Influence of stage of growth at cutting on lucerne production
Abstract A 5-year field trial confirmed that for maximum production lucerne should not be mown frequently when it is growing vigorously. Lucerne repeatedly cut when 20 cm high had 73% of the yield and 115% of the percentage leaf of lucerne cut at early flowering, but continuous mowing at a vigorous growth stage caused severe reduction in lucerne vigour and delayed its recovery growth. This in turn reduced lucerne stand longevity and favoured ingress of weeds.
The influence of cutting frequency on the yield, composition and persistence of irrigated lucerne.
Irrigated Hunter River lucerne (Medicago sativa), grown at Milang, South Australia, was harvested at three, four, five, and six-week frequencies during the summers of 1964-65 and 1965-66. During the second season, dry matter yields were measured and representative subsamples analyzed for crude protein, digestibility, and crude fibre. Plant density was estimated at the end of the experiment. Maximum dry matter yield was obtained when the six-week cutting frequency was used, but lucerne quality was significantly reduced below that obtained from the five-week cutting frequency. Yield and plant density were significantly reduced by the three-week cutting regime, and substantial weed invasion was recorded.
A laboratory‐scale pulper for leafy plant material
A machine is described that, makes, from 2 to 3 kg samples of leaf, a pulp comparable to that made by the large‐scale equipment used in leaf protein extraction. It is therefore suitable for use in agronomic experiments on leaf protein yield.