Improved pasture establishment and production on water-repellent soils

Pasture establishment and production is reduced by water-repellent soils. A meliorative techniques are explored with this study. Two field experiments were conducted on water-repellent soils to investigate (i) the improvement in emergence of pasture species with furrow sowing and the use of a press w heel and banded wetting agent and (ii) the residual effectiveness (applied 2 years previously) of a wetting agent on pasture growth and composition. I n the first experiment, conventional level sowing (nat planting) was compar ed with furrow solving using press wheels. Five pasture species were includ ed, and the furrow-sown treatments involved a banded wetting agent applied at four rates. Furrow sowing with a planter having press wheels increased t he average emergence at 14 days after solving by 133% relative to the conve ntional treatment and emergence was further increased 44% by banding 4 L ha (-1) of wetting agent in the furrows. There was a large (up to sixfold) inc rease in early pasture production (330 to 2010 kg ha(-1)) and a large effec t on pasture composition due to the residual effect of a wetting agent appl ied 2 years previously. The proportion of subterranean clover (Trifolium su bterraneum L.) in the pasture increased from 6 to 33% due to the use of a w etting agent. This study shows that the effect of water repellency on pastu re emergence and productivity is severe and that these ameliorative techniq ues are useful tools for improving pasture emergence.