Volume 27, 381

Tropical Grasslands (1993) Volume 27, 381–386

Tropical pasture establishment.
13. Producer establishment practices and experiences in near coastal southern Queensland

LW. WRIGHT¹, I.C. CROSTHWAITE², P. GEISSLER³, W. CAMPBELL⁴, R. BROWN⁵, G. BROWN⁵ and B. FLEISCHFRESSER⁶

¹Department of Primary Industries, Bundaberg and
²Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia;
³''Highstone'', Biggenden;
⁴''Nine Mile'', Gin Gin;
⁵''Pakaderinga'', Corndale; and
⁶''Wellcamp'', Johnstown West, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Factors considered by producers in establishing pastures are: overall cost, effectiveness and persistence. A range of establishment practices are used in southern Queensland and, although establishment is not usually a problem, factors that can contribute to poor establishment are: species selection, seed quality, land preparation, covering/inoculation, weather conditions and first-year management.
Most producers sow into a fully prepared seedbed but some innovators are using new techniques which include: lotononis "Tupperware" seeder, hammermilling Seca stylo seed, brush harrows, mixing trace elements, rhodes with winter cereals, pasture undersown with lupins, pangola with seeded pastures and bluegrass mixtures with rhodes grass.
Four case studies of producer experiences with sown pastures are documented: (a) Coastal — low-key pastures for breeders; (b) Coastal — pastures for finishing; (c) Inland — old cultivation returning to pasture; and (d) Inland — native pasture to fully improved.