OVERSOWING OF STYLOSAN THE GUIANENSIS INTO NATIVE PASTURES: COMPARISON OF ESTABLISHMENT TECHNIQUES

IZHAM AHMAD and HASSAN ABD. WAHAB

SUMMARY

Two experiments on low input techniques of oversowing Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Schofield (common stylo) for improvement of native pastures were conducted at Serdang on two tvpes of native pastures viz. Paspalum conjugatum (Paspalum) and Imperata cylindrica (Lallang). The first experiment (Paspalum area) involved trwo mowing treatments (mowing and no-mowing) and three seed placement techniques (broadcast, hoe and tining). In the second experiment (Lallang area), similar seed placement techniques were tested but with different mowing treatments (mowing and mowing + burning). In the Paspalum area, the establishment of common stylo was superior on mown plots and when the seeds were either placed on hoe depressions or along tined furrows. In terms of total dry matter (DM) yield harvested at two monthly intervals, there was no significant difference between the seed placement techniques. The average DM yield was 1130 kg/ha/2 months. After one year, the quality of the sward was greatly improved by the increase in the percentage of common stylo to over 60% in the hoe and tining methods of both prior to mowing treatments. The percentages of common stylo in the mowing-broadcast and no mowing-broadcast were 41 and 23%, respectively. For the lallang area, there was no significant difference in the germination counts between the three seed placement techniques except in the early establishment where the hoe technique was better than the broadcast method. There was also no difference in the number of surviving plants in either of the mowing treatments tested. After six months, the total DM yield in the mowing and mowing + burning treatments were 1263 and 1839 kg/ha, respectively. The corresponding percentages of common stylo were 11 and 22%.

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