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Title: PERFORMANCE OF ROSE CLOVER AND VETCH INTERSEEDED INTO OLD WORLD BLUESTEM

Author
item VOLESKY, J - UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
item SMITH, G - TEXAS A & M
item MOWREY, D - DECEASED

Submitted to: Journal of Range Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Warm season perennial grasses are the backbone of permanent forage systems in the Southern Great Plains. However, they are often lacking in quality, require high N fertilizer inputs and are available for grazing only after May 15. Legumes could reduce fertilizer input, extend the grazing season, and enhance forage nutritive value. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the production and persistence of annual legumes when interseeded in Old World bluestem pasture. 'Overton R18' and TXR20 rose clover and hairy vetch were seeded once (1989) and twice (1989 and 1990). An additional treatment was bluestem + 100 kg/ha N fertilizer. Both rose clover and vetch greatly increased early spring forage yields over the bluestem + N treatment. Early spring forage quality (crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility) was also higher in legume treatments when legume production was adequate. Total seasonal forage production was similar (6160 kg/ha) between the twice-seeded rose clover and bluestem + N treatment during all 3 years of the study. Rose clover seed production (26 kg/ha) was greater than vetch (2 kg/ha) resulting in greater rose clover forage during natural reseeding years. Both rose clover entries appear to have excellent potential over previously available germplasm because of improved cold tolerance and the ability to produce substantial quantities of seed for natural reseeding even after close grazing.

Technical Abstract: Old World bluestems (Bothriochloa spp.) are extensively used throughout the Southern Plains. Interseeding these stands with persistent nitrogen-fixing legumes could reduce fertilizer input, extend the grazing season, or enhance diet quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate production and persistence of 'Overton R18' and TXR20 rose clover (Trifolium hirtum All.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) when interseeded into Old World bluestem. Treatments included these annual legumes seeded once (1989), twice (1989 and 1990), and bluestem + 100 kg/ha N fertilizer. Both rose clover and vetch greatly increased early spring forage yields (P<0.05) over the bluestem + N treatment. Early spring forage quality (crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility) was also higher in legume treatments when legume production was adequate. Total seasonal forage production was similar (6160 kg/ha; P>0.05) between the twice-seeded rose clover and blustem + N treatment during all 3 years. Average rose clover seed production (26 kg/ha) was greater than vetch (2 kg/ha; P<0.05) resulting in greater rose clover forage during natural reseeding years. Rose clover plant counts 3 and 4 years after the original seeding showed an average of 22 plants/m2. Both rose clover entries appear to have excellent potential over previously available germplasm because of improved cold tolerance and the ability to produce substantial quantities of seed for natural reseeding even after close defoliation.