Techniques for establishing grass and clover in existing hill country pastures for evaluation purposes

Abstract Some selective herbicides were evaluated for elimination of resident white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) and perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) from a hill country pasture, followed by a study of treatments to reduce competition from existing pasture during establishment of seedlings and plants of ‘Grasslands Huia’ white clover and ‘Grasslands Ruanui’ perennial ryegrass. Dicamba, 2,4,5‐T ester, and ethofumesate, selected for their ability to control broad‐leaved species in mixed swards, eliminated white clover, which remained at very low levels in treated plots 3 years later. Two herbicide treatments (dichlofop methyl and bromacil‐amitrole‐T) with potential selective action against perennial ryegrass, reduced, but failed to eliminate, this species. Oversown seeds and plants of ryegrass established best on inverted turf. White clover seeds and plants established to similar levels under all treatments, though fewer plants were present, after 2 months, on glyphosate‐treated pasture. Detecting the sown/planted species after 6 months was easiest on inverted turf. Paraquat and glyphosate, applied in rows and spots, reduced competition from existing pasture for various periods and enabled satisfactory establishment of ryegrass and ‐clover plants. The plants were easy to detect in the pasture using these treatments.