J.G. McIVOR

CSIRO Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, Private Mail Bag, P.O. Aitkenvale, Qld 4814.

Abstract

Seven accessions from six Stylosanthes species were sown on three occasions during one growing season on three seedbeds — mown, disturbed (mown plus light cultivation), and cultivated (mown plus full cultivation). Plant numbers, and herbage yields during the first and second growing seasons were recorded.
There were fewer Stylosanthes plants on the mown plots than on the disturbed and cultivated plots but there was no significant effect of sowing time on establishment. The ratio of seedlings established/seeds sown varied from 0.16 for S. fruticosa CPI 41219 to 0.34 for S. hamata cv. Verano.
In the first year there were larger yields of Stylosanthes on the cultivated plots than the other seedbeds, and herbage yields were lower at the later sowing time. However, in the second year there were no significant effects of seedbed preparation or sowing time on yield of Stylosanthes species.