AGFACTS AGFACTS Phalaris AGFACTS Pastures Agfact P2.5.1, second edition July 2000 R. W. Watson, formerly District Agronomist, Scone (now consulting agronomist, Scone) W.J. McDonald, Technical Specialist, Pastures, Tamworth C. A. Bourke, Senior Research Scientist (Poisonous Weeds), Orange Agricultural Institute Order no. P2.5.1 Agdex 137/00 Contents Phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) is the most persistent and productive temperate perennial pasture grass Distribution of phalaris ......................................3 which can be sown in the Tablelands and Slopes Phalaris advantages and disadvantages ...........3 regions of New South Wales; hence it is the basis Advantages.......................................................3 for much of the pasture development programs in Disadvantages ..................................................3 these regions. Soil requirements ................................................3 Phalaris is a native of southern Europe, north west Africa and the Mediterranean region. It was Climatic requirements ........................................4 first introduced into Australia from the United Rainfall .............................................................4 States in 1884 under the name Phalaris commutata Temperature ....................................................4 by Mr R. Harding, later the curator at Toowoomba Phalaris varieties ................................................4 Botanic Gardens, where it became known as Growth pattern and yield...................................8 Toowoomba Canary Grass for some time. Persistence of phalaris ........................................8 Phalaris may also have arrived in a collection of Sowing rates ........................................................9 21 packets of grass seeds received in 1883 from Sowing time .......................................................10 Italy. Harding reported that the seeds were planted Sowing mixtures of phalaris ............................10 in the nursery and germinated well. However, Phalaris seed......................................................10 frosts killed all plants except those of Phalaris Phalaris establishment .....................................10 commutata. Within two years it overran the whole plot in the nursery, the grass having grown from Conventional.................................................. 11 self sown seed. The grass had to be moved, and Direct drilling ................................................12 although the clumps were dumped in a comer on Aerial seeding ................................................12 hard ground, they continued to grow despite dry Fertiliser requirements .....................................13 conditions and frost. Phosphorus ....................................................14 In the United States, the standard common name Sulphur...........................................................14 for phalaris is Harding Grass in recognition of Mr Nitrogen .........................................................14 Harding’s efforts in evaluating and distributing Potassium .......................................................15 phalaris. Acid soils ........................................................15 The New South Wales Department of Management after sowing ................................15 Agriculture (now NSW Agriculture), through the Insects, mites and slugs .................................16 interest displayed in this grass by Mr R. H. Gennya, Glen Innes Agricultural Research Station Pasture establishment ...................................17 Manager, obtained seed early in 1905 from Weed competition ..........................................17 Toowoomba for trial. This seed was sown at Control annual grasses .....................................17 Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond, and Weed control after sowing ............................20 at Glen Innes, Bathurst, Wollongbar (Lismore), Grazing management .......................................20 Grafton, Cowra and Wagga Agricultural Research Establishment phase .....................................20 Stations. In September 1908, the Department Established pasture .......................................21 distributed 6,000 roots of this grass to farmers. Degraded phalaris pastures .........................21 Two New England graziers, Mr F. J. White, Drought ..........................................................21 ‘Saumarez’, Armidale, and Mr G.M. Simpson, Grazing management and persistence ........22 ‘Stonehenge Station’, Stonehenge, obtained seed from Toowoomba in about 1908, and after raising a Maintaining legumes .....................................23 large number of plants put them out into paddock Pasture quality ..................................................24 areas. Most of the seed initially used in Livestock performance on phalaris ................25 establishing phalaris pastures in this and other Sheep performance ...........................................25 states originated from these sources—the Glen Cattle performance ...........................................26 Innes Agricultural Research Station, and from a Phalaris poisoning ............................................27 few New England graziers. Phalaris staggers ...........................................27 Australia was the first country to recognise and Sudden death .................................................28 demonstrate the usefulness of phalaris as a Diseases of phalaris...........................................28 permanent pasture species. Certified seed ....................................................29 Phalaris was formerly recognised botanically as Growing your own seed ....................................29 P. commutata, P. bulbosa, P. stenoptera and P.tuberosa but botanists have now accepted its Acknowledgments .............................................32 naming as Phalaris aquatica. 2 DISTRIBUTION OF PHALARIS • productive perennial species providing good quality grazing for all types of grazing livestock There are more than 1.6m hectares of pasture (cattle, sheep, horses and goats) for 8–12 months containing phalaris in NSW. A survey by District Agronomists in 1990 indicated that the potential of the year, depending on the environment and area of phalaris based pastures in NSW was 3m management; hectares. • competitive robust plant recognised as one of the Phalaris is largely confined to the Tablelands, best pasture species for controlling and Slopes and some coastal districts of NSW. excluding many serious weeds of pastures such Major plantings of phalaris exist in the New as serrated tussock, thistles, St John’s wort and England and Central and Southern Tablelands Paterson’s curse; districts where phalaris has been traditionally sown • tolerant to extended periods of heavy grazing; since the early 1900’s. Following the development • ease of establishment as a result of new cultivars of Sirosa and Sirolan in the mid 1970s, the area with improved seedling vigour; sown to phalaris increased significantly in the • excellent recovery after bushfires; Tablelands districts as well as in the low to • good regrowth following attack by plague medium rainfall Northern, Central and Southern locusts and wingless grasshoppers; Slopes areas where phalaris was not traditionally • field resistance to underground grass grub attack, sown. cockchafer, black beetle and Argentine stem In New South Wales, very little phalaris is sown weevil; beyond the 550–600 mm average annual rainfall • good performance in poorly drained and isohyet. waterlogged soils; At present Sirosa is the predominant variety in • excellent frost resistance and high productivity most districts of the state. It accounts for more than during the winter; half of the total phalaris pasture area. Since its • very few diseases cause serious production release in 1974, it has been widely sown and losses on phalaris; successfully established in a range of environments • excellent resistance to livestock trampling, throughout New South Wales. particularly on wet, clay soils or under irrigation; The more recently released variety Holdfast is • responds quickly to autumn rainfall or irrigation. increasing in area and gradually replacing Sirosa in The disadvantages of phalaris are: some districts, especially in southern NSW. • susceptible to competition from annual grasses Australian was the only variety of phalaris such as annual ryegrass, barley grass and vulpia available in Australia for 60 years and hence during the establishment phase; accounts for about 320,000 hectares or 40 per cent • requires good grazing management to maintain of the phalaris pasture area. grass-legume balance. Phalaris can dominate Although Australian is sown over a significant pastures and exclude all legumes causing a area, its relative importance and sowing is decline in pasture quality and production; declining in most districts. Australian is now • Requires attention to grazing management mainly sown as a mixture with Sirosa or Sirolan throughout the year, in particular during spring phalaris and is rarely sown on its own or as the to enhance the plant’s survival and vigour, main grass in the pasture mixture. Australian will • some potential, although the incidence is very be increasingly replaced by Uneta and newer semi- low, to induce phalaris poisoning; winter dormant varieties. Sirolan is sown in most • sensitive to soil acidity. districts of New South Wales but is the minor variety. However, it tends to be the dominant SOIL REQUIREMENTS