Yield and nutritive value of grazed complex legume–grass mixtures under increasing nitrogen application rates

Complex pasture mixtures are advantageous, but little information exists on the best forage species and nitrogen (N) management in eastern Canada. We compared under mob stocking four complex mixtures of one of two legume species [alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.)] plus one of two grass mixes [No. 1 — timothy (Phleum pratense L.), meadow fescue (Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.); No. 2 — tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.), meadow bromegrass (Bromus biebersteinii Roem. and Schult.), reed canarygrass, and Kentucky bluegrass] under three N application rates at three sites over the first three post-seeding years. Legume species had little effect on most forage attributes mainly because of their low contribution to forage dry matter (DM) yield (<30%) in second and third years. The grass mix with tall fescue and meadow bromegrass (No. 2) yielded similar or slightly better than the one with timothy and meadow fescue (No. 1) but tended to have a greater neutral detergent fibre concentration, and lower N and total digestible nutrient concentrations. Nitrogen fertilization increased forage DM yield only in second and third years when the legume contribution to forage DM yield was <30%, and it increased N concentration and decreased nonstructural carbohydrate concentration. These results highlight the challenge of maintaining legume species in rotationally grazed pastures of eastern Canada and confirm recommendations of applying no or little N fertilizer on grazed legume–grass mixtures when the legume contribution to forage DM yield is >30%.

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COLD HARDINESS AND ICE TOLERANCE OF PASTURE GRASSES GROWN AND TESTED IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps86-080 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 66 (3) ◽

pp. 601-608 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

B. E. GUDLEIFSSON ◽

C. J. ANDREWS ◽

H. BJORNSSON

Keyword(s):

Cold Hardiness ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Phleum Pratense ◽

Grass Species ◽

Meadow Fescue ◽

Freezing Resistance ◽

Reed Canarygrass ◽

Red Fescue ◽

Wide Range

A number of forage grass species were tested for cold hardiness and ice tolerance after growth and cold hardening under controlled conditions. Tests exposing cold-hardened plants to a single level of stress separated species into statistically similar groups but, in a number of cases, the stress was not sufficient to kill plants so the true cultivar rankings were obscured. Derivation of the 50% kill point from a wide range of levels of stress served to identify cold hardiness and ice tolerance levels of cultivars of 10 species. Ranked according to the most hardy cultivar of the species tested were: timothy (Phleum pratense L.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis L.), red fescue (Festuca rubra L.), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis L.), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa L.), creeping foxtail (Alopecurus arundinaceus L.), berings hairgrass (Deschampsia beringensis L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae). LT50 values varied from −15.7 °C for timothy to −4.7 °C for reed canarygrass. Cold hardiness and ice tolerance were only loosely associated (r = 0.36). The most ice-tolerant species were berings and tufted hairgrasses and timothy with LI50 values of 50, 39 and 44 d, respectively.Key words: Acclimation, encasement, freezing, resistance

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Quackgrass (Agropyron repens) Control in Red Fescue Seed Production

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/s0043174500026527 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 94-97 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Donald L. Wyse ◽

Laddie J. Elling ◽

Donald B. White ◽

Robert L. McGraw

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Phleum Pratense ◽

Festuca Rubra ◽

Meadow Fescue ◽

Reed Canarygrass ◽

Red Fescue ◽

Potential Use ◽

Agropyron Repens

Sethoxydim {2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one}, RO-13-8895 {acetone-O-[d-2-[p-[α,α,α-trifluoro-p-tolyl-oxy]phenoxy] propionyl] oxime}, and KK-80 {4-[4-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy] phenoxyl]-2-pentenoic} were evaluated for potential use for controlling quackgrass [Agropyron repens(L.) Beauv., # AGRRE] in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenneL. ‘NK200’), smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermisLeyss. ‘Sac’), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerataL. ‘Nordstern’), timothy (Phleum pratenseL. ‘Climax’), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensisL. ‘Park’), Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceaeL. ‘Rise’), meadow fescue (Festuca elatiorL.), and red fescue (Festuca rubraL.). The three herbicides, when applied postemergence at 1.1 kg ai/ha, caused severe injury to all species except red fescue. ‘Pennlawn’, ‘Ruby’, ‘Dawson’, MN67123, MN673, and MN6354 red fescue entries were tolerant to the three herbicides in both greenhouse and field experiments. Sethoxydim and RO-13-8895 effectively controlled quackgrass in Pennlawn red fescue, but KK-80 was not effective.

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Compositional changes over four years for binary mixtures of grass species grown with white clover

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p03-065 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 85 (2) ◽

pp. 351-360 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

D. B. McKenzie ◽

Y. A. Papadopoulos ◽

K. B. McRae ◽

E. Butt

Keyword(s):

White Clover ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Principal Component ◽

Growing Season ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Repeated Measurements ◽

Grass Species ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Meadow Fescue ◽

Reed Canarygrass

Kentucky bluegrass, meadow fescue, orchardgrass, tall fescue, timothy, and reed canarygrass were seeded in all possible two-grass combinations with white clover in conventional and underseeded barley treatments using a split-plot design at the Western Agriculture Centre near Pynn’s Brook, NL. The objectives were: (1) to assess dry matter yield (DMY) of two binary grass species when sown with white clover in mixtures under a system with cuttings at similar crop growth stages as rotational grazing and to assess the effect of underseeding to barley on this system; (2) to identify mixtures that enhance herbage distribution throughout the grazing season; and (3) to assess the sward dynamics over successive cropping seasons. The composition of the binary grass mixtures with white clover affected seasonal DMY, seasonal herbage distribution, and sward dynamics over the production years. Orchardgrass in mixtures decreased DMY, shifted the herbage distribution toward early season, and competed with other species. Timothy composition of the stand showed the largest decline over the 3 production years, whereas white clover declined in mixtures with bluegrass, orchardgrass, or tall fescue. Meadow fescue and reed canarygrass with white clover was the most productive mixture with excellent persistence and good yield distribution over the growing season. Orchardgrass was the least compatible species in the mixtures; it dominated first growth and contributed the least to biomass production in later years. Both bluegrass and reed canarygrass performed well in mixtures over the 3 production years; bluegrass appeared to enhance the performance of the other species during summer regrowth whereas reed canarygrass was superior in the later part of the growing season. Underseeding with barley did not affect white clover yield in any production year but detrimentally affected the yield of orchardgrass and meadow fescue in mixtures, and their seasonal distribution. Key words: Bluegrass, orchardgrass, meadow fescue, tall fescue, timothy, reed canarygrass, repeated measurements, principal component analysis, herbage DM distribution, species competition

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Tolerance of Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass to Chlorsulfuron Under Field Conditions

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/s0043174500067138 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 431-434 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Brian M. Maloy ◽

Nick E. Christians

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Turf Quality ◽

Application Rates ◽

Quality Ratings ◽

Turfgrass Quality ◽

Severe Growth

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensisL. ‘Parade’, ‘Adelphi’, ‘Glade’, and ‘Rugby’ # POAPR) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceaSchreb. ‘Kentucky 31’ # FESAR) were treated in field experiments with chlorsulfuron {2-chloro-N-[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino] carbonyl] benzenesulfonamide}. The objectives of the two experiments were to determine if this herbicide has the potential to be used for selective control of tall fescue in Kentucky bluegrass turf. Chlorsulfuron treatments included single rates of 0, 18, 35, 71, 141, 212, and 282 g ai/ha and split rates, applied 14 days apart, of 18 + 18, 35 + 35, 71 + 71, 141 + 141, and 212 + 212 g/ha. Clipping weights and turfgrass quality ratings were taken in both experiments. Kentucky bluegrass showed a higher tolerance to the chemical, with no decrease in turf quality at the highest single and split application rates in both experiments. However, as the chlorsulfuron rate increased, clipping weight decreased. Tall fescue showed a low tolerance to the chemical and was controlled at single rates of 141 g/ha and split rates of 141 + 141 g/ha and greater. Although the tall fescue recovered from damage at single rates of 71 g/ha and split rates of 71 + 71 g/ha, severe growth inhibition and discoloration of aboveground tissue occurred at the lower rates. Twelve months after the first chlorsulfuron was applied in each experiment, glyphosate [isopropylamine salt ofN-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] was sprayed over the plots to kill all existing plant material, and Kentucky bluegrass was seeded into the plots 2 weeks later at the rate of 0.75 kg/100 m2. There was no inhibition of bluegrass seed germination at any of the rates of chlorsulfuron.

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Sward complexity and grass species composition affect the performance of grass-white clover pasture mixtures

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps2012-015 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 92 (6) ◽

pp. 1199-1205 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Y. A. Papadopoulos ◽

M. S. McElroy ◽

S. A. E. Fillmore ◽

K. B. McRae ◽

J. L. Duyinsveld ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

White Clover ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Yield Potential ◽

Grass Species ◽

Meadow Fescue ◽

Reed Canarygrass ◽

Grass Growth ◽

Clover Pasture

Papadopoulos, Y. A., McElroy, M. S., Fillmore, S. A. E., McRae, K. B., Duyinsveld, J. L. and Fredeen, A. H. 2012. Sward complexity and grass species composition affects the performance of grass-white clover pasture mixtures. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1199–1205. The productivity of managed permanent pastures is closely associated with the species composition of seeded mixtures. Ecological theory suggests that increasing plant species' diversity will result in higher productivity, resilience, and resistance to invasive species. To better understand the relationship between sward species composition and pasture productivity, mixtures of four common pasture grass species, timothy (Phleum pratense L.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis L.), were seeded in 2004 in binary (two-grass), tertiary (three-grass), and quaternary (four-grass) combinations with white clover (Trifolium repens L.). Plots were rotationally grazed for 5 yr, with yield determined in the first post-establishment year (2005) and in 3 subsequent production years (2007, 2008, and 2009). Mean dry matter yield (DMY) increased appreciably from post-establishment (3801 kg ha−1) to the production years (6613 kg ha−1). Contrasts revealed significantly higher DMY production in quaternary mixtures versus less complex plots in production years. Repeated measure analysis found significant quadratic trends in DMY for plots containing bluegrass and timothy, showing different patterns of growth between the respective mixtures. Principal component analysis (PCA) of averaged yields over the production years revealed a strong association between seeded grass growth and DMY. This relationship between DMY and seeded grass growth was strongest in swards containing a combination of timothy and bluegrass. In general, the growth of unseeded grasses and forbs increased in mixtures with large proportions of timothy and reed canarygrass. In spite of the fact that mixtures containing timothy and bluegrass were shown to produce high DMY, it appears the aggressiveness of bluegrass suppressed the yield potential of timothy. White clover yields and unseeded grasses/forbs were both significantly lower in mixtures containing bluegrass. Also, the PCA revealed a favourable compatibility between meadow fescue and white clover growth, while bluegrass appears to suppress meadow fescue growth. Results show that species complexity increases sward productivity over the long term, and that the presence of two grass species, in particular (timothy and bluegrass), has considerable influence on DMY.

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Assessing eight grass species for pasture by measuring etiolated spring regrowth

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p02-053 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 83 (3) ◽

pp. 551-554 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

H. A. Lardner ◽

S. B. M. Wright ◽

R. D. H. Cohen

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Phleum Pratense ◽

Grass Species ◽

Reed Canarygrass ◽

Smooth Bromegrass ◽

Carbohydrate Reserves ◽

Intermediate Wheatgrass ◽

Elymus Trachycaulus ◽

Meadow Bromegrass ◽

Slender Wheatgrass

Grazing by herbivores can affect root carbohydrate reserves of grass species. A grazing study was conducted on an irrigated pasture near Outlook, Saskatchewan, Canada, during the summers of 1991 and 1992 t o determine etiolated regrowth after grazing of reed canarygrass ( Phalaris arundinacea L.), slender wheatgrass ( Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould ex Shinners subsp . trachycaulus), intermediate wheatgrass [ Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkw. & D.R. Dewey subsp . intermedium], orchardgrass ( Dactylis glomerata L.), meadow bromegrass ( Bromus biebersteinii Roem. & Schult.), smooth bromegrass ( Bromus inermis Leyss.), tall fescue [ Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.) Wimm.] and timothy ( Phleum pratense L.) in order to eva luate the suitability of these species for grazing. All eight species were mob-grazed by sheep at a stocking rate of 30 animals ha-1. Carbohydrate reserves were estimated by determination of etiolated regrowth. Meadow bromegrass produced the greatest etiol ated regrowth and timothy the least. Based on production of etiolated regrowth the grasses were ranked into three groups - meadow bromegrass and intermediate wheatgrass ranked highest, smooth bromegrass, reed canarygrass, slender wheatgrass and orchardgra ss ranked intermediate and timothy and tall fescue ranked lowest. Key words:

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Herbage yield and composition of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cultivars under two harvest systems

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p04-121 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 85 (3) ◽

pp. 631-639 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

G. H. Dürr ◽

H. T. Kunelius ◽

R. Drapeau ◽

K. B. McRae ◽

S. A. E. Fillmore

Keyword(s):

Prince Edward Island ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Nitrogen Concentration ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Phleum Pratense ◽

Cultivar Differences ◽

Grass Species ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Herbage Yield ◽

Tiller Density

Although Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is a naturalized species commonly found in the permanent grasslands of eastern Canada, its contribution to sward output is not well defined. Six Kentucky bluegrass cultivars originating from Norway, Germany and North America, and a timothy (Phleum pratense L.) cultivar, were grown under two harvest systems at two locations to determine yield and herbage composition. All cultivars persisted over 3 production years. Dry matter yields of bluegrass cultivars were similar to those of timothy, ranging from 7.87 to 9.76 t ha-1 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and from 3.64 to 4.79 t ha-1 in Normandin, Quebec. Yields of broadleafed genotypes from Europe were superior in year 1. However, the warm and dry growing conditions of year 3 favoured the narrow-leafed genotypes. Mean tiller density of Kentucky bluegrass was 6440 m-2; timothy had a mean tiller density of 3040 m-2. Forage quality attributes of Kentucky bluegrass were similar to those of timothy. Cultivar differences in fibre and mineral concentrations were consistent across years and locations and may provide selection criteria in breeding programs. Greater harvest frequency increased the total nitrogen concentration of herbage and tiller density but had no effect on yield. Kentucky bluegrass is a persistent, valuable forage grass species with good potential for use in pasture and as conserved forage in eastern Canada. Key words: Herbage composition, herbage yield, Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis, Phleum pratense, tiller, timothy

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Additional Host Plants of Four Species of Billbug Found on New Jersey Turfgrasses

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs.115.4.608 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 115 (4) ◽

pp. 608-611 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jennifer M. Johnson-Cicalese ◽

C.R. Funk

Keyword(s):

New Jersey ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Host Plants ◽

Cynodon Dactylon ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Grass Species ◽

Red Fescue

Studies were conducted on the host plants of four billbug species (Coleoptera:Curculionidae: Sphenophorus parvulus Gyllenhal, S. venatus Chitt., S. inaequalis Say, and S. minimus Hart) found on New Jersey turfgrasses. A collection of 4803 adults from pure stands of various turfgrasses revealed all four billbugs on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and S. parvulus, S. venatus, and S. minimus on Chewings fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaud.). Since the presence of larvae, pupae, or teneral adults more accurately indicates the host status of a grass species, immature billbugs were collected from plugs of the various grass species and reared to adults for identification. All four species were reared from immature billbugs found in Kentucky bluegrass turf; immatures of S. venatus, S. inaequalis, and S. minimus were found in tall fescue; S. venatus and S. minimus in perennial ryegrass; and S. inaequalis in strong creeping red fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. rubra). A laboratory experiment was also conducted in which billbug adults were confined in petri dishes with either Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, or bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon Pers.). Only minor differences were found between the four grasses in billbug survival, number of eggs laid, and amount of feeding. In general, bermudagrass was the least favored host and the other grasses were equally adequate hosts. The results of this study indicate a need for updating host-plant lists of these four billbug species.

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Chemical Control of Reed Canarygrass on Irrigation Canals

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/s0043174500047755 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 465-468 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

J. M. Hodgson

Keyword(s):

Chemical Control ◽

Trichloroacetic Acid ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Ammonium Thiocyanate ◽

Growing Season ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Early Winter ◽

Irrigation Canals ◽

Reed Canarygrass ◽

Irrigation Project

From 1962 to 1967, we evaluated herbicides for control of natural infestations of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) on canal banks of the Huntley, Montana irrigation project. Two,2-dichloropropionic acid (dalapon) and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole ammonium thiocyanate (hereinafter referred to as amitrole-T) controlled reed canarygrass. These herbicides were compared with a number of others. Spring foliage treatments with a combination of amitrole-T at 2 1b/A and dalapon or trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at 5 or 10 1b/A were more effective than amitrole-T at 4 1b/A. Amitrole-T was more tolerant to fine grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) or redtop (Agrostis alba L.) than dalapon and in some situations it was more desirable than dalapon. Dalapon and TCA were more effective as late fall or early winter treatments to control reed canarygrass during the following growing season. Rates of 20 or 40 1b/A controlled the grass for one season even at the water's edge where it is usually more persistent. At 5 to 10 1b/A, 2,3,5-trichloro-4-pyridinol (pyriclor) controlled reed canarygrass, and it also was effective at 2 1b/A with 2 1b/A of amitrole-T.

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Wind-mediated seed dispersal of invasive forage grasses from agricultural grasslands in Hokkaido, Japan

Invasive Plant Science and Management ◽

10.1017/inp.2019.11 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (02) ◽

pp. 133-141

Author(s):

Chika Egawa ◽

Atsushi Shoji ◽

Hiroyuki Shibaike

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Plant Cover ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Dispersal Distance ◽

Phleum Pratense ◽

Grass Species ◽

Forage Grass ◽

Forage Grasses ◽

Number Of Seeds

AbstractAlthough introduced pasture grasses are essential for forage production in current livestock farming, some species cause serious impacts on native biodiversity when naturalized. Information on the seed dispersal of invasive forage grasses from cultivated settings to surrounding environments can inform management efforts to prevent their naturalization. In this case study, we quantified the wind-mediated seed dispersal distance and amount of dispersed seed of invasive forage grasses from agricultural grasslands in Hokkaido, northern Japan. In total, 200 funnel seed traps were installed around three regularly mown grasslands and one unmown grassland where various forage grass species were grown in mixture. Seeds of each species dispersed outside the grasslands were captured from May to October 2017. Based on the trapped distances of seeds, the 99th percentile dispersal distance from the grasslands was estimated for six species, including timothy (Phleum pratense L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). For two dominant species, P. pratense and D. glomerata, the numbers of seeds dispersed outside the field under mown and unmown conditions were determined under various plant cover situations. The estimated dispersal distances ranged from 2.3 m (P. pratense) to 31.5 m (P. pratensis), suggesting that areas within approximately 32 m of the grasslands are exposed to the invasion risk of some forage grass species. For both P. pratense and D. glomerata, the number of seeds dispersed outside the unmown grassland exceeded 100 seeds m−2 under high plant cover situations, while the number of seeds dispersed from the mown grasslands at the same plant cover level was less than one-third of that number. The results suggest that local land managers focus their efforts on frequent mowing of grasslands and monitoring of the areas within approximately 32 m of the grasslands to substantially reduce the naturalization of invasive forage grasses.

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