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VARIATION IN NATURALISED MEDICAGO POLYMORPHA COLLECTED FROM INLAND EASTERN AUSTRALIA: 11 - QUEENSLAND

D.L. Lloyd1, R.R. Young2, K.C. Teasdale3, B. Johnson1 and M. O’Neill4

1Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Qld 4350
2
NSW Agriculture, RMB 944, Tamworth, NSW 2340
3
Department of Primary Industries, Hermitage Research Station, Warwick, Qld 4370
4
NSW Agriculture, Condoblin, NSW 2877

Naturalised burr medic (Medicago polymorpha) occurs widely on clay soils in the northern wheat belt of Australia providing useful forage in wetter winters and having the potential to improve the nitrogen fertility of cropping soils. A more complete rationale for collecting and studying representative populations of Medicago polymorpha from this area has been described (1). This paper describes the variation in flowering time of the collection from 11 geographic regions in Queensland.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The collection and growout protocols in the Queensland component of the study were similar to those in New South Wales (1).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

All regional populations were characterised by wide but similar diversity in the 26 attributes measured (including vigour, seed production, leaf mark, pod spininess, habit and flowering time). The largest proportion of plants in all regions flowered between 100 and 109 days (Table 1) but in the drier environments, more flowered early than late. The converse was true in the wetter regions which included the Darling Downs and all regions east of the Great Divide.

Table 1. Flowering times of Medicago polymorpha populations in the 11 regions.

Region

Key

Seasonal

% Plants flowering by (days)

 

Town

Rainfall1

<90

90-99

100-109

110-119

>119

South Burnett Moreton

Kingaroy

237/533

0.0

19.0

50.4

25.6

5.0

North Central Burnett

Monto

218/524

1.6

16.5

55.9

25.2

0.8

Central Queensland

Biloela

202/486

4.1

19.3

44.4

21.1

11.1

Central Highlands

Emerald

190/465

2.8

23.9

52.1

21.1

0.0

Central West

Blackall

156/349

12.8

16.4

49.0

20.0

1.8

South West

Morven

151/278

4.3

31.9

55.3

8.5

0.0

Maranoa North

Roma

193/379

4.2

25.2

50.4

17.7

2.5

Maranoa South

St George

188/328

8.5

22.0

48.8

20.8

0.0

Western Downs North

Miles

214/448

5.2

25.6

50.8

17.4

1.0

Western Downs South

Moonie

204/373

8.8

31.8

43.2

15.1

1.1

Darling Downs

Warwick

228/455

3.0

17.3

38.1

35.0

6.6

1 Seasonal Rainfall = April-September/October-March (mm)

REFERENCE

1. Young, R.R., Lloyd, D.L., O’Neill, M., Teasdale, K. and Johnson, B. 1996. Proc. 8th Aust. Agronomy Conf., Toowoomba. (in press).

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