1989 (phase 1) or 1990 (phase 2) for 1, 2, 3 or 4 years duration, followed by wheat cropping. Lucerne DM yield and N yield increased with increasing duration of lucerne leys. Soil N increased over time following 2 years of lucerne but there was no further significant increase after 3 or 4 years of lucerne ley. Soil nitrate concentrations increased significantly with all lucerne leys and moved progressively downward in the soil profile from 1992 to 1995. Soil water, especially at 0.9–1.2 m depth, remained significantly lower for the next 3 years after the termination of the 4-year lucerne ley than under continuous wheat. No significant increase in wheat yields was observed from 1992 to 1995, irrespective of the lucerne ley. However, wheat grain protein concentrations were significantly higher under lucerne–wheat than under wheat–wheat rotations for 3–5 years. The lucerne yield and soil water and nitrate-N concentrations were satisfactorily simulated with the APSIM model. Although significant N accretion occurred in the soil following lucerne leys, in drier seasons, recharge of the drier soil profile following long duration lucerne occurred after 3 years. Consequently, 3- and 4-year lucerne–wheat rotations resulted in more variable wheat yields than wheat–wheat rotations in this region. The remaining challenge in using lucerne–wheat rotations is balancing the N accretion benefits with plant-available water deficits, which are most likely to occur in the highly variable rainfall conditions of this region.
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Maamouri, Amel, Gaëtan Louarn, François Gastal, Vincent Béguier, and Bernadette Julier. "Effects of lucerne genotype on morphology, biomass production and nitrogen content of lucerne and tall fescue in mixed pastures." Crop and Pasture Science 66, no. 2 (2015): 192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp14164.
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Cultivation of legume–grass mixtures ensures a high, protein-rich forage yield with no nitrogen (N) fertilisation. The maintenance of a reasonable proportion of each species over time may depend on the variety. In mixtures of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and grass, the effect of genetic variation on biomass and N accumulation is little described. We analysed how lucerne genetic variation affects agronomic traits. The experiment included 46 lucerne and two tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) genotypes tested in microplots of three lucerne and four fescue clones, evaluating biomass production, plant height, stem number and N content in eight cuts in 2011 and 2012. There was a wide genetic variation among lucerne genotypes but no significant statistical interaction between lucerne and fescue genotypes. This suggests that agronomic value of lucerne genotypes for mixtures can be evaluated with any grass genotype. On average, the grass plants grown with highly productive lucerne genotypes had an increased leaf elongation and N status but a reduced tiller number, which could limit their persistence. This is the first observation that the choice of lucerne genotype determines morphology, biomass production and N absorption of both lucerne and tall fescue grown in mixture.
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Boschma, S. P., G. M. Lodge, and S. Harden. "Seedling competition of lucerne in mixtures with temperate and tropical pasture species." Crop and Pasture Science 61, no. 5 (2010): 411. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp09349.
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Two replacement series studies were conducted to quantify the competitive ability of seedlings of Medicago sativa (lucerne) sown in mixtures with temperate and tropical species. A temperate mixtures study (Expt 1) consisted of lucerne cv. Genesis sown with each of Phalaris aquatica (phalaris) cv. Atlas PG, Lolium arundinaceum (tall fescue) cv. Resolute MaxP, Cichorium intybus (chicory) cv. Puna, Trifolium subterraneum (subterranean clover) cv. Clare, Austrodanthonia richardsonii (wallaby grass) cv. Taranna and Avena sativa (forage oats) cv. Eurrabie. There was also an additional mixture of chicory and subterranean clover. A tropical grass mixtures study (Expt 2) included Genesis lucerne sown with each of Panicum coloratum var. makarikariense cv. Bambatsi, Dicanthium aristatum cv. Floren, Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass) cv. Katambora, Digitaria eriantha subsp. eriantha cv. Premier and Bothriochloa bladii subsp. glabra cv. Swann. In Expt 1, lucerne-phalaris mixtures were equally competitive, whereas lucerne-tall fescue mixtures over-yielded. Chicory was aggressive in mixtures with lucerne and subterranean clover; similarly forage oats was more competitive than lucerne. Subterranean clover was competitive against lucerne at harvest 1, but by harvest 2 the low cutting height had reduced its competitiveness. Lucerne was more aggressive than wallaby grass. In Expt 2, all tropical grass-lucerne mixtures over-yielded; however, lucerne was generally more competitive than the grasses, except for Rhodes grass at harvest 1. While our study indicated that mixtures of lucerne seedlings with phalaris or tall fescue may be compatible, mixtures with tropical grasses were more likely to result in lucerne seedling dominance. This competitiveness may be overcome by either spatial or temporal separation and we discuss the concept of using mixtures to exploit environmental niches.
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Humphries, A. W. "Future applications of lucerne for efficient livestock production in southern Australia." Crop and Pasture Science 63, no. 9 (2012): 909. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp12140.
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Lucerne is a deep-rooted herbaceous perennial legume with high levels of summer production and adaptation to a broad range of agro-ecological environments in southern Australia. The ability of lucerne to extend the growing season of winter-based pasture and respond quickly to rainfall after periods of drought makes it one of the most valuable plants in our feed base. However, for all the advantages of lucerne, it remains underutilised. Lucerne is often considered to be a speciality fodder crop, requiring careful management to achieve high levels of production and persistence. This paper investigates the opportunity of whole-farm integration of lucerne; from speciality fodder crop to traditional pasture. The future trends of lucerne production in temperate grazing and intensive dairy systems are discussed in relation to breeding objectives identified to meet these demands. If lucerne is to be used more commonly as a pasture, the plant and systems must adapt. This paper investigates the plant traits and management principles that are important for growing lucerne in mixtures with other plants and improving the integration of lucerne into the whole-farm plan.
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Mcgowan, A. W., G. W. Sheath, and R. W. Webby. "Lucerne for high quality summer feed in North Island hill country." NZGA: Research and Practice Series 11 (January 1, 2003): 169–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.33584/rps.11.2003.3016.
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It is common to have a shortage of high quality summer feed on hill country farms in New Zealand, due to a deterioration of pasture growth during the drier months. Lucerne produces high quality feed during summer on lowland fields; however, its potential in hill country is unknown. This study measured the persistence of lucerne and evaluated its seasonal production relative to pasture. These results were then modelled for a typical sheep and beef farm to assess the potential benefits of including lucerne on the farm. Monthly growth rates of lucerne (six cultivars) and pasture were measured pregrazing, and lucerne viability was assessed at the end of the five-year study. Lucerne was successfully established and maintained on hill country for five years. On average, the total annual production of lucerne and pasture were similar, with only the highest yielding cultivar 'Rere' consistently outproducing pasture on an annual basis. Lower spring production of lucerne was compensated for by higher summer growth rates of 62 kg DM/ha/day, compared with 34 kg DM/ha/day for pasture. The extra summer feed from lucerne enabled a model farm that included 12.5% lucerne to carry more animals and produce lambs of heavier slaughter weight than on a pasture only basis. This gave a predicted increase in the gross margin of 3%. The impact of lucerne on other farms must be modelled individually to establish the best system to utilise the additional high quality summer feed. Key words: lucerne, modelling, quality summer feed
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Ballard, R. A., J. F. Slattery, and N. Charman. "Host range and saprophytic competence of Sinorhizobium meliloti — a comparison of strains for the inoculation of lucerne, strand and disc medics." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, no. 3 (2005): 209. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea03126.
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Strains of Sinorhizobium meliloti were compared for their saprophytic competence (ability to survive and colonise) in mildly acidic (pHCa 4.8–5.4) soils, using a ‘cross-row’ technique at 3 field locations in the south-east of South Australia. Some strains of rhizobia had greater saprophytic competence than others. Strain WSM879 performed consistently well, nodulating 36% of lucerne seedlings (mean of 3 sites and 4 sampling regions) compared with former inoculant strain WSM826 which nodulated 27% of lucerne seedlings. At one site, strain WSM879 was compared with the former and current Australian inoculant strains (WSM826 and RRI128, respectively). Here, all 3 strains nodulated a similar percentage of lucerne seedlings. However, the addition of 5 t/ha of lime to the soil at this site increased the percentage of lucerne plants nodulated from 23 to 43%. This increase was due to a combination of better strain survival and colonisation and indicates there remains some potential to further improve these aspects of strain performance. The growth of 4 of the rhizobial strains from the field trials was measured on acidified agar media (between pH 4.0 and 7.5). There was virtually no colony growth (<10% of growth at pH 7.0) by strains WSM826, RRI128 and WSM879, at or below pH 6.0. Although strain MSUR52a was still able to grow (40% of potential) at pH 6.0 (in the absence of aluminium) this was not always reflected in better nodulation of lucerne seedlings by this strain in the field. Inclusion of aluminium in the media increased the sensitivity of the strains to acidity. The ability of 6 selected S. meliloti strains to form effective symbioses with 15 plant hosts (from Medicago sativa, Medicago littoralis and Medicago tornata) was compared. All S. meliloti strains formed effective symbioses with all plant hosts. Overall, strain RRI128 was the most effective strain with both the lucernes and the annual medics, resulting in shoot weights similar to those of plants supplied with mineral nitrogen.
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Khanani, Arshad M., Robyn H. Guymer, Karen Basu, Heather Boston, Jeffrey S. Heier, Jean-François Korobelnik, Aachal Kotecha, et al. "TENAYA and LUCERNE." Ophthalmology Science 1, no. 4 (December 2021): 100076. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.xops.2021.100076.
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Taylor, AJ. "Influence of weed competition on autumn-sown lucerne in south-eastern Australia and the field comparison of herbicides and mowing for weed control." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 27, no. 6 (1987): 825. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9870825.
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A field experiment in autumn-sown lucerne was conducted at Tatura to quantify the growth of winter weeds and the effects of weeds on lucerne seedling establishment, plant densities and hay production over the first year of cutting. In addition, mowing treatments and a range of herbicides were evaluated with respect to weed control. Weed growth rates in spring of up to 114 kg ha-l day-1 DM and high yields of annual winter weeds excluded lucerne (Medicago sativa L. cv. Delkalb 167) almost entirely from the first hay cut and significantly reduced seedling vigour and plant densities. The unsprayed control plots yielded 9.3 t ha-1 at the first hay cut and comprised 52% capeweed, 41% ryegrass and less than 1% lucerne. In other treatments where either capeweed or ryegrass remained uncontrolled, the proportion of lucerne in the hay was low. Weeds significantly reduced lucerne yields (P < 0.01) at the first and second hay cuts of 5 cuts taken in the first season. Combinations of herbicides gave the best weed control and highest lucerne yield at the first and second cuts and significantly higher total lucerne yield. The best herbicide combination was trifluralin and bromoxynil, which controlled all weed species on the site, reduced the weed yield at the first cut by 87% below that of the control and produced the highest total lucerne yield of 14 t ha-l. The hay composition of this treatment at the first cut comprised 59% lucerne, 27% ryegrass and 14% other weed species, while at the second hay cut lucerne comprised 95% of the DM. Lucerne was the highest yielding species in all treatments at the second cut. Lucerne plant densities were lowest on the unsprayed control plots, with 56% fewer plants than for the herbicide combination treatments. Mowing in August was effective in preventing the decline in lucerne plant density that occurred on the unsprayed control plots.
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BESHARATI, Maghsoud, Masomeh NIAZIFAR, Zabihollah NEMATI, and Valiollah PALANGI. "Comparison study of flaxseed, cinnamon and lemon seed essential oils additives on quality and fermentation characteristics of lucerne silage." Acta agriculturae Slovenica 115, no. 2 (June 15, 2020): 455. http://dx.doi.org/10.14720/aas.2020.115.2.1483.
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<p>This experiment was performed to investigate the effects of some essential oils on chemical properties and aerobic stability of lucerne silage. Treatments included lucerne silage without additives (control), lucerne silage with 60 mg cinnamon essential oil/kg, lucerne silage with 60 mg flaxseed essential oil/kg, lucerne silage with 60 mg lemon seed essential oil/kg, lucerne silage with 180 mg blend of essential oils (60 mg cinnamon + 60 mg flaxseed + 60 mg lemon seed essential oils/kg).<strong> </strong>Adding essential oils to lucerne silage reduced silage pH (<em>p </em>< 0.001) compared to control. The highest level of total volatile fatty acids (tVFA) was found when lemon seed essential oil and the lowest level when flaxseed essential oil was used. The lucerne silages treated with essential oils had the highest crude protein contents (<em>p </em>< 0.01). Untreated lucerne silage had the highest level of gas production compared to lucerne silage treated with lemon seed and flaxseed essential oils (<em>p </em>< 0.01). The essential oil additives increased the aerobic stability of the silage. It can be concluded that the use of essential oil additive in the preparation of high quality lucerne silage, can improves the quality and nutritive value of silages.</p>
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McCaskill, M. R., M. C. Raeside, S. G. Clark, C. MacDonald, B. Clark, and D. L. Partington. "Pasture mixes with lucerne (Medicago sativa) increase yields and water-use efficiencies over traditional pastures based on subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum)." Crop and Pasture Science 67, no. 1 (2016): 69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp14179.
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Pastures sown to lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) with a perennial non-legume could increase feed supply relative to traditional pastures based on subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). Such mixtures might also be preferable to pure lucerne pastures, which are prone to weed invasion. Yield and water-use efficiency (harvested dry matter per unit evapotranspiration) of mixtures with lucerne or subterranean clover were compared a field experiment established under rainfed conditions at Hamilton, Victoria. Soil moisture and dry matter production were measured over 2 years. Treatments included chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreb.) with either lucerne or subterranean clover; pure lucerne; and phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with only subterranean clover. In the second year, dry matter production from lucerne mixtures exceeded that of equivalent mixtures with subterranean clover in spring, summer and winter. In spring, the lucerne component continued producing for longer than the clover component through its use of deeper stored soil water, and in summer, lucerne continued to grow slowly after the grass component had entered a drought-induced dormancy. In winter, the contribution from the lucerne component complemented, rather than competed with, that from the non-legume component. Water-use efficiencies during winter–spring ranged from 4 kg ha–1 mm–1 for chicory–clover to 27 kg ha–1 mm–1 for a fescue–lucerne mixture, and during summer–autumn from nil for cocksfoot–clover to 13 kg ha–1 mm–1 for a fescue–lucerne mixture. This study demonstrates that lucerne-based mixtures can increase forage supply per unit water use relative to traditional pastures based on subterranean clover.
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Berenji, S., D. J. Moot, J. L. Moir, and H. J. Ridgway. "Lucerne dry matter and N-fixation, when sown with or without lime and inoculant." Journal of New Zealand Grasslands 77 (January 1, 2015): 109–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2015.77.497.
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This paper quantifies the effect of inoculation and lime on lucerne growth and nitrogen fixation over the establishment and following season. The field experiment at Ashley Dene, in Canterbury, had an initial soil pH of 5.2 and moderate exchangeable aluminium content (4.2 mg/kg). The 15N natural abundance (δ15N) method was used to quantify nitrogen fixation. The pH of the top-soil was increased to ca. 5.5 and the Al content was decreased to 2.0 and 1.3 mg/kg soil by the application of 1 and 2 t lime/ha, respectively. In Year 0 the dry matter yield increased from 3 to 4 t DM/ha with the addition of 2 t lime/ha. The nitrogen content of lucerne plants was 2.2% (w/w), and was unaffected by inoculant or lime in Year 0. Similarly, the δ15N was 0.81‰ and unaffected by inoculant or lime. In Year 1, the N percentage of inoculated lucerne plants was 4.2% (w/w) compared with 3.6% in uninoculated plants. The δ15N value was 0.81‰ in uninoculated plants compared with -0.23‰ in inoculated lucerne plants. The inoculated lucerne yielded 7.8 t DM/ha compared with 2.4 t DM/ha when uninoculated. The calculated proportion of legume N derived from atmospheric N2 (%Ndfa) estimated that 70% of the nitrogen content in the inoculated lucerne shoots was derived from nitrogen-fixation in Year 1. There was no effect of lime on lucerne DM, or δ15N values in Year 1. This suggests lucerne rhizobia tolerated moderate levels of Al in acidic soils. The application of lime and inoculant are therefore recommended for lucerne, particularly in areas where there is no history of lucerne. The available soil N was sufficient to meet crop demand in the establishing year. Lucerne was then reliant on biological nitrogen fixation for yield in Year 1 which suggests lucerne preferentially used soil available N in Year 0, before commencing N fixation. Keywords: Aluminium, lucerne, lime, Medicago sativa L., nitrogen fixation.
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Cheng, Y., E. L. J. Waktin, J. G. Howieson, and G. W. O'Hara. "Root and root hair mechanisms that confer symbiotic competence for nodulation in acidic soils within Medicago species: a holistic model." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, no. 3 (2005): 231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea03150.
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Three experiments were undertaken to investigate the mechanisms used by the annual medic species, Medicago murex (Murex medic) to achieve nodulation more rapidly in acidic soils than the perennial species Medicago sativa (lucerne). In experiment 1, numbers and locations of root hairs on the primary roots of medic and lucerne were determined from plants grown in soil of pH 4.3 and 7.0. Experiment 2 enumerated the numbers of Sinorhizobium medicae (rhizobia) associated with the roots of medic and lucerne when grown in an acidic soil. Experiment 3 used a GFP-marked strain of rhizobia to determine the localised distribution of rhizobia along various zones of the primary roots of medic and lucerne in soil of pH 4.3 and 7.0. When grown in an acidic soil, medic produced 60% more root hairs/mm root along the primary root axis compared with lucerne, from 7 days after sowing. In soil of low pH, medic also had higher numbers of rhizobia associated with its entire root system than lucerne, with about 103 cfu/cm root throughout the 24-day period of the experiment, compared with lucerne for which rhizobial numbers decreased from 102 to 11 cfu/cm root over the same time period. When the intensity of fluorescence emitted by a GFP-marked transconjugant of rhizobia was measured at localised zones along the primary root of medic and lucerne grown in the acidic soil, it was 1.8-fold higher from the roots of medic than lucerne at 7 days after sowing, indicating higher numbers of rhizobia along medic roots. Hence, the numbers of rhizobia associated with the entire root system, and those colonised on localised zones of the primary root of medic were both higher than that of lucerne. These fundamental differences between the 2 species, combined with the earlier finding that lucerne tends to acidify its rhizosphere more than medic, allowed us to construct conceptual models that attempt to explain the increased symbiotic competency of medic compared with lucerne, and the different nodulation responses between medic and lucerne at low pH.
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Mielmann, Annchen, Carina Bothma, A. Hugo, and Celia J. Hugo. "Descriptive sensory analysis and consumer acceptability of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)." British Food Journal 117, no. 12 (December 7, 2015): 2975–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/bfj-02-2015-0066.
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Purpose – A lack of available literature exists about sensory data on lucerne (which is mainly used for animal feed) as an underutilised protein source for human consumption in South Africa (SA). Developing tasteless lucerne products is meaningless. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to determine the descriptive sensory profile and consumers’ acceptability of lucerne. Design/methodology/approach – Three lucerne cultivars and one spinach beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla L.) cultivar were used: first, to determine sensory descriptive attributes by generic descriptive analysis; and second, to determine consumers’ acceptance of lucerne, which were evaluated for degree of liking for aroma, taste, mouthfeel and overall acceptability with a nine-point hedonic scale. Principal component analysis of attributes for all the lucerne cultivars was applied to identify any factors differentiating between these cultivars. Findings – “SA Standard” showed the lowest value, of the lucerne samples, for fibrous appearance, chewy and fibrous mouthfeel, bitter taste and bitter and metallic aftertaste. “SA Standard” was the most acceptable lucerne cultivar, indicating its application in future studies to profile new emerging cultivars. Originality/value – No sensory analysis studies have been performed on South African lucerne cultivars to determine their sensory acceptability. These cultivars could have potential for food nutritionists, food scientists and food product developers and the commercial market.
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Hirth, J. R., P. J. Haines, A. M. Ridley, and K. F. Wilson. "Lucerne in crop rotations on the Riverine Plains. 2. Biomass and grain yields, water use efficiency, soil nitrogen, and profitability." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, no. 2 (2001): 279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar00006.
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In a field experiment in north-eastern Victoria (average annual rainfall 598 mm), the impact of 2–4 years of lucerne growth on the following 3–4 crops was assessed. Controls of continuous lucerne, annual pasture, and continuous crop were compared with 5 lucerne–crop rotations. Above-ground biomass and water use efficiency of lucerne, annual pasture, and crops were assessed, as were the soil N status, grain yields, and profitability of crops after lucerne. Lucerne grew more slowly over the autumn–spring growing season (20 kg DM/ha.day) than did annual pastures and crops (41 and 58 kg DM/ha.day, respectively), while over the spring–autumn period, it grew at a mean 26 kg DM/ha.day. The summer growth rates of lucerne were, however, highly variable (1–52 kg DM/ha.day). Despite large changes in temperature and water availability over the year, the biomass water use efficiency (WUEB) of lucerne was similar over the winter and summer growth seasons (16 and 10 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively) and averaged 13 kg DM/ha.mm for the whole year. In contrast, the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons averaged 36, 38, and 26 kg DM/ha.mm. When calculated over a whole year, however, they were much closer to lucerne at 23, 14, and 17 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively. Autumn removal of lucerne left soils initially low in mineral N (mean 82 kg N/ha.m depth in April) for the establishment of the first crop, but this was not reflected in the subsequent N contents of crop biomass and grain. Autumn mineral N concentrations peaked 1–2 years after lucerne removal (mean 141 kg N/ha.m depth). Yields of first crops after lucerne were strongly dependent on growing season rainfall. When sowing commenced in a wet year, they were similar to, or greater than, the control, but when sown in a dry year, were substantially lower. When sowing commenced in a wet year, lucerne supplied additional N for a minimum of 2 crops. At least 3 crops were supplied with lucerne N when cropping commenced in a dry year. The inclusion of 2–3 years of lucerne into a continuous cropping sequence only decreased annual profitability by $AU40/ha. This work shows that short phases of lucerne (minimum of 3 years) followed by 3–4 crops can provide economically viable options for farmers and produce better hydrological outcomes than current annual-plant based cropping systems.
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Holford, ICR. "Yields and nitrogen uptake of grain sorghum in various rotations, including lucerne, annual legume and long fallow." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 40, no. 2 (1989): 255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar9890255.
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Long-term yields, nitrogen uptake and responsiveness of grain sorghum following three lucerne rotations, an annual legume rotation, long fallowing, and continuous wheat growing were measured on a black earth and red clay in northern New South Wales. The three lucerne rotations compared two methods of lucerne establishment (with or without a cover crop) and two methods of grazing management (short or extended grazing).There were large beneficial effects of lucerne leys on the first grain sorghum crop, whether they were measured as grain yield, nitrogen content of the foliage and grain, or nitrogen uptake. The effect was much smaller in the second year but it increased in the third and fourth years, in direct relation to the rainfall during the sorghum flowering period. The effect was larger on the black earth than on the red clay, reflecting the much higher lucerne yields on the former soil. Evidence indicated that the nitrogen contribution from lucerne after the first year was no greater than the nitrogen accumulated by long fallowing, and this was attributed to very low rainfall and lucerne yields during the four year ley period.The annual legume rotation suffered from drought and insect damage in most years, and following sorghum yields tended to be lower than those achieved by long fallowing.Differences in the effects of establishment method and grazing management on total lucerne yields were reflected in the differences in subsequent grain sorghum yields. Largest differences were on the black earth where extended grazing lowered the total yields of lucerne and subsequent grain sorghum. Sowing lucerne under wheat had little effect on total yields of lucerne or sorghum.
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Ward, P. R., and S. F. Micin. "The capacity of dryland lucerne for groundwater uptake." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, no. 5 (2006): 483. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar05311.
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Lucerne is being widely promoted as a means of salinity prevention, due to its ability to grow roots deeper into the soil and use more water than annual crops or pastures. This helps to reduce groundwater recharge. Direct groundwater use would also help to lower water tables, but lucerne’s role in this regard is poorly understood. In this research, lucerne plants growing in 2 landscape positions (one position with access to moderately saline groundwater, and one without access to groundwater) at similar plant densities were compared in terms of their pre-dawn leaf water potentials and evapotranspiration (ET) rates during summer. Soil analysis (pH, EC, texture, and water content) indicated that soil water content below a depth of 0.9 m was the only major difference between the 2 landscape positions. Plants with access to groundwater were larger (55 v. 13 kg dry matter/ha), less stressed (–0.71 v. –1.16 MPa pre-dawn leaf water potential), and exhibited 2–3 times higher ET rates early in the morning than plants without access to groundwater. ET rates in the afternoon were similar. Total ET from plants in both landscape positions was very low relative to potential ET. We conclude that lucerne plants with access to groundwater are able to use the water to maintain lower stress levels, but not for active growth under conditions of dry topsoil and high vapour pressure deficit. Direct groundwater uptake by lucerne is likely to be low, but may be significant for salinity control in the longer term.
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Lu, Yixiao, Le Mu, Mei Yang, and Huimin Yang. "Lucerne Proportion Regulates Competitive Uptake for Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Lucerne and Grass Mixtures on the Loess Plateau of China." Agronomy 12, no. 6 (May 24, 2022): 1258. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12061258.
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Mixtures of legume and grass are used worldwide to gain advantages in forage production and ecological maintenance. However, competition for nutrients by legumes in mixtures has not been fully explored. The aim was to determine how the forage proportion affected nutrient competition in legume and grass mixtures. Treatments included two species combinations and five sowing ratios. Competitive ratios (CR) of lucerne for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) over two grasses were assessed to analyze how the lucerne proportion in mixtures affected the competition. Total N and P uptake were mostly lower under timothy-containing mixtures (MPs) than under smooth bromegrass-containing mixtures (MBs). Proportions of both N (NM%) and P uptake (PM%) of lucerne were higher under MPs than under MBs. Higher total N and P uptake were found under half-lucerne mixtures (M5P5 or M5B5) than under other grasslands. The NM% and PM% tended to be higher under half-lucerne mixtures, although they showed little difference among mixtures. Lucerne CR was greater under MPs than under MBs, and was greater than grass CR when lucerne was in lower proportion in the mixtures. There was little difference in soil N density among grasslands of the same cut, whereas soil P density was variable. Competitiveness of lucerne depends largely on the initial sowing ratio. High ratios of lucerne significantly reduce soil P density, leading to P limitation and reduced N and P uptake. On the Loess Plateau of China, mixing lucerne with smooth bromegrass is recommended to increase the uptake and harvest of N and P, specifically at the sowing ratio of 5:5.
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Stevens, D. R., L. Wright, and P. Mcgill. "An on-farm study of late pregnancy and lactation performance of ewe lambs and their progeny on lucerne or pasture." Journal of New Zealand Grasslands 77 (January 1, 2015): 269–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2015.77.473.
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An on-farm demonstration compared the use of perennial ryegrass based pasture or lucerne as the forage source for in-lamb ewe lambs from 2 weeks prior to lambing until weaning in the Te Anau basin. This demonstration, over 2 years, used 632 and 506 in-lamb ewe lambs in 2013 and 2014 respectively with approximately 50% being single-bearing and 50% twin-bearing in both years. Pasture and lucerne were set stocked until docking at approximately 33 days of age and then rotationally grazed thereafter until weaning at approximately 110 days of age. Ewe liveweights and body condition scores tended to be higher when grazed on lucerne during spring and all ewes were at or near two-tooth mating weights at weaning (67 kg). Lamb liveweights at 110 days of age were similar from the pasture and lucerne (33.4 kg). Lamb losses were greater on lucerne (37%) than pasture (28%) in both years, and led to a significantly lower lambing percentage on lucerne. Stocking rate chosen based on previous pasture growth records and potential lucerne yield was greater on lucerne (11.7 ewes/ha) than that on pasture (9.4 ewes/ha). The combined liveweight gain of ewes and their lambs per hectare was significantly greater from lucerne (492 kg/ha) than pasture (398 kg/ ha). Scanning data from the second mating was 201% and 189% in ewes that had grazed on lucerne or pasture during the previous lactation respectively, while ewes weighed 67.7 and 65.1 kg at mating respectively. Lucerne can be used as a forage option to increase the performance of bred ewe lambs but the grazing of young lush growth should be avoided to reduce potential animal health issues. Keywords: body condition score, ewe lambs, lamb liveweight gain, lamb survival, reproduction
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STOUT, D. G., K. BROERSMA, and S. N. ACHARYA. "Seed preinoculation and soil liming for growth of forage legumes on acidic clay soils." Journal of Agricultural Science 128, no. 1 (February 1997): 51–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021859696003905.
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Forages produced in the north central interior of British Columbia are low in percentage crude protein (CP). Growing lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) should increase forage percentage CP, but many of the soils are considered too acidic for this species. The objective of three field experiments, conducted at the Prince George experimental farm, was to evaluate management practices that might accommodate the growth of lucerne on acid soils without the expense of liming. Experiment 1 compared three legume species (lucerne, alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) and red clover (T. pratense L.)), preinoculated lime-coated seed (GNRTM, Grow Tec Ltd, Nisku, Alberta), and soil liming on root nodulation and forage dry matter (DM) yield. Experiment 2 compared lucerne genetic lines, seed preinoculation and soil liming on root nodulation and forage DM yield and percentage CP. Experiment 3 compared lucerne rhizobia genetic strains, seed preinoculation and soil liming on root nodulation, forage DM yield and percentage CP.For effective nodulation, lucerne required seed preinoculation, whereas alsike clover and red clover did not. Lucerne persisted longer than alsike or red clover. In Expts 2 and 3, the combination of lime and preinoculation increased lucerne DM yield by 136% and %CP from 9·2 to 15·4. The addition of lime alone increased lucerne DM yield by an average of 130% and %CP from 9·2 to 16·3. With preinoculation alone, lucerne DM yield increased by 100% and %CP increased from 9·2 to 12·7. Although using preinoculated lime-coated seed alone is not as effective as lime alone, coated seed may be the preferred method, based on ease of application and cost. Neither the six lucerne lines nor the three rhizobial strains evaluated resulted in improved root nodulation under acidic conditions.
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Crawford, MC, and MR Macfarlane. "Lucerne reduces soil moisture and increases livestock production in an area of high groundwater recharge potential." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, no. 2 (1995): 171. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9950171.
Full textAbstract:
A grazing experiment was conducted on an area with high groundwater recharge potential in northeastern Victoria from 1988 to 1992. Merino wether weaners were grazed on either lucerne (Medicago sativa) or a pasture consisting of annual species (Trifolium spp., Lolium rigidum, Vulpia bromoides, Hordeum leporinum) at 5.0, 8.75, or 12.5 wethers/ha. Lucerne pastures were rotationally grazed and annual pastures were set-stocked. Measurements included herbage mass, lucerne plant density, sheep liveweight, wool production and fibre diameter, and soil moisture potential. Herbage mass in both pasture treatments decreased with increasing stocking rate, but at 12.5 wethers/ha, lucerne herbage mass was significantly (P<0.001) greater than annual pasture herbage mass. Sheep liveweight showed similar trends. On annual pastures, wool production per sheep decreased with increasing stocking rate, whereas on lucerne, it was maintained as stocking rate increased from 8.75 to 12.5 wethers/ha. Mean wool production per ha on lucerne pasture was 14.5, 23.5, and 32.1 kg for 5.0, 8.75, and 12.5 wethers/ha, respectively, and on annual pasture it was 13.8, 21.7, and 24.8 kg. Supplementary feeding was needed on annual pastures every year at the high stocking rate. On lucerne pastures, it was unnecessary except for 3 weeks in 1991. Soil moisture under lucerne was less than under annual pasture, indicating that lucerne used more water than the annual pasture and created a larger soil water deficit, thus leading to potentially less groundwater recharge. In this environment, lucerne could be productively stocked at 12.5 wethers/ha, whereas annual pastures were less productive and could only be stocked at 8.75 wethers/ha. Furthermore, lucerne was more effective at using soil water and reducing the potential for groundwater recharge.
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Dolling, P. J., S. Asseng, M. J. Robertson, and M. A. Ewing. "Water excess under simulated lucerne - wheat phased systems in Western Australia." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58, no. 8 (2007): 826. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar06048.
Full textAbstract:
The long-term effect of lucerne use, in reducing drainage of water below the root zone and runoff (water excess), has not been examined in south-western Australia (Western Australia). The main aims of the paper were to determine how the long-term mean water excess was influenced by the proportion of lucerne in the rotation and the length of the lucerne phase in relation to soil type and location. A simulation model was used to compare scenarios, drawing on historical weather data from 1957 to 2001. Simulations were performed for 2 locations (high and low rainfall) and 2 soil types (high and low water-holding capacity). Lucerne significantly and rapidly (within 2–3 years) reduces the long-term mean water excess in rotations consisting of 2–4 years of lucerne followed by 1–4 years of wheat compared with continuous wheat. For every 10% increase in the percentage of lucerne years in the total rotation length, the mean water excess decreased by 17–20 mm (7–9%) at Kojonup (high-rainfall site) and 7–8 mm (8–9%) at Buntine (low-rainfall site) compared with the water excess associated with continuous wheat at each location. The proportion of lucerne in the rotation had a greater effect on the water excess than the effect of different soil types. Variation in the water excess due to variation in rainfall was greater than the reduction in water excess due to lucerne. This makes the decisions about when to grow lucerne to reduce water excess difficult if livestock enterprises are less profitable than cropping enterprises. The simulations show that lucerne mean yearly biomass ranges from 4.5 to 6.9 t/ha at Kojonup and from 1.6 to 4.7 t/ha at Buntine, depending on soil type and stage of lucerne in the land use sequence. It is worth considering that lucerne has the potential to reduce subsequent wheat yields with removal in autumn.
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Angus, J. F., R. R. Gault, A. J. Good, A. B. Hart, T. D. Jones, and M. B. Peoples. "Lucerne removal before a cropping phase." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, no. 7 (2000): 877. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar99183.
Full textAbstract:
Growing dryland crops after lucerne is known to be risky because of the lack of residual soil water. We investigated ways of reducing this risk by removing portions of a lucerne pasture, using either herbicides or cultivation, at monthly intervals between November and April, before sowing a wheat crop in May, followed by a canola crop in the following year. The experimental site was on a red-brown earth in southern New South Wales. Lucerne removal was incomplete when the wheat was sown, so all lucerne plants were removed from half of each plot with a post-emergence herbicide, to allow comparisons of intercropped wheat–lucerne and wheat monoculture. Measurements were made on crop growth, yield, grain quality, soil water, and soil mineral nitrogen (N) before and after both crops. On average, each additional month between lucerne removal and wheat sowing led to a yield increase of 8% and a grain protein increase of 0.3 percentage units. The main reason for the increases was additional soil mineral N, associated with a longer period of mineralisation. The soil water content at the time of wheat sowing was greater with early lucerne removal but the growing season rainfall did not limit yields, and there was more residual soil water at the time of wheat maturity where lucerne had been removed late and yields were lower. Method of lucerne removal did not significantly affect wheat yield, grain protein, soil water, or soil mineral N. The portions of the plots containing lucerne plants that survived the initial removal attempt produced similar wheat yields to the portions where lucerne had been totally removed, but grain protein was lower. The following growing season was drier, but despite less residual soil water where lucerne had been removed earlier in the previous year, the average canola yield was 2.5% greater for each additional month of fallow. The increase again appeared to be due to more residual mineral N. The seed oil concentration also decreased in response to later lucerne removal but seed protein increased. Where lucerne plants had been retained in the previous wheat crop, canola yield was lower than where they had been totally removed, apparently because of less soil water at sowing. Over the 2 years of the experiment, the net supply of mineral N was 374 kg N/ha, equivalent to an annual net mineralisation of 2% of the total soil N. The initial mineralisation rate was slow, suggesting that the soil may be deficient in mineral N soon after lucerne removal.
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Davies, S. L., J. M. Virgona, M. H. McCallum, A. D. Swan, and M. B. Peoples. "Effectiveness of grazing and herbicide treatments for lucerne removal before cropping in southern New South Wales." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, no. 9 (2005): 1147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea04202.
Full textAbstract:
The difficulty of reliably removing an established lucerne pasture before cropping has been identified as a major problem with phase-farming systems on mixed farms. A series of experiments were undertaken on established lucerne stands at the Ginninderra Experimental Station in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and at the Temora Research Station in southern New South Wales (NSW) to compare the ability of grazing, either alone or in combination with herbicides, to remove a lucerne pasture. A pilot study at the Ginninderra Experimental Station in 1998–99 utilised a high stocking rate (30 dry sheep equivalents [dse]/ha), while the main study at the Ginninderra Experimental Station and the Temora Research Station in 1999–2000 used a lower stocking rate (10–12 dse/ha) considered to be closer to farmer practice in the region. Continuous grazing at the high stocking rate removed 73% of the lucerne stand over 3 months. In contrast, the stocking rates applied in the main study proved too low to substantially impact on lucerne survival at both the ACT and NSW sites (13–23% removal) under the good seasonal conditions experienced in 1999–2000 even though the pastures were continuously grazed for 8–9 months. The use of herbicides both alone or in conjunction with grazing greatly improved lucerne removal in both studies. However, herbicide efficacy was variable (53–100% removal), and seemed to be related to the time of year it was applied, the period of lucerne regrowth or the amount of rainfall before herbicide application. An additional on-farm study was undertaken near Junee Reefs in southern NSW between 2001 and 2003 that compared the survival of a range of lucerne cultivars under simulated hay-cutting (mown) and commercial grazing regimes. Dry conditions during 2002–03 resulted in a decline in lucerne frequency at about 50% in mown control plots. Grazing increased the stand decline, particularly for many winter-active cultivars where lucerne frequency was reduced by up to 70–93%. It was concluded that: (i) continuous grazing for prolonged periods can be effective at removing lucerne, but the rate of lucerne loss will be influenced by both stocking rate and rainfall; (ii) the application of herbicides can improve lucerne removal either in association with, or in the absence of grazing; however, herbicide efficacy appeared to be dependent upon the physiological status of the lucerne plants and/or the environmental conditions before application; and (iii) cultivar responses indicated that lucerne types could potentially be developed for phase-farming systems with increased susceptibility to grazing mismanagement.
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Wang, Zhennan, Yizhao Shen, Chongliang Bi, Mirielle Pauline, Qingping Zhang, Shenjin Lv, Huimin Yang, and Yan Yang. "Contents and yields of copper, iron, manganese and zinc would be affected by lucerne age and cut." PeerJ 9 (April 6, 2021): e11188. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11188.
Full textAbstract:
Background Lucerne is a perennial legume forage, which can produce multiple cuts in 1 year. Microelements play fundamental roles in the function, maintenance and adaptation to the environment for lucerne growth. However, the role of the accumulation of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn), which vary with lucerne ages or cuts, has not been previously determined. Therefore, a hypothesis on the Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in lucerne varying with age and cut was tested. Methods A total of 11, 8, 5, 4 and 1 year old lucerne (Medicago sativa Longdong) were selected as the material (until 2012 year), and samples were taken as three cuts at the cutting periods (early flowering stage) in 2012. Then, the contents and yields of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in lucerne were measured and calculated. Results The highest contents of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in lucerne were found in the 1 year old among the five ages, at the 3rd cut compared to the other two cuts, and in the leaf among the three organs. The highest yields of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were found in the older ages (11 and 8 years old), at the 3rd cut, and in the root among the three organs. The most positive correlations were found between contents, yields and biomass. Conclusions The hypothesis was supported by the results. And the contents and yields of lucerne Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were affected by the age, cut and organ. Furthermore, the yields of lucerne Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were determined by their contents and lucerne biomass.
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Humphries, A. W., R. A. Latta, G. C. Auricht, and W. D. Bellotti. "Over-cropping lucerne with wheat: effect of lucerne winter activity on total plant production and water use of the mixture, and wheat yield and quality." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 55, no. 8 (2004): 839. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar03250.
Full textAbstract:
Two field experiments in southern Australia investigated a farming system of over-cropping wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) into established lucerne (Medicago sativa subsp. L.) varieties of different winter activity ratings. The study was completed at Roseworthy, South Australia, and Katanning, Western Australia, between August 2000 and May 2003 in seasons receiving below average and average rainfall. Comparative lucerne persistence and biomass, wheat biomass, grain yield and protein contents, and soil water contents were measured. Wheat grain yield was reduced by 13–63% by over-cropping lucerne compared with wheat monoculture. Winter-dormant lucerne (winter activity Classes 0.5 and 2) reduced the yield penalty compared with winter-active varieties (Classes 6 and 10) in 2 of the 4 evaluations. The positive response to applying N at sowing in the second year of over-cropping wheat at Katanning was greatest in the most winter-dormant lucerne treatment (winter activity 0.5). Soil water contents were similar under the lucerne/wheat over-cropping and lucerne monoculture treatments irrespective of lucerne winter activity. Deficits of up to 43 mm at Roseworthy and 88 mm at Katanning were measured in the 0–200-cm soil profile at the start of the third summer of the study. The study shows that it can be more efficient in terms of land area to over-crop wheat into lucerne than to grow monocultures on separate parcels of land akin to phase farming. The improved productivity of over-cropping is associated with the separation of growth patterns of winter wheat and summer-active lucerne. This farming system offers great potential for improving sustainability and productivity in southern Australian cropping rotations.
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Burnett, Vivianne F., Kym L. Butler, Jeff R. Hirth, Meredith L. Mitchell, Steve G. Clark, and Zhongnan Nie. "Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) Persistence Remains Unchanged under Variable Cutting Regimes." Agronomy 10, no. 6 (June 13, 2020): 844. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10060844.
Full textAbstract:
Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) persistence is important for farming systems in south east Australia. Defoliation of lucerne that is too frequent (arguably more than once every six weeks) reduces yield and accelerates stand decline. Three experiments were conducted in south east Australia (Burraja, New South Wales; Rutherglen and Hamilton, Victoria) to investigate different cutting regimes on lucerne persistence. At Burraja lucerne was cut 16 (lax) or 33 (severe) times over three years at different plant densities. At Rutherglen and Hamilton lucerne was cut every 21 days (short rotation), every 42 days (long rotation), when new shoots (2.5 cm long) emerged (new shoots) or cutting when new shoots emerged but allowing the lucerne to flower in autumn (new shoots flowering). It was hypothesised that the frequent cutting of lucerne would result in lower plant densities. At Burraja there was little difference between treatments at any density or assessment. At Hamilton, apart from the assessment in June 2016, there was no difference (p > 0.1) between treatments. At Rutherglen, there was no difference (p > 0.1) between treatments at any assessment although plant numbers declined in 2016 from waterlogging. The results provide evidence that lucerne has intrinsic mechanisms that protect it from cutting, often at short intervals, thus promoting its persistence over three to four-year periods.
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Delavar, Malek Hoseein, Mohsen Daneshe Mesgaran, and Mohhamad Hassan Jahandar. "Chemical characteristics of Lucerne silage treated by urea and sulphuric acid." Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science 2007 (April 2007): 229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1752756200021323.
Full textAbstract:
Although Lucerne hay is common using method of Lucerne forage but weather condition always is not suitable to provide it. Besides Lucerne forage due to high buffering capacity because of the tubular and hollow stem structure, low soluble sugar content, high moisture and high protein content is the most difficult to ensile. Therefore, response to silage additives (such as urea and sulphuric acid) or preservatives may be great with legume forage. Experimental evidence indicates that there is main different about chemical composition of Lucerne silage before and after ensiling. This study was conducted to compare of Chemical composition of Lucerne silages treated without or by urea and sulphuric acid.
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de Behr, V., D. Daron, A. Gabriel, B. Remy, J. F. Cabaraux, I. Dufrasne, and L. Istasse. "Ingestion and metabolic profile in horses offered lucerne or chalk as a source of calcium." Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science 2002 (2002): 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1752756200006876.
Full textAbstract:
When horses are on diets that are predominant in cereals, the combination of low concentrations of calcium in the diet and the binding of calcium by phytates may result in inadequate calcium intake (Rose, 1990). Chalk and dehydrated lucerne are rich in calcium. It has been shown that the voluntary ingestion of lucerne varies with its form (Cuddeford, 1994). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources of calcium (chalk vs dehydrated lucerne) and lucerne forms (6 mm diameter pellets, 18 mm diameter pellets and ground lucerne) on the ingestion and on the metabolic profile in horses offered a cereal-based diet.
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Wang, Linlin, Zhuzhu Luo, Lingling Li, Junhong Xie, Setor Kwami Fudjoe, and Effah Zechariah. "Exploring Optimal Cropping System to Improve the Water Use Efficiency and Soil Water Restoration after Lucerne-to-Crop Conversion in the Semiarid Environment." Agronomy 12, no. 8 (August 14, 2022): 1905. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081905.
Full textAbstract:
Due to depleting water supplies and the cultivation of high water-demanding crops such as lucerne, the effect of water deficits in crop production has become a major concern, especially in semiarid regions of China. A six-year field experiment (2012–2018) was conducted to evaluate soil water recovery and soil fertility after lucerne-to-crop conversions on the western Loess Plateau of China. Six rotation treatments (lucerne initially grew from 2003 to 2012 followed by the rotation of other crops or fallow until assessments in 2018) were: (1) lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)–lucerne (L-L); (2) lucerne–fallow (L-F); (3) lucerne–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (L-W); (4) lucerne–corn (Zea mays L.) (L-C); (6) lucerne–potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) (L-P); and (6) lucerne–millet (Setaria italica) (L-M). The same crops were grown each year after cultivation during 2013–2018. According to the findings, all rotation types gradually increased the soil water content, with the 0–110 cm soil layer experiencing the maximum soil water replenishment rate, followed by the 110–200 and 200–300 cm soil layers. After converting lucerne to crops, the amount of organic carbon, total nitrogen, and mineral nitrogen in the soil decreased, whereas total phosphorus and accessible phosphorus increased. Soil bulk density was reduced under rotation treatments. Soil water absolute restoration index was the highest under L-F, followed by L-C, L-W, L-P, and L-M. The rate of soil water recovery was 39.5, 33.0, 33.7, 33.5, 29, and 8.2 mm yr−1 under L-F, L-W, L-C, L-P, L-M, and L-L, respectively. The net economic return was greatest under L-C, followed by L-L, L-W, L-P, and L-M. From the analysis of the long-term experimental results, this study shows that the effect of soil water restoration is greatest when continuous alfalfa is converted into wheat, corn, and potato or fallow after 9 years. When the economic benefits and soil moisture recovery are considered comprehensively, corn sown in a ridge–furrow system with fully plastic film annual mulching is the most suitable field management practice after lucerne-to-crop conversion on the western Loess Plateau of China.
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Norton, Mark R., Guangdi D. Li, Binbin Xu, Andrew Price, Peter Tyndall, and Richard C. Hayes. "Differences in dehydration tolerance affect survival of white clover (Trifolium repens) and lucerne (Medicago sativa) during a drying cycle." Crop and Pasture Science 72, no. 9 (2021): 723. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp20300.
Full textAbstract:
There is very little robust, experimentally based knowledge comparing drought tolerance of one legume species with another. Dehydration tolerance and plant survival of the perennial legumes white clover (Trifolium repens L., considered quite sensitive to drought) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L., considered drought tolerant) were compared in a drying cycle experiment conducted in pots in a glasshouse, with the deep rooting of lucerne constrained. White clover used more soil water, drying the pots to a final soil gravimetric water content (θg) of 4.7%, compared with 8.3% in lucerne pots. Rates of water use were also different: white clover used 0.47% of θg per day and lucerne 0.3%. The more conservative water use allowed lucerne to survive for longer into the drying cycle than white clover. Lucerne partitioned more of its total dry matter into root growth and had much higher root:shoot ratios than white clover. Leaf/stolon elongation is one of the first plant processes to cease as water deficit increases; however, elongation was greater in white clover than lucerne at the beginning of the drying cycle, and this trend continued until lower soil water contents were reached. Conversely, leaf senescence generally commenced at quite high levels of water stress and progressed more rapidly to complete senescence in white clover than in lucerne. Lucerne retained tissue relative water content at a higher level than white clover, with final minimum values of 25% and 13.6%, respectively. In lucerne, 50% mortality was observed at θg of 9%, compared with 6% in white clover, albeit with greater variability. In conclusion, lucerne maintained a higher relative water content than white clover even though it endured the drying cycle for longer and without access to water at depth, evidence of its superior dehydration avoidance and better adaptation to dry conditions. However, white clover was more able to extract water from surface soil layers. This study provides valuable insight into the adaptive traits of both species and identifies some traits that might be useful in the quest to improve white clover adaptation.
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Tsyhanskyi, Viacheslav. "DYNAMICS OF SOWN LUCERNE DENSITY IN THE PERIOD OF VEGETATION, DEPENDING ON THE OPTIMIZATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS OF GROWING." Agriculture and Forestry, no. 3 (October 30, 2020): 59–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.37128/2707-5826-2020-3-5.
Full textAbstract:
The most widespread perennial leguminous grass is lucerne (Medicago sativa L.). Lucerne is a high nutritive value legume that is grown for its feed value, its contribution of legume nitrogen to the soil and for its deep root system and ability to use water. Lucerne is rated on its winter activity level with varieties having high or low winter growth activity. Lucerne is suited for soils with a pH (CaCl2) between 5.5 and 8.0. Rooting depth of lucerne is constrained by poor soil structure, acidity, compaction, salinity and waterlogging. Lucerne can increase the capacity of soils to store water because of its deep roots and perennial life-cycle. The role of lucerne is exposed in a feed production. Climatic, soil, genetic and management factors and their interactions influence lucerne production. The separate elements of technology of its growing are considered in this article. The value of lime treatment has been exposed in growth and development of this culture. Influence of inoculation, growing technique, presowing seed treatment on the thickness of lucerne plants (Medicago sativa L.) has been presented. With the introduction of new varieties of perennial legumes, namely alfalfa sowing, there is a need to develop elements of cultivation technology and to establish their impact on grass density during the growing season. To create a highly productive agrophytocenosis of alfalfa for sowing due to the maximum preservation of plants in the grassland, it is advisable to grow it uncovered with the application of herbicide on the background of mineral fertilizers and application of full lime with pre-sowing seed treatment with Rhizobophyte in combination with Emistim С. Keywords: lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), lime treatment, inoculation, growing technique, safety of plants.
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Latta, R. A., L. J. Blacklow, and P. S. Cocks. "Comparative soil water, pasture production, and crop yields in phase farming systems with lucerne and annual pasture in Western Australia." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, no. 2 (2001): 295. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar99168.
Full textAbstract:
Two field experiments in the Great Southern region of Western Australia compared the soil water content under lucerne (Medicago sativa) with subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean) and annual medic (Medicago polymorpha) over a 2-year period. Lucerne depleted soil water (10–150 cm) between 40 and 100 mm at Borden and 20 and 60 mm at Pingrup compared with annual pasture. There was also less stored soil water after wheat (Triticum aestivum) and canola (Brassica napus) phases which followed the lucerne and annual pasture treatments, 30 and 48 mm after wheat, 49 and 29 mm after canola at Borden and Pingrup, respectively. Lucerne plant densities declined over 2 seasons from 35 to 25 plants/m2 (Borden) and from 56 to 42 plants/m2 (Pingrup), although it produced herbage quantities similar to or greater than clover/medic pastures. The lucerne pasture also had a reduced weed component. Wheat yield at Borden was higher after lucerne (4.7 t/ha) than after annual pasture (4.0 t/ha), whereas at Pingrup yields were similar (2 t/ha) but grain protein was higher (13.7% compared with 12.6%) . There was no yield response to applied nitrogen after lucerne or annual pasture at either site, but it increased grain protein at both sites. There was no pasture treatment effect on canola yield or oil content at Borden (2 t/ha, 46% oil). However, at Pingrup yield was higher (1.5 t/ha compared to 1.3 t/ha) and oil content was similar (41%) following lucerne–wheat. The results show that lucerne provides an opportunity to develop farming systems with greater water-use in the wheatbelt of Western Australia, and that at least 2 crops can be grown after 3 years of lucerne before soil water returns to the level found after annual pasture.
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Bell, Lindsay W., Megan H. Ryan, Geoff A. Moore, and Mike A. Ewing. "Comparative water use by Dorycnium hirsutum-, lucerne-, and annual-based pastures in the Western Australian wheatbelt." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, no. 8 (2006): 857. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar05409.
Full textAbstract:
Dryland salinity in southern Australia has been caused by inadequate water use by annual crops and pastures. The purpose of this study was to compare the water use of annual pastures and Medicago sativa L. (lucerne) with Dorycnium hirsutum (L.) Ser., a potential new perennial forage species. The soil water dynamics under bare ground, annual legume-, lucerne-, and D. hirsutum-based pastures were compared at 2 sites in the low- (Merredin) and medium- (New Norcia) rainfall wheatbelt of Western Australia between September 2002 and February 2005. Soil under D. hirsutum was drier than under annual pastures by 8–23 mm in Year 1, 43–57 mm in Year 2, and 81 mm in Year 3. Lucerne used little additional water (<19 mm, n.s.) compared with D. hirsutum and profile soil water content was similar under both species throughout the experiment. At Merredin, annual pastures used water to a depth of 1.0 m, whereas under both D. hirsutum and lucerne in the first 3 years after establishment the successive maximum depth of water use was 1.0, 1.8, and 2.2 m. At New Norcia, additional soil water was extracted by lucerne and D. hirsutum at depths <1.0 m and no difference between treatments was detected below 1.0 m. Biomass of D. hirsutum pasture harvested in autumn contained minimal annual components and was 15–50% of that produced by lucerne- or annual legume-based pastures. D. hirsutum and lucerne plant density declined each summer (25–80%), but D. hirsutum density was lower than lucerne due to poorer establishment. Nonetheless, the comparable water use of lucerne and D. hirsutum suggests that D. hirsutum could make reductions in recharge similar to those of lucerne in the Western Australian wheatbelt.
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Waghorn, G. C., I. D. Shelton, and V. J. Thomas. "Particle breakdown and rumen digestion of fresh ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) fed to cows during a restricted feeding period." British Journal of Nutrition 61, no. 2 (March 1989): 409–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/bjn19890127.
Full textAbstract:
1. Five rumen-fistulated cows were given freshly cut ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), on separate occasions, to compare rates of particle breakdown and aspects of rumen fermentation.2. Cattle were required to consume their daily allowance (offered ad lib.) in two 2 h feeding periods daily.3. During the first 2 h feeding period, dry matter (DM) intakes of ryegrass (4.75 kg) and lucerne (4.85 kg) were similar. Eating reduced 46% of ryegrass and 61 % of lucerne to a size able to pass a 2 mm sieve (P < 0.001). Rumen DM particles retained on the 2 and 4 mm sieves had a low probability of passage out of the rumen, and accounted for only 6 % of faecal DM with both feeds.4. Ryegrass was cleared from the rumen more slowly than lucerne. During eating, rumen DM particles which could not pass the 2 mm sieve increased from 323 to 511 g/kg for ryegrass and from 201 to 389 g/kg for lucerne. The rate of particle size reduction for lucerne stem was similar to that for ryegrass.5. When lucerne was eaten the increases in rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ammonia concentrations were much greater than for ryegrass (P < 0.001). The proportions of plant chlorophyll released during eating were similar for both feeds (0.570 and 0.607), but 2 h after eating 22.3 g had been released from lucerne (79.1 %) compared with 15.0 g from ryegrass (63.8%). The flux of water from the rumen to the omasum was similar for ryegrass (10.2 litres/h) and lucerne (12.7 litres/h) during eating, but declined to 6.0 litres/h after eating with the lucerne diet.
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Van Zyl, M., GDJ Scholtz, HJ Van der Merwe, and R. Meeske. "The influence of the inside diameter of the coring probe on the chemical composition of lucerne hay samples." South African Journal of Animal Science 44, no. 5 (January 19, 2015): 41–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v44i5.9.
Full textAbstract:
The obtaining of a representative sample is crucial for the application of an accurate and uniform lucerne hay grading system in South Africa. There is currently limited data available on the effect of the inside diameter of the coring probe on the chemical composition of the lucerne hay samples. A study was therefore undertaken to determine the influence of the inside diameter of a coring probe on the chemical composition of unground lucerne hay samples using the Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) technique. Ten lucerne bales (total 40), randomly chosen from four different grades (Prime, Grade 1, 2 and 3 according to the National Lucerne Trust quality and grading system), were sampled with both a large probe (35 mm inside diameter and 520 mm long) and a small probe (12 mm inside diameter and 450 mm long). The samples with each probe were taken at approximately the same location in the bale. The samples were analysed with the NIRS for crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), ash and lignin. The model to calculate the new lucerne quality index (NLQI) from the ADF, ash and lignin, according to the National Lucerne Trust quality and grading scheme was used. Regression analysis revealed a significant relationship (r2) between the results of the large and small probe namely CP = 0.77, ADF = 0.95, NDF = 0.94, ash = 0.92, lignin = 0.87 and NLQI = 0.97. Sampling of lucerne hay with a large and small probe was irrelevant as resulted in similar chemical composition results.Keywords: Analysis grading, New Lucerne Quality Index, NIRS, quality, sampling