A comparison of twenty Digitaria accessions at four sites in south-east Queensland

Abstract

Dry matter production and quality of 20 Digitaria accessions, cut four- and eight-weekly, were compared at four sites in south-east Queensland differing in soils, rainfall and frost incidence over the period 1971-73. The wettest, least frosted site was at Beerwah (70 km north of Brisbane) and the two driest, most frosted sites were at Narayen (480 km north-west of Brisbane). Samford (near Brisbane) was intermediate in terms of rainfall and frost incidence. Dry matter production over the two years varied markedly with site, accession and cutting frequency, and there were interactions between all three. D. smutsii (CPI 38869) was well adapted to all sites and Narayen in particular, O. macroglossa (CPI 16267) was specifically adapted to Beerwah, and D. milanjiana (CPI 41 192) and the two D. smutsii accessions (CPI 38869,16778A) to Samford. Accessions of D. milanjiana, O. pentzii and D. setivalva also performed well at Narayen. Accessions differed in resistance to fire, frost, rust and insects, and in nutritional quality. However, all were adequate for ruminant nitrition. An examination of the quality of the accessions as standover winter feed at Narayen showed that frost lowered digestibility, and the sodium and potassium content of the herbage, but not to the level where animal nutrition would be affected.