AUTUMN GROWTH OF LUCERNE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 9

AUTUMN GROWTH OF LUCERNE

Above Normal Yields Recorded

Exceptional growth of some varieties of lucerne in the last two months has been experienced in areas which received the good March rains, and autumn growth extended well into May. The absence of frosts and mild weather has shown the capabilities of sustained growth and emphasised the differences between the different varieties.

Studies at the Crop Research Division at Lincoln over the period from April 1 to May 25 and 26 on lucerne growing on light land have produced some interesting figures.

Mr T. P. Palmer, plant breeder of the division, said that growing conditions had been exceptionally good. New Zealand certified lucerne, which was used in the trials as the standard of comparison, had yielded up to 8741 b dry matter per acre, and Italian up to 18931 b. De Puits, which would normally be expected to yield slightly better, had given a rather anomalous result, but the other varieties had shown generally typical differences.

The following table gives the relative productions of the different varieties. Figures shown can be compared with those in the top line for New Zealand certified.

TRIAL B E G N.Z. Certified . . 770 874 871 Du Puits . -44 4-304 4-70 Rhlzoma . —447 -484 Provence . 4-290 4-388 4-464 Italian . 4-540 4-1019 4-830 Hunter River . . 4-653 —— 4-500 Glutinosa -377 -350 Sth. Africa 4-640 Spain 4-841 All figures relate to lb dry matter per acre.