The performance of several legume species on mine tailings in the Naseby Forest.

Two adjacent experiments on mine tailings in the Naseby Forest were conducted between 1983 and 1989. One experiment evaluated Maku lotus (Lotus pedunculatus L.), Tana birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) and WL318 lucerne (Medicago saliva L.) with treatments of 0, 10, 20 and 40 kg/ha of P on an open site. The other experiment evaluated Maku lotus and Tana birdsfoot trefoil growth in the shelter of trees. Tree growth was also measured in both legume treatments and in the absence of legumes. Establishment plant counts showed that only 4% of viable Maku lotus seed sown produced surviving plants in the open. compared with 12-13 %for all other cultivars. The establishment of Maku lotus and Tana birdsfoot trefoil was markedly improved in the shelter of the trees with plant numbers increasing five fold in Maku (23 % of viable seeds) and 2.5 fold in Tana (30% of viable seeds) .. Tana birdsfoot trefoil dry matter production was significantly higher than Maku lotus in both experiments. There was no significant dry matter production difference between WL318 lucerne and Tana birdsfoot trefoil. During the fmt two seasons there was never any consistent species response to the phosphate treatments. These treatments were later discontinued and a maintenance rate applied. Tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height were measured from 1984-85 until1988-89. The height increment of trees in the Tana birdsfoot trefoil pots was significantly better than the height increment in the nil legume plots. Maku lotus was not significantly different from the other treatments. There was no significant difference between treatments for DBH increments. Soil organic carbon within the trees showed significantly higher levels in the Tana birdsfoot trefoil treatment than the Nil legume treatment Additional Keywords: Lotus, birdsfoottrefoil, lucerne, herbage production, tree height, tree diameter at breast height.