R.W. STRICKLAND and R.G. GREENFIELD

CSIRO, Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, 306 Carmody Road, St. Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia.

Abstract

The adaptation of 52 legume and 77 grass accessions to red earth soils at 6 sites in southern Queensland was investigated by recording their persistence, spread and dry matter yield in fertilised and unfertilised plots over several years.
The best adapted species over all sites were in the legume genera Cassia and Stylosanthes, and the grass genera Digitaria and Urochloa.
Although there was a large yield response to applied fertiliser in the first year, it declined in the second year and was not detectable thereafter. The application of fertiliser had no effect on establishment, persistence or spread.