Ornithopus sativus Brot.
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Ornithopus sativus Brot.
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Leguminosae Common names Pink serradella, French serradella, serradella. |
Author:
Dr. John Frame
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Description Pubescent multi-branched annual with stems up to 70 cm. Erect growth habit initially but stems become procumbent thus forming a dense canopy. Leaves pinnate, finely serrated with 9-18 pairs of greenish-blue lanceolate leaflets up to 1 cm long. Inflorescence an umbel of 2-5 flowers, pink to white, with leafy bracts borne on a long axillary stem jutting out from the leaves. Soft seeds develop in straight pods, up to 3 cm long, with 3-7 constricted segments, each containing a brown, reticulated seed. At maturity the segments, light brownish-red in colour, break off from the pod as they fall to the ground. Deep-rooting though less so than yellow serradella (O. compressus). Distribution Grown as summer annual in south-west Europe. Introduced to south-west Australia where grown as cool-season annual ; also in other winter-mild temperate areas e.g. New Zealand, southern South Africa. Characteristics Adapted to regions with a Mediterranean-type climate and to warm, temperate areas. Requires annual rainfall of 500 mm upwards. Life cycle adapted to escape summer drought. Seeds germinate in autumn following summer dormancy and the onset of autumn rainfall. Late-flowering types require more rainfall during autumn to spring growth period than early-flowering types in order to encourage seed production. Tolerant of infertile, acid soils. Season of growth Autumn to spring. Frost tolerance Intolerant. Drought tolerance Moderately tolerant. Soil requirements Tolerant of highly acid and heavy soils. Thrives best under high soil fertility. Because of its deep-rooting it requires less P and K fertilization than subterranean clover to achieve good growth rates (Nutt and Paterson, 1997). Rhizobial relationships Rhizobial inoculation with an effective Rhizobium required when seed sown onto land for the first time, though not land which has previously grown lupins (Lupinus spp.) Strains of Bradyrhizobium spp. (Lupinus) have been selected for effectiveness in specific regions (Ballard, l996). Ability to spread naturally Regenerates each year after summer dormancy from the soil seed bank formed in the spring. Land preparation for establishment Well-cultivated, uniform and firm seed bed required for good results when first establishing. Sowing methods Can be drilled into a conventionally-prepared seed bed provided there is sufficient moisture for germination. Sowing depth and soil cover Sown at 10-15 mm depth with a firm soil cover. Sowing time and rate Sown in late summer/early autumn when there is sufficient soil moisture to ensure good seed germination. Seed rate 5-10 kg/ha. Number of seeds per kg Circa 250 000 (dehulled seed), 350 000 (hulled). Percentage hard seed Usually very low. Compatibility with other grasses and legumes Sometimes sown in mixture with subterranean clover (T. subterraneum) or rose clover (T. hirtum). Also may be sown in mixture with yellow serradella (Clark, l986). Ability to compete with weeds Moderate during early establishment phase but competitive later as canopy develops. Seedling vigour Has moderate early growth vigour. Vigour of growth and growth rhythm Once established, capable of vigorous growth provided there is high soil fertility, adequate water supply from autumn to spring and good sward management. Growth peaks in spring. Sward dries off during summer. Response to defoliation More suited to infrequent than frequent defoliaton. Does not persist under frequent, severe grazing. Grazing management Rotational grazing the best option. In the spring, a balance has to be struck between efficient forage utilization and a rest period to allow the plants to flower and set seed. Grazing late in spring reduced seed production by 50% (Conlan et al., l994). Breeding system Chromosome number 2n = 2x = 14. Dry matter yields Yields of 10-11 t/ha have been reported (Taylor et al., l977 ; de Lautour and Rumball, l986). In mild maritime areas of north-west Spain, autumn-sown stands yielded 4 t/ha DM by spring when cut for silage, thus complementing spring-sown maize in a double cropping system (Iglesias and Lloveras, l998). Suitability for hay and silage Suitable for conservation. Acceptability Highly acceptable forage to livestock whether grazed or fed as silage. Feeding value Has high nutritive value. Rich in protein concentration and high digestibility, both of which decline with advancing plant maturity and corresponding reduction in leaf :stem ratio (Lloveras and Iglesias, l998). Seed harvesting methods Seed harvested by conventional seed crop harvesting equipment before pod segmentation and shedding. The immature seed pods which remain attached to the plant are the most efficiently harvested. Cultivars Examples are Carnota and Tuy (Spain), Cadiz (Australia) and Grasslands Koha (New Zealand). A hybrid between pink and yellow serradella, cv. Grasslands Spectra, has been released in New Zealand, and having a high hard seed production, it can withstand summer drought well and regenerate rapidly in the autumn. Diseases Good resistance. Pests Can be susceptible to red-legged earth mite (Halotydens destructor) at seedling cotyledon stage. Budworm (heliothis spp.) can reduce seed production. Main attributes Tolerant of acid soils. Ability to self-regenerate annually in autumn from seeds shed before summer drought. High nutritive value. High degree of resistance to diseases and pests. Main shortcomings Sward density and forage yield variable from year to year partly because of dependence on amount of seed produced for annual regeneration. Links
Main reference Other references Ballard R.A. (l996); Clark S.G. (l986); Conlan D.J. et al. (l994); de Lautour G. and Rumball W. (l986); Iglesias I. and Lloveras J. (l998); Lloveras J. and Iglesias I. (l998); Nutt B. and Paterson J. (1997); Taylor A.O. et al.(l977) |