Performance of Timothy-based Grass/Legume Mixtures in Cold Winter Region

This study sought to identify grass/legume mixtures that increase the yield and persistence of forage stands with improved nutritive quality in cold-winter regions, compared with the standard mixture of timothy (Phleum pratense L.)/red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)/alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of agronomy and crop science (1986) 2006-06, Vol.192 (3), p.159-167
Main Authors: Kunelius, H.T, Dürr, G.H, McRae, K.B, Fillmore, S.A.E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
cool season grasses
crop yield
Festuca pratensis
forage composition
forage grasses
forage legumes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Lolium perenne
Medicago sativa
neutral detergent fiber
nitrogen content
nutritive value
pasture persistence
pastures
Phleum pratense
plant competition
Poa pratensis
sward
temporal variation
Trifolium pratense
Trifolium repens
Trifolium spp
yield
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Summary:This study sought to identify grass/legume mixtures that increase the yield and persistence of forage stands with improved nutritive quality in cold-winter regions, compared with the standard mixture of timothy (Phleum pratense L.)/red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)/alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.). Timothy was mixed with either perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis L.) or Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). The legumes in mixtures were red clover, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or white clover (Trifolium repens L.). Averaged over three production years, the majority of mixtures had greater dry matter (DM) yields than the standard (8.35 t ha⁻¹). Timothy, grown alone and in three mixtures, outyielded the standard by 19-30 %. Yield reductions in mixtures over the 3-year period were greatest with red clover, and least with bluegrass. Mixtures with alfalfa were highest in nitrogen (28.4 g kg⁻¹), while grasses grown alone (24.6 g kg⁻¹) and the standard mixture (25.1 g kg⁻¹) were the lowest in N. Mixtures with red clover or alfalfa had the least neutral detergent fibre (NDF), averaging 418 and 429 g kg⁻¹ respectively. Mixtures including white clover were initially low in NDF at 347 g kg⁻¹ in year 1 but increased to 550 g kg⁻¹ in year 3 as white clover composition declined in the sward.
ISSN:0931-2250
1439-037X
DOI:10.1111/j.1439-037X.2006.00195.x