What was achieved
- Increased understanding of the limitations to clover growth in dry hill country.
About the study site
Te Awa Awa is a 646 ha property owned by Richard and Becks Tosswill and located in the Gladstone district of the Wairarapa.
What was trialled
- A replicated fertiliser trial was established in autumn 2018 within a 3.1 ha north facing hill block.
- There were 7 nutrient treatments: control, lime, Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S), and Molybdenum (Mo), as well a combination of lime + Mo + S.
- In addition, there were sub-treatments involving suppressant spraying and oversowing of sub clover at 10 kg/ha.
- Plot size was 10 m x 5 m with fertiliser treatments randomised within each plot.
- In early and mid-spring, visual assessments of clover content were made.
- In mid-spring plots were mowing, then grazed off.
- Plots were re-scored for visual clover content in mid-summer.
Key findings
- Visual clover content at Te Awa Awa was 25% in August 2018, 48% in October 2018 and 7% in January 2019. Clover content varied widely across the plots.
- Oversowing with sub clover at 10 kg/ha had no effect on clover content at any of the assessment times.
- Only the combined treatment (lime + Mo + S) appeared to have an effect at the final visual clover assessment.
- Suppressant spray and oversowing had no effect on clover content.