EFFECT OF CUTTING HEIGHT AND CUTTING INTERVAL ON RHIZOME DEVELOPMENT,HERBAGE PRODUCTION AND HERBAGE QUALITY OF LOTUS-PEDUNCULATUS CV GRASSLANDS MAKU

A study was conducted to determine the influence of 3 defoliation inte rvals (4, 8 and 12 weeks), at 3 harvest heights (2, 6 and 12 cm) on th e rhizome development, herbage production and herbage quality of Lotus pedunculatus cv. Grasslands Maku. An interaction between cutting heig ht and cutting interval was measured for both rhizome number and lengt h. As cutting interval became more frequent, cutting height was more c ritical, with cutting to 2 cm every 4 weeks producing fewer and shorte r rhizomes. Rhizome production increased with increased cutting height and frequent cutting intervals reduced rhizome production. The impact of severe defoliation was greatest during late autumn and winter, whe n peak rhizome expansion occurred. Although lenient cutting treatments encouraged rhizome development and production it was at the expense o f herbage production, with longer cutting intervals and increasing cut ting heights resulting in less total herbage and lotus production. Inc reased rhizome production was also associated with lower in vitro dige stibility, lower nitrogen concentration and higher condensed tannin co ncentration of the lotus herbage. If long rotations are required to ma intain a persistent and competitive lotus sward in temperate and subtr opical pasture systems, then L. pedunculatus cv. Grasslands Maku is un likely to play a major role in intensive grazing systems in eastern Au stralia. This paper concludes with a discussion of the possible use of strategic grazing practices of Grasslands Maku swards to achieve a ba lance between rhizome production and herbage production.