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Abstract
The effects of strain of Rhizobium, lime, and phosphorus on dry matter (DM) yield of Lotus pedunculatus cv. Grasslands Maku, L. corniculatus cv. Maitland, and L. pedunculatus × L. corniculatus Grasslands 4712 were investigated on a range of sites in Otago and Southland. Each lotus cultivar was inoculated with four effective strains of rhizobia, either as single-strain or as mixed-strain inoculants. On soils devoid of lotus rhizobia the recommended inoculant strains for Maku and G4712 were ranked as highly effective but further evaluation of strains for ‘Maitland’ is required to maximise nitrogen fixation. Inoculation also increased lotus DM production on soIls With naturalised populations of lotus rhizobia but the strains' recommended for Maku and G4712 had little effect. The mixed-strain inoculants were consistently highly ranked and further research is recommended. The DM yield responses to broadcast lime varied with site, rate of applied P, and species. On the more acid site (pH 4.6) there was a large DM response to lime in ‘Maitland’ at both rates of applied P (8 or 28 kg P/ha per year) and a response in Maku at the lower rate of P. .on the less acid site (pH 4.9) the only response to lIme occurred with ‘Maitland’. ‘Maitland’ was low yielding in the absence of broad~ast .lime and the lack of sufficient tolerance to sOil acidity is lIkely to limit the use of L. corniculatus on the more acid tussock grassland soils in the absence of lime. However, there was a large response to a low rate of broadcast lime (1250 kg/hal which was still evident 5 years after application. Therefore, legumes less acid tolerant than Maku, and with desired agronomic characteristics, may have potential for use on acid soils when sown with low rates of broadcast lime.