Pasture composition and production from different cropping sequences in dryland pasture converted from Pinus radiata forest

Abstract

Dry matter production and pasture composition were measured over 22 months in eight cropping sequences on a dryland site converted from forest to pasture. Cropping sequences involved different combinations of: (i) autumn and spring sowing; (ii) sowing immediately into pasture or into oat and triticale forage crops followed by pasture; and (iii) undersowing pasture beneath rape or conventional sowing. Annual DM production varied little among treatments (mean 6. 8 t DM/ha) once pastures were established in all sequences. Sites sown directly into pasture in autumn had a high (27%) annual legume content in the first spring but a low annual legume content in the second spring (<3%). Pastures undersown beneath a rape nurse crop after triticale and oat crops contained no gorse and had a higher percentage of white and Caucasian clover than conventionally sown pastures. Managers of forest to pasture conversion programmes should consider utilising a sequence of winter forage crops followed by pasture establishment beneath a rape nurse crop. This ensures superior woody weed control and a high abundance of pasture legumes to enhance nitrogen inputs.