Abstract
In a field experiment in north-eastern Victoria (average annual rainfall 598 mm), the impact of 2–4 years of lucerne growth on the following 3–4 crops was assessed. Controls of continuous lucerne, annual pasture, and continuous crop were compared with 5 lucerne–crop rotations. Above-ground biomass and water use efficiency of lucerne, annual pasture, and crops were assessed, as were the soil N status, grain yields, and profitability of crops after lucerne. Lucerne grew more slowly over the autumn–spring growing season (20 kg DM/ha.day) than did annual pastures and crops (41 and 58 kg DM/ha.day, respectively), while over the spring–autumn period, it grew at a mean 26 kg DM/ha.day. The summer growth rates of lucerne were, however, highly variable (1–52 kg DM/ha.day). Despite large changes in temperature and water availability over the year, the biomass water use efficiency (WUEB) of lucerne was similar over the winter and summer growth seasons (16 and 10 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively) and averaged 13 kg DM/ha.mm for the whole year. In contrast, the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons averaged 36, 38, and 26 kg DM/ha.mm. When calculated over a whole year, however, they were much closer to lucerne at 23, 14, and 17 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively. Autumn removal of lucerne left soils initially low in mineral N (mean 82 kg N/ha.m depth in April) for the establishment of the first crop, but this was not reflected in the subsequent N contents of crop biomass and grain. Autumn mineral N concentrations peaked 1–2 years after lucerne removal (mean 141 kg N/ha.m depth). Yields of first crops after lucerne were strongly dependent on growing season rainfall. When sowing commenced in a wet year, they were similar to, or greater than, the control, but when sown in a dry year, were substantially lower. When sowing commenced in a wet year, lucerne supplied additional N for a minimum of 2 crops. At least 3 crops were supplied with lucerne N when cropping commenced in a dry year. The inclusion of 2–3 years of lucerne into a continuous cropping sequence only decreased annual profitability by $AU40/ha. This work shows that short phases of lucerne (minimum of 3 years) followed by 3–4 crops can provide economically viable options for farmers and produce better hydrological outcomes than current annual-plant based cropping systems.
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Claims 20
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne grew more slowly than annual pasture and crops in autumn–spring at 20 versus 41 and 58 kg DM/ha.day.
- Taxon
- Lucerne
Medicago sativae0 - Outcome
- grew more slowlye0
- Direction
- more slowlye0
- Value
- 20 kg DM/ha.daye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lucerne grew more slowly over the autumn–spring growing season (20 kg DM/ha.day) than did annual pastures and crops (41 and 58 kg DM/ha.day, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne grew at a mean 26 kg DM/ha.day during spring–autumn.
- Taxon
- LucerneMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- grewe0
- Value
- 26 kg DM/ha.daye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over the spring–autumn period, it grew at a mean 26 kg DM/ha.day.”
t0“Lucerne”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne summer growth ranged from 1 to 52 kg DM/ha.day.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- summer growth ratese0
- Value
- 1–52 kg DM/ha.daye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The summer growth rates of lucerne were, however, highly variable (1–52 kg DM/ha.day).”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne biomass water use efficiency was similar in winter and summer at 16 and 10 kg DM/ha.mm.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- biomass water use efficiency (WUEB)e0
- Direction
- similare0
- Value
- 16 and 10 kg DM/ha.mme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the biomass water use efficiency (WUEB) of lucerne was similar over the winter and summer growth seasons (16 and 10 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively) and averaged 13 kg DM/ha.mm for the whole year.”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne annual biomass water use efficiency averaged 13 kg DM/ha.mm.
- Taxon
- LucerneMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- biomass water use efficiencye1
- Value
- 13 kg DM/ha.mme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“averaged 13 kg DM/ha.mm for the whole year.”
t0“Lucerne”
e1“the biomass water use efficiency (WUEB) of lucerne was similar over the winter and summer growth seasons (16 and 10 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively) and averaged 13 kg DM/ha.mm for the whole year.”
Claim · model-written summary
Wheat seasonal water use efficiency averaged 36 kg DM/ha.mm.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume0 - Outcome
- WUEBe0
- Value
- 36e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons averaged 36, 38, and 26 kg DM/ha.mm.”
Claim · model-written summary
Canola seasonal water use efficiency averaged 38 kg DM/ha.mm.
- Taxon
- canola
.jpg?width=60)
Brassica napus var. napuse0 - Outcome
- WUEBe0
- Value
- 38e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons averaged 36, 38, and 26 kg DM/ha.mm.”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual pasture seasonal water use efficiency averaged 26 kg DM/ha.mm.
Verbatim
e0“the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons averaged 36, 38, and 26 kg DM/ha.mm.”
Claim · model-written summary
Whole-year wheat water use efficiency was 23 kg DM/ha.mm.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- whole yeare0
- Value
- 23e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When calculated over a whole year, however, they were much closer to lucerne at 23, 14, and 17 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively.”
t0“the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
Whole-year canola water use efficiency was 14 kg DM/ha.mm.
- Taxon
- canolaBrassica napus var. napust0
- Outcome
- whole yeare0
- Value
- 14e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When calculated over a whole year, however, they were much closer to lucerne at 23, 14, and 17 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively.”
t0“the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
Whole-year annual pasture water use efficiency was 17 kg DM/ha.mm.
Verbatim
e0“When calculated over a whole year, however, they were much closer to lucerne at 23, 14, and 17 kg DM/ha.mm, respectively.”
t0“the WUEB of wheat, canola, and annual pasture over their respective growth seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
Autumn lucerne removal left soil mineral nitrogen initially low at 82 kg N/ha.m depth.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- soils initially low in mineral Ne0
- Direction
- lowe0
- Value
- 82 kg N/ha.me0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Autumn removal of lucerne left soils initially low in mineral N (mean 82 kg N/ha.m depth in April)”
Claim · model-written summary
Low initial soil nitrogen was not reflected in crop biomass or grain nitrogen.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- N contents of crop biomass and graine0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“this was not reflected in the subsequent N contents of crop biomass and grain.”
t0“lucerne”
Claim · model-written summary
Autumn mineral nitrogen peaked one to two years after lucerne removal at 141 kg N/ha.m depth.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- Autumn mineral N concentrationse0
- Direction
- peakede0
- Value
- 141 kg N/ha.me0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Autumn mineral N concentrations peaked 1–2 years after lucerne removal (mean 141 kg N/ha.m depth).”
Claim · model-written summary
First crop yields after lucerne strongly depended on growing-season rainfall.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- Yields of first cropse0
- Setting
- growing season rainfalle0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Yields of first crops after lucerne were strongly dependent on growing season rainfall.”
Claim · model-written summary
Wet-year first crops yielded as much as or more than controls.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- sowing commenced in a wet yeare0
- Outcome
- they were similar to, or greater than, the controle0
- Direction
- greater thane0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When sowing commenced in a wet year, they were similar to, or greater than, the control”
t0“lucerne”
Claim · model-written summary
Dry-year first crop yields were substantially lower.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- sown in a dry yeare0
- Outcome
- were substantially lowere0
- Direction
- lowere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“when sown in a dry year, were substantially lower.”
t0“lucerne”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne supplied extra nitrogen for at least two crops after wet-year establishment.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- supplied additional Ne0
- Value
- 2 cropse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When sowing commenced in a wet year, lucerne supplied additional N for a minimum of 2 crops.”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne supplied nitrogen for at least three crops after dry-year establishment.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- supplied with lucerne Ne0
- Value
- 3 cropse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At least 3 crops were supplied with lucerne N when cropping commenced in a dry year.”
Claim · model-written summary
A two- to three-year lucerne phase reduced annual profit by only $AU40/ha.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- inclusion of 2–3 years of lucernee0
- Outcome
- annual profitabilitye0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- $AU40/hae0
- Comparator
- continuous cropping sequencee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The inclusion of 2–3 years of lucerne into a continuous cropping sequence only decreased annual profitability by $AU40/ha.”