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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398534
Research Project: Sustainable Small Farm and Organic Grass and Forage Production Systems for Livestock and Agroforestry

Location: Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center

Title: Initial performance of red mulberry (Morus rubra L.) under a light gradient: an overlooked alternative livestock forage?

Author
item DIBALA, RYAN - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item JOSE, SHIBU - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item GOLD, MICHAEL - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item KALLENBACH, ROBERT - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item KNAPP, BENJAMIN - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Agroforestry Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2021
Publication Date: 10/27/2021
Citation: Dibala, R., Jose, S., Gold, M., Kallenbach, R., Knapp, B. 2021. Initial performance of red mulberry (Morus rubra L.) under a light gradient: an overlooked alternative livestock forage? Agroforestry Systems. 96:565–576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00699-3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00699-3

Interpretive Summary: Climate change creates uncertainty for the future of animal agriculture and forage productivity. The use of palatable shrubs that can be browsed directly as a mid-story component in silvopastures may be one way to diversify resources and mitigate losses in forage productivity. Unlike white mulberry (Morus alba), widely studied for its fodder potential, there is remains a paucity of information for the fodder potential of the native, shade tolerant red mulberry (M. rubra). Initial growth, survival, biomass, and leaf nutritive value of M. rubra seedlings was studied under a cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) canopy. Late summer nutritive value surpassed the quality of many common pasture forages. ha-1. More research is needed on secondary metabolites and other anti-quality components that may reduce the value of this potential alternative forage source.

Technical Abstract: Climate change creates uncertainty for the future of animal agriculture and forage productivity. The use of palatable shrubs that can be browsed directly as a mid-story component in silvopastures may be one way to diversify resources and mitigate losses in forage productivity. While white mulberry (Morus alba) has been widely studied for its fodder potential, there remains a paucity of information for the native, shade tolerant red mulberry (M. rubra). We report on the initial growth, survival, biomass, and leaf nutritive value of M. rubra seedlings planted under a cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) canopy at four overstory densities: 3 9 3 m (D), 6 9 6 m (S–D), 9 9 9 m (S–O), and 12 9 12 m (O). Despite drought conditions, 81.25% of seedlings survived, with more seedlings surviving in S–O and O than in D. As canopy openness increased, stem diameter increased and specific leaf area decreased. Seedlings obtained greatest leaf biomass in S–O. Late summer nutritive value surpassed the quality of many common pasture forages. Crude protein was greater in S–D and D than it was in S–O and O. Acid detergent fiber was greatest in D and digestibility metrics did not differ between treatments. Our results indicate that production of M. rubra fodder can be optimized on this site at 66.21% Global Site Factor, an irradiance level that corresponds to around 500 trees ha-1. More research is needed to determine seedling response to repeated defoliation events. Additionally, information is needed on secondary metabolites and other antiquality components that may reduce the value of this potential alternative forage source.