The Benefit of Legumes in a Pasture. Michael D. Peel USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Lab. Pasture Workshop May 13, 2005

Transcription

1 The Benefit of Legumes in a Pasture Michael D. Peel USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Lab. Pasture Workshop May 13, 2005

2 Introduction Develop legumes primarily for range Spreading & falcata (yellow flowered) alfalfa

3 Broad deep spreading crowns less likely to suffer injury during grazing traffic Broad spreading crown Ideal plant type Rhizome spread as viewed by a worm

4 Introduction Develop legumes primarily for range Spreading & falcata (yellow flowered) alfalfa Sainfoin Cicer Milkvetch Utah Sweetvetch Globemallow Small Burnet Legumes for irrigated pastures Birdsfoot Trefoil Kura Clover

5 Legume/Grass Study Nearing Completion Utilizes a line-source irrigation system

6 Purpose of study Test multiple types of alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, and grasses in monocultures and in mixtures. Do they perform differently at high irrigation down to no irrigation.

7 Materials tested Alfalfa Ladak Spreader III Amerigraze P53V08 Diploid falcata Empire Birdsfoot Trefoil Grasses Cache Meadowbrome Martin Tallfescue Perennial Ryegrass

8 Management Fertility Sufficient P applied to supply legumes 20lbs/A nitrogen: establishment, fall & after harv. 1 Average harvest dates: May 19 th, June 25 th, July 29 th, Sept. 5 th. Irrigation WL WL WL WL4 9.3 WL5 4.8

9 3.5 3 Meadow Brome Tall Fescue Perennial RG 2.5 Production (T/A)` WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage Production of meadow brome, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass,

10 Meadow Brome Tall Fescue Perennial RG Yield (T/A) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Seasonal production of meadow brome, tall fescue and perennial RG,

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12 5 4.5 Alfalfa Birdsfoot Trefoil Production (T/A) WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage production of alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil at five levels of irrigation,

13 Alfalfa Birdsfoot Trefoil Yield (t/a) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Seasonal production of birdsfoot trefoil and alfalfa at water level one,

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15 Alfalfa Tall Fescue Alf/TF 3.5 Production (t/a) WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage production of alfalfa, tall fescue and an alfalfa-tall fescue mixture,

16 Alfalfa Tall Fescue Alf/TF 1.2 Yield (t/a) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Date Seasonal production of alfalfa, tall fescue and an alfalfa-tall fescue mixture,

17 Alfalfa Meadow Brome Alf/MB 3.5 Production (T/A) WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage production of alfalfa, meadow brome and an alfalfameadow brome mixture,

18 Alfalfa Meadow Brome Alf/MB 1.4 Yield (T/A) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Seasonal production of alfalfa, meadow brome and an alfalfa-meadow brome mixture,

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21 3.5 3 Diploid falcata MB&TF DF/TF&MB 2.5 Production (T/A) WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage production of diploid falcata alfalfa, the average of tall fescue/meadow brome and the mean of the two falcatagrass mixtures,

22 3.5 3 Diploid falcata MB&TF DF/TF&MB 2.5 Yield (Mg/ha) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Date Seasonal production of diploid falcata alfalfa, the average of tall fescue/meadow brome and the mean of the two falcata-grass mixtures,

23 Meadow brome/ladak Meadow brome/diploid falcata Meadow brome/diploid falcata

24 Birdsfoot Trefoil Meadow Brome BFTF/MB 3 Production (T/A) WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage production of birdsfoot trefoil, meadow brome and a birdsfoot trefoil-meadow brome mixture,

25 Birdsfoot Trefoil Meadow Brome BFTF/MB Yield (T/A) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Seasonal production of birdsfoot trefoil, meadow brome and a birdsfoot trefoil-meadow brome mixture,

26 Birdsfoot Trefoil Tall Fescue BFTF/TF 3 Production (T/A) WL1 WL2 WL3 WL4 WL5 Water Level Forage production of birdsfoot trefoil, tall fescue and a birdsfoot trefoil-tall fescue mixture,

27 Birdsfoot Trefoil Tall Fescue BFTF/TF Yield (T/A) ` Harv.1 Harv.2 Harv.3 Harv.4 Harvest Seasonal production of birdsfoot trefoil, tall fescue and a birdsfoot trefoil-tall fescue mixture,

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29 Summary The grass/alfalfa mixtures averaged 63 % higher production than the grass monocultures The grass/falcata mixtures averaged 47 % higher production than the grass monocultures The grass/trefoil mixtures averaged 33% higher production than the grass monocultures The largest benefit realized under irrigation I wouldn t use perennial ryegrass The production distribution of trefoil vs alfalfa should be considered

30 Questions?