scholarly journals Advantages of grass-legume mixture for improvement of crop growth and reducing potential nitrogen loss in a boreal climate

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Honghong Li ◽  
Petri Penttinen ◽  
Hannu Mikkola ◽  
Kristina Lindström

A three-year field experiment was established to assess intercropping for sustainable forage production in Finland. In split-plot design, fertilizer treatment with unfertilized control, organic fertilizer, and synthetic fertilizer was the main plot factor, and crop treatment with fallow, red clover (Trifolium pratense), timothy (Phleum pratense), and a mixture of red clover and timothy was the sub-plot factor. Dry matter, carbon and nitrogen yields in mixture plots were highest with relatively high N% and the optimum C:N ratio (p < 0.05). Fertilization increased annual yields of mixture and timothy but not that of red clover. Soil NO3-N changed over time (p < 0.05) and was highest in fallow, followed by red clover, mixture, and timothy (p < 0.05), and the decrease during late growing season was smaller in the mixture and timothy plots. At the end of the experiment, soil C/NO3-N ratio was higher in timothy and mixture while lower in red clover and fallow plots (p < 0.05), and the relationship between soil DNA and NO3-N content may indicate that the potential nitrogen loss was lower in mixture and timothy than that in fallow and red clover plots.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Li ◽  
Panu Korhonen ◽  
Perttu Virkajärvi ◽  
Narasinha J. Shurpali

&lt;p&gt;Legumes facilitate soil carbon (C) sequestration and mitigation of nitrous oxide (N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O) emissions. They have an important role in improving model predictions of future feedbacks from the high-latitude carbon dioxide (CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;) and N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O fluxes and climate driving the response of northern ecosystems to warming. Legume based grasslands are an important part of the economy as high protein fodder for the cattle and thus, they are crucial for meat and dairy industries in Europe. However, there is a lack of regionally based, ecosystem scale field experimental data on legume based grasslands. Therefore, using the eddy covariance technique, we measured CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O fluxes from a grassland site, growing timothy (&lt;em&gt;Phleum pratense&lt;/em&gt; L.) and red clover (&lt;em&gt;Trifolium pratense&lt;/em&gt; L.), treated with mineral nitrogen (MinN) or with digestate residue (OrgN) in eastern Finland during two growing seasons (May &amp;#8211; Sep 2017 and 2018). Results showed that higher mean seasonal temperature (2018) increased net ecosystem CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; exchange (NEE) and total dry matter (DM) and decreased N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O emissions. Specifically, NEE was 8.3 and 12.1 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; in 2017 and 2018, respectively with no differences between treatments over the two years. The DM yield was 5.9 and 4.9 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; for MinN and OrgN, respectively, in 2017, while it was 6.3 and 6.8 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; in 2018. Cumulative N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O fluxes were 0.01 (100-year global warming potential CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-equivalent) and -0.6 Mg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Summing up the seasonal NEE, N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O flux and DM yield, the seasonal C balance was 2.1 and -1.3 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; for MinN and OrgN treatments in 2017, and it was -2.5 and -3.5 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, respectively, in 2018. Our observations from two climatically contrasting seasons suggest that the legume based grasslands in the boreal region have a strong C sequestration potential and the addition of organic fertilizer turns the systems to a larger sink in in the warmer year.&lt;/p&gt;


2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole Lafrenière ◽  
Raynald Drapeau

Lafrenière, C. and Drapeau, R. 2011. Seeding patterns and companion grasses affect total forage yield and components of binary red clover–grass mixtures. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 91–97. Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is the most popular seeded legume for forage production in northern Quebec and Ontario because of the poorly drained soils that prevail in these regions. The objective of this experiment was to determine which seeding patterns [mixed within a row (MR), single alternate rows (1+1), or double alternate rows (2+2)] and which companion grasses (smooth bromegrass, Bromus inermis L.; tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; orchardgrass, Dactylis glomerata L.; or timothy, Phleum pratense L.), in association with red clover, were best for sustaining the total forage yield of a red clover–grass mixture and how these factors affect red clover and grass components. Test plots were established at Kapuskasing, ON, and Normandin, QC. At each site, two independent seedings were performed and harvested over 3 yr following the seeding year. Total dry matter (DM) yield and contribution of red clover grasses and weeds to total forage yield were measured. The MR pattern gave higher yield over both alternate seeding patterns by nearly 0.5 Mg DM ha−1 at the Normandin site and 1.0 Mg DM ha–1 at the Kapuskasing site. Neither the seeding pattern nor the companion grass species improved significantly the contribution of red clover to total forage yield beyond the second production year even though there were differences between sites. Environmental conditions, principally high precipitation in the fall, and maturity stage at harvest resulted in major differences between sites. Results from this experiment showed that tall fescue and orchardgrass could be good alternatives to timothy or bromegrass in association with red clover given that plots were still productive in the third production year and invasion by weeds was lower.


Author(s):  
LZ Baistruk-Hlodan ◽  
MM Кhomiak ◽  
HZ Zhapaleu

Aim. The purpose was to identify collection accessions – sources of valuable traits to use as starting material for creating varieties of perennial grasses in Western Ukraine. Results and Discussion. Perennial grasses play an essential role in improving the efficiency of forage production. They produce a fodder mass that contains major macro- and micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients in available forms, with a high energy protein saturation. Practice shows that due to the introduction of varietal crops into production in combination with optimal technologies of their cultivation, which allows revealing the potential of each variety, it is possible to additionally obtain 20-30% higher yields of fodder mass annually and harvest 2 to 3-fold seed yields. In 2016-2020, a search was carried out and 570 new accessions of perennial grasses were recruited, of which 201 were legumes and 369 were graminaceous grasses. The collection contains 1,319 accessions, of which 232 are Trifolium pratense L., 115 are Trifolium repens L., 49 are Trifolium hybridum L., 107 are Lotus corniculatus L., 80 belong to other legume species (Medicago, Galega orientalis L. Galega orientalis L. and Trifolium species), 131 are Phleum pratense L., 187 are Dactylis glomerata L., 146 are Lolium perenne L., 53 are Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) J. et C.Presl., 67 are Festuca rubra L., 28 are Festuca trachyphylla L., 32 are Bromopsis inermis (Leyss.) Holub, 92 belong to other species of other types of graminaceous grasses (Festuca pratensis Huds., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Agrostis alba L. etc.). Accessions that enter the Department are registered and sown for propagation in the field. After examination, valuable accessions are transferred to the National Depository and registered in the National Catalogue; the rest of the obtained seeds are used in working collections. Conclusions. The best collection accessions were identified by a set of economically valuable traits: sources of daily growth of shoots (30), winter hardiness (28), plant height (22), yield of green mass upon haymaking (28) and pasture (19) use, forage productivity (15), seed productivity (25), foliage (21), and disease resistance (23). They can be recommended as starting material to create varieties of perennial grasses with high yields of forage mass and seeds for various applications.


Author(s):  
Denes DEAK ◽  
Ioan ROTAR ◽  
Florin PACURAR ◽  
Anca BOGDAN

Seeded lawns is one of the most important links in the process of improving the forage base, ensure feed quality with high productivity. Mixtures of red clover crops (Trifolium pratense) with perennial grasses (Lolium multiflorum, Phleum pratense and Poa pratensis) has high productivity due to better utilization of ecological niches of the biotope (ROTAR I.et al.). These crops has advantages like high content of protein because of the red clover, economy-based fertilizer nitrogen from atmospheric nitrogen fixation by bacteria Rhizobium spp. located in the root of legumes. These seeded pastures get a balanced feed nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids), have a high palatability. The species Trifolium pratense has a greater capacity to restore the soil structure and also the enrichment of the macro-elements, like phosphorus and potassium (CARLIER L., et. al). Our experience took place in the village Simonesti, Cobătesti village of the Harghita county. The experimental field was located respecting the experimental technique rules in randomized blocks with a technique that includes three variants based on red clover plus a perennial grass (Lolium multiflorum, Poa pratensis and Phleum pratense). Every version was fertilized with two types of fertilizer: one liquid (gull) and one solid (stable manure) in four different doses in all three variants. The doses were: V1 = 0 gull; V2 = 5 t / ha gull; V3 = 10 t / ha gull; V4 = 20 t / ha gulle and V1 = 0 stable manure; V2 = 10 t / ha stable manure; V3 = 30 t / ha stable manure and V4 = 50 t / ha stable manure. In our studies we present the influence of fertilization with gull and stable manure on yield of green mass of all three variants. In general, both gull fertilization with manure favors grasses at the expense of installing legumes. The higher doses of fertilizer increase, the share of participant of grasses increases.


2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Portella Montardo ◽  
Miguel Dall'Agnol ◽  
Nilton Rodrigues Paim

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is one of the most important temperate legume species, used to lessen the lack of forage during the critical fall-winter period in Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil. However, its utilization has been restricted mainly because of its lack of persistence. This work evaluates the dry matter yield and persistence of red clover half-sib progenies in two physiographic regions of RS: "Depressão Central", in Eldorado do Sul and "Encosta Superior do Nordeste", in Veranópolis. Experiments were carried out for two growing seasons and results were compared to two red clover commercial checks, Qüiñequeli and Estanzuela 116. The region of Veranópolis was more adequate for red clover forage production, enabling better yield and persistence. The best check for both locations was cultivar Estanzuela 116. At Eldorado do Sul persistence was highly affected and some progenies were superior to the best check. At Veranópolis the best check was very productive, with good persistence. The best progenies at both locations were selected to be propagated and submitted to additional recurrent selection cycles.


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1101-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUCIUS BELZILE

The influence of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) on winter survival of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) was studied in an experiment conducted in 1984–1985 and repeated in 1985–1986. The results indicate that the presence of timothy can help to improve red clover persistence. When the winter was favorable to the survival of legumes, the red clover population was higher in pure than in mixtured clover populations. However, when the winter was unfavorable to legumes, the red clover population was higher in populations mixed with timothy than in a pure clover population.Key words: Red clover-timothy mixture, winter survival, stand, yield


2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. T. Kunelius ◽  
K. B. McRae ◽  
S. A. E. Fillmore ◽  
G. Dürr

Late-maturing cultivars of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and timothy (Phleum pratense L.) may be grown in short-term rotations with other crops and harvested for hay and silage. Harvesting forage in mid-summer is often advantageous for field curing, but the quality of mature forage may be low. We studied how harvests at different developmental stages affected yield, composition of herbage, and species persistence. The late-maturing single-cut red clover cultivar Altaswede and late timothy cultivar Farol were grown alone and in combination with and without applied N. Total forage, and red clover and timothy dry matter yields, increased between the first (27 June) and third (11 July) dates of harvest. Timothy grown alone or combined with red clover and fertilized with N produced greater forage yields than red clover alone or red clover + timothy without applied N. The in vitro digestibility of dry matter declined from 670 to 625 g kg−1 and crude protein from 134 to 109 g kg−1 between 27 June and 11 July. Water soluble carbohydrates in forage were low (36–66 g kg−1) in cuts 1 and 2. Macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations were generally highest at the first date of harvest on 27 June. Nutrient concentrations in cut 2 were similar for the three harvest schedules. We conclude that growing late-maturing single-cut red clover combined with late timothy produced high yields with good nutritional quality even at advanced stages of maturity. Single-cut red clover persisted for the first production year making this combination suited for short-term rotations that involve late harvesting of the primary growth. Key words: Red clover, Trifolium pratense, timothy, Phleum pratense, composition


2018 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
pp. 193-199
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Zarza ◽  
Mónica Rebuffo ◽  
Alejandro La Manna ◽  
Mónica Balzarini

2001 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Légère ◽  
F. Craig Stevenson ◽  
Nathalie Samson

Tillage and weed management practices used during the establishment year can likely affect for age yield during the subsequent production year(s). This study was conducted as part of a long-term experiment to determine the suitability of conservation tillage practices for red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) production on a Kamouraska clay from 1988 to 1995. Red clover was underseeded with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in cropping systems including different tillage (MP: fall moldboard plow; CP: fall chisel plow; NT: no-till) and weed management (intensive, moderate, minimum) treatments applied during the establishment year. Red clover dry matter yields and weed biomass were measured twice in the subsequent forage production year. Tillage had no effect on red clover yields in 3 out of 7 yr. Yields were 16% greater with NT in 1 yr and 52% with MP tillage in 3 yr compared with other tillage treatments. Weed response to tillage was consistent over years. Dicot weed biomass increased as tillage intensity was reduced. Monocot biomass was much less with NT than with MP or CP treatments. Red clover yield was 11% greater with intensive weed management, but this yield increase was not associated with differences in dicot or monocot biomass during the forage production year. Red clover yield gain with intensive weed management would need to be weighed against economical and environmental costs to determine the relevance of increased herbicide use in a short-term cereal/forage rotation. Key words: Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), conservation tillage, no-till, forage legume


2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kimpinski ◽  
L.M. Edwards ◽  
C.E. Gallant ◽  
H.W. Johnson ◽  
J.A. MacLeod ◽  
...  

A field study assessing the influence of the previous crop, the crop sequence, and aldicarb treatments on root lesion nematode populations and crop yields was carried out in Prince-Edward-Island, Canada. The most recent crop had the greatest impact on nematode numbers. The crop sequences had an influence in some cases on root lesion nematode populations (primarily Pratylenchus penetrans) and on crop yields. In commercial barley (Hordeum vulgare) fields, root lesion nematodes in roots were greatest when barley followed a red clover (Trifolium pratense) timothy (Phleum pratense) ley, and stunt nematodes (Tylenchorhynchus spp., primarily T. dubius, and Merlinius spp.) were more common when barley followed barley. The combined dry weight of foliage and grain was larger when barley was planted after potato (Solanumtuberosum) and smaller when barley followed barley or a red clover-timothy mixture. Under experimental field conditions, root lesion nematode populations were largest in barley roots when barley followed potato and grain yields were smallest when barley followed barley. Changes in nematode populations in potato were not associated with crop sequences. Potato tuber yields were higher in the sequences that began with wheat (Triticum aestivum) or barley than in the sequences that began with potato or soybean (Glycine max). Aldicarb reduced the numbers of root lesion nematodes in roots with concomitant yield increases in potato and soybean.


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