Hughes stylo

Reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide use Carbon Buster™ grasses and legumes

Carbon BusterTM Hughes stylo mix is a robust, semi-erect to erect, perennial legume, usually growing to less than 1 m. It prefers well drained, open textured soils from sands to light clays. While it can grow in strongly acid to alkaline soils (pH from 4.0-8.0), it is only moderately tolerant of high aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mn), and not of high salinity. It is not as drought-hardy as ‘Seca’ stylo, growing best in areas with an average annual rainfall over 1000 mm.Erect, branching, green bushy, 40-70 cm tall (varies with soil and rainfall); (intermediate between S. scabra and S. hamata)

APPLICATION

It can be used for grazing or cut-and-carry in long and short-term pastures, or for ground cover (erosion control) in orchards, green manure and hay.

Strengths

  • Adapted to acid infertile soils
  • Low phosphorus (P) demand
  • Moderately tolerant of aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mn)
  • Easily established from seed
  • Resistant to current strains of anthracnose
  • Growth habit best suited to rotational grazing or well managed stock numbers and cut-and-carry
  • Does not twine
  • Leaf stays green into dry season
  • Frost tender

Sowing rate in mixtures 2 to 3 kg per hectare

descriptions

Soils
Grows best on well-drained, open textured soils from sands to light clays. Adapted to a wide pH range (from 4.0 to 8.0) and is moderately tolerant of high Al and Mn but not high salinity. Will extract phosphorus (P) very efficiently from low P soils but still responds to applications of P as well a K, S, Ca, and Cu in soils with low levels of these nutrients.

Moisture
Can persist in areas with annual rainfall as low as 700 mm but is best suited to >1,000 mm. Once established capable of surviving long dry periods. Tolerant of flooding and short term waterlogging.

Grazing
Moderately palatable to livestock, and has value as standover feed in early dry season. Grazing (or cutting) of well-developed plants can kill the plant as there are fewer growing points close to the ground. Best to stimulate lower branching early by cutting or controlled grazing to 10-20 cm in the first few months. Grazing on a one week on and four weeks off rotation normally favours this legume.

Fire
Plants are set back by fire and killed by hot fires, particularly if the soil is dry.

Fertiliser
Carbon BusterTM Hughes stylo mix responds well to improved soil fertility, particularly P, but can grow on infertile soil. In deficient soils, 10-20 kg/ha P is recommended as well as other nutrients as indicated by a soil analysis.

Companion species:
Not usually grown with other legumes. Grasses include rhodes grass, Premier digit grass, Strickland fingergrass, NuCal™ guinea grass mix, panics, setaria and signal grass.

Weed potential
Appears to pose little threat in most situations.these nutrients.

Dry matter
Capable of producing up to 20 t/ha, depending on favourable growing conditions and soil fertility.

Pest and Diseases
Anthracnose resistant

Herbicide effects
Tolerant of 2,4-D; from about 6 weeks of age, at 1.65 kg a.e./ha. Also tolerant of 2,4-DB, acifluorfen and bentazone. Like most legumes, it is susceptible to metsulfuron-methyl.

Toxicity
No record of adverse effects

Inoculant
There is usually no need to inoculate seed of Carbon BusterTM stylo mix, but use of Group I commercial inoculant may improve nodulation.