A preliminary trial on the effect of topdressing and cultivation on lucerne production on Mallee sandhills

Abstract

Under the conditions typical of the area sown to lucerne in the Victorian Mallee, an annual application of superphosphate at 90 lb an acre resulted in a 92 per cent increase in winter production and a 44 per cent increase in summer production. There were only small differences due to time of application; autumn application favouring winter production and spring application favouring summer production. Summer production of lucerne was nearly three times the winter production in the absence of fertilizer, and double the winter production when superphosphate was applied. There was no benefit from annual cultivation except for a slight improvement in summer production of lucerne which had been topdressed in autumn.