Growing Lucerne On West Coast

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29898, 11 August 1962, Page 7

Growing Lucerne On West Coast

. Lucerne has generally not been considered a satisfactory crop in Westland. High rainfall and subsequent invasion by grasses have caused it to run out. Mr A. C. Jackman, a technical fields officer for a fertiliser firm, has, however, supplied details of the successful establishment of two stands totalling 110 acres by Mr George Ferguson on Waipuna station at Ikamatua, and he says that Mr Ferguson plans to increase the area under lucerne.

Some time ago Waipuna station, which has the distinction of being the first area on the West Coast to be farmed, was the subject of an article on this page Waipuna consists of terraced country rising from a river flat in a series of four terraces by about 200 ft to the top plain. The terrace soils are rather poor and originally had a sparse cover of sweet vernal and dan-

i on.a ’ with som e brown iop The lucerne has been established in two blocls. The first block on the river flat was ploughed out of the poor cover in the winter of 1958 and sown in December in swedes and chon mcellier The dressing consisted of one ton of lime. 2cwt of serpentine superphosphate. and 2cwt of boron serpentine super. The swede crop was good, but there were still patches of brown heart.

In the spring of 1959 it was decided to try to establish ’uce.-ne. After cultivation. >cwt of suner and a ton of lime were broadcast 10 days before sowing 121 b of inoculated certified pedigree Marlborough lucerne through the seed box o.n the Cambridge roller The coverage achieved by this method was estimated at about 70 per cent. The strike was good, and in January the naddock was topoed. In February, the 50 acres was cut. yielding 1800 bales, and regrowth, which was also good, was lightly grazed. Grass Invasion By mid-winter, however, the paddock was cc.msjletely covered with about 6 inches of browntop and sweet vernal Lucerne olants were hard to find and were weak and dying. A spray of s’b of dalaoon to the ace in July, however, killed the grasses In August, symptoms of notash deficiency were showing and plot trials including most elements were put down Mr Ferguson considered that there were responses to phosphate. notash and boron In N vember he applied 4cwt of 50 per cent, potash ssrnentine superphosphate and 201 b of boron to the acre. The subseouent apnearance of the paddock indicated that these elements were the key to successful lucerne growing on this land

After a dry spell in January and February, the area yielded 800 and 700 bales, and still another cut produced 10"0 bales Seventy calves were set stocked on the stand during the winter and then ewes and lambs were grazed till the end of October.

A dressing'of 3cwt of muriate of potash. 2cwt of super,

and 291 b of boron was then applied. A further cut of 1890 bales was taken on November 25 last year, even though long stubble was left as a result of lodging. On January 20 this year , there was another cut of 1800 bales, the yield again being affected by lodging. By February 14 there had been excellent regrowth since the previous cut but the lucerne still showed potash deficiency symptoms, and this suggested that a very high initial potash dressing might be necessary to correct the original severe lack of potash, said Mr Jackman. Second Stand The second lucerne stand was on a higher fourth terrace and was originally in danthonia, moss, browntop, and native orchids. The area was sod seeded in March, 1959, 2cwt of serpentine super and 101 b of ryegrass and inoculated clovers being used. In March, 1950, the block was ploughed and sown in a mixture of oats and barley with 3 cwt of a serpentine super blood and bone mixture together with 2 tons of lime to the acre. When the greenfeed was fed off in the spring the area was ploughed, worked and sown with a disc drill with 121 b of inoculated certified pedigree Marlborough lucerne plus a light seeding of red and while clovers to fill in the bottom. The fertiliser used comprised 3 cwt of equal quantities of serpentine super and lime, with a further ton of lime. Plot trials suggested the use of sulphur, molybdenum, potash, boron, magnesium and phosnhate. Due to the dry weather it became necessary to graze the young lucerne in February. A dressing of 2 cwt of muriate of potash, 2 cwt of serpentine, 201 b of boron. .“ cwt of sulphur. 2

ounces of molybdenum plus DDF was then applied. In mid-March last year a cut of 1200 bales was taken off the 60 acres.

During the winter the area was grazed with cattle and wether hoggets and a spray cf 51b of dalapon to the acre was applied to clean up the sweet vernal and browntop. Lt was grazed until October, when a further 4 cwt of 50 per cent, potash serpentine super and 201 b of boron was applied. Although the area was drier than the other block a further cut in November yielded 1120 bales. “This ten country has until now been regarded as hopeless," said Mr Jackman, “but efficient use of fertiliser and trace elements has enab'ed the production of lucerne with good yields and quality, and providing considerable grazing.”

Mr Jackman said that when a poor area of block I was treated with the sulphur, potash, boron, serpentine super, molybdenum and DDT mixture used on the second block this area was converted from the poorest part of the stand to the best.

“Lucerne can be grown on this low fertility soil.” said Mr Jackman. “Plot trials to ascertain nutrient deficiencies should first be carried out. Reasonable dressings of the essential elements, particularly potash, are necessary for the satisfactory establishment of the lucerne. Some criticism may be made of the cost of establishment, but this must be balanced against the possible potential. Recently Mr Ferguson sold 1000 bales of this hay at 9s a baleWestland farmers know that in their climate ample feed reserves are essential. This is a method of building up these reserves.”