Replacing bare fallow with cover crops in a maize cropping system: Yield,N uptake and fertiliser fate

Cover crops in dry regions have been often limited by low nutrient and water-use efficiency. This study was conducted during 3.5 years to determine the effect of replacing bare fallow by a cover crop on yield, N uptake, and fate of labeled fertiliser in an intensive maize production system. Three treatments were studied: barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), vetch (Vicia villosa L.) and bare fallow during the intercropping period of maize (Zea mays L.). All treatments were irrigated and fertilised following the same procedure, and a microplot in each plot was established with 210 kg N ha^?1 of double labeled ammonium nitrate. Crop yield and N uptake, soil mineral N (N_min), and recovery of ¹⁵N in plant and soil were determined after maize harvest and killing the cover crop. Replacing bare fallow with cover crops did not affect subsequent maize yield but affected N uptake. Vetch increased N supply by legume residues after the second year, and the N content in grain by the third. Nitrogen recover from fertiliser was not affected by treatment and averaged 46%. Barley recovered more ¹⁵N during the autumn–winter period than vetch or fallow. Under representative conditions, average barley N content was 47, vetch 51, and spontaneous vegetation content 0.8 kg N ha^?1. Recovery of ¹⁵N in barley comprised 19% of total N content in aerial biomass, while only 4% in vetch. Vetch enhaced soil ¹⁵N recovery more than other treatments, suggesting its presence in a fairly stable organic fraction unavailable for maize uptake or lost. Replacing bare fallow by a cover crop only reduced fertiliser losses in a year with abundant precipitation. Nevertheless, reduction in soil N_min in vetch and bare fallow treatments was similar, showing that N losses can be reduced in this cropping system, either by replace bare fallow with barley or smaller N fertiliser applicationto maize.     

Effects of Row Spacing, Support Plant Species and Support Plant Mixture Ratio on Seed Yield and Yield Characteristics of Hungarian Vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz)

The effects of row spacing (17.5 or 35.0 cm), support plant species (barley or triticale) and the proportion of crops in mixtures (no support plant or support plant 20, 40 or 60 %, respectively) on the seed yield and yield characteristics of Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz) were investigated. Increasing the row spacing increased the seed yield of V. pannonica from 881.0 to 1248.0 kg ha^?1. On average, in a pure stand the seed yield of V. pannonica was 1141.0 kg ha^?1. In mixtures with barley and triticale, the seed yield of V. pannonica averaged 986.0 and 1143.0 kg ha^?1, respectively. In single mixed stands the seed yield of V. pannonica varied between 551.0 kg ha^?1 (60 % support plant barley) and 1603.0 kg ha^?1 (20 % support plant triticale). The yield advantage of V. pannonica in this triticale mixture was 40 % compared to the V. pannonica pure stand. With respect to the total yield in the mixture with 20 % triticale (1902.0 kg ha^?1) the yield advantage over the V. pannonica pure stand was as high as 65.1 %. In the mixed stands the number of seeds per pod and the thousand‐seed weight of V. pannonica were higher than in V. pannonica pure stands.     

Is the Companion Crop Harmless to Alfalfa Establishment in the Highlands of East Anatolia?

This study documented the effects of barley companion crop seeding rate and cutting stage on alfalfa establishment in a highland area. Alfalfa was established with barley at seeding rates of 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha^?1 and cut at the milk‐dough and ripe grain stages. In most cases, hay yield and composition of herbage were affected by companion crop seeding rate and cutting stage. Total hay yield increased from 3294 to 5131 kg ha^?1 when the companion crop seeding rate was increased from 0 to 180 kg ha^?1 at the milk‐dough stage. Legume and weed growth was suppressed by the companion crop during establishment, but using a barley companion crop decreased alfalfa plant losses in the seeding year. Few residual effects of barley were seen on hay yield in the subsequent year, but residual effects of companion crop treatments on weed suppression continued in all clippings of the second year. The results suggest that alfalfa should be sown with a barley companion crop in highland areas with adequate moisture. The seeding rate for barley is about the same as that for barley grown alone, and the companion crop could be harvested for hay or grain in the establishment year.     

Productivity of Bahiagrass Pastures in South-western Japan: Synthesis of Data from Grazing Trials

This study examined the rate of herbage production and herbage quality of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) using data from five grazing trials in the low‐altitude region of Kyushu, south‐western Japan, in an effort to (a) evaluate productivity of bahiagrass pastures, (b) analyse its relationship to meteorological, vegetational and managerial variables, and (c) obtain implications for better management of bahiagrass pastures. The rate of herbage production, ranging from ?56 to 213 kg DM ha^?1 day^?1, tended to increase from spring (April–May) to mid‐summer (July) and decrease thereafter. The rate was expressed by a multiple regression equation where nitrogen fertilizer rate, air temperature, rainfall and herbage mass had positive effects. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) and crude protein (CP) concentration of herbage were in the range of 471–727 and 84–161 g kg^?1 DM respectively. DMD was expressed by a regression equation where the day number from 1 April and herbage mass had negative effects, and the sampling height and nitrogen rate had positive effects. CP concentration was expressed by an equation showing a positive effect of nitrogen rate and a negative effect of herbage mass. The results indicate that management of bahiagrass pastures should aim at maintaining herbage mass closely above the critical level below which intake by grazing animals is restricted, in order to increase quality and ensure quantity. This is particularly important when nitrogen fertilizer is applied.     

Yield and Forage Quality of Different ×Festulolium Cultivars in Winter

×Festulolium ssp. are of particular interest as autumn‐saved herbage in the winter grazing system, but information concerning their performance in this low‐input system is not available. To this end, we examined dry matter (DM) yield and forage quality in winter of four different cultivars of ×Festulolium ssp. (×Festulolium pabulare, Festulolium braunii), either with festucoid or loloid attributes, compared with Festuca arundinacea Schreb. Furthermore, pre‐utilization (accumulation since June or July) and date of winter harvest (December or January) were varied examining the influence of different sward management. DM yield, crude protein, metabolizable energy (ME) (in vitro rumen fermentation technique), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and ergosterol concentration were determined. Within all years, the festucoid cultivars (mean 3.4 t ha^?1) attained significant higher yields during winter than the loloid cultivars (mean 1.6 t ha^?1), but their yields were comparable with F. arundinacea (mean 3.0 t ha^?1). Crude protein was decisively influenced by the different yield levels of the cultivars resulting in higher values for the loloid cultivars. Energy concentrations decreased with later winter harvest, whereas ADF as well as ergosterol concentrations frequently increased from December to January. The greatest differences between festucoid and loloid cultivars were generally observed during severe winters. Obviously, the festucoid cultivars were better adapted to a utilization as autumn‐saved herbage than the cultivars with rather loloid attributes. However, the hybrids did not surpass F. arundinacea regarding yield and quality.     

Ex situ evaluation of cultivation potential in wild populations of large-flowered vetch (Vicia grandiflora)

Large-flowered vetch (Vicia grandiflora Scop.) is widely present in many Eurasian wild floras, where it has significance in improving grassland communities and environment-friendly uses as a cover crop and green manure. The main goal of this study was to assess the possibility of transforming large-flowered vetch into a field crop and assess the basics for its breeding. A small-plot trial was carried out in three consecutive growing seasons 2005–2008 in Novi Sad, including twelve large-flowered wild populations collected at various sites in Serbia and France from 2002 to 2004 and multiplied ex situ during subsequent years. The population MM 02/01 of Serbian origin had the highest three-year average proportion of plants surviving winter (0.96). The smallest average number of days from sowing to first flower was in the population MM 03/10 (199 days). The population MM 03/08 produced the highest forage dry matter (8.0 Mg ha^?1) yield stage between full flowering and forming first pods. The highest seed yield was in the population MM 03/10 (2,084 kg ha^?1). Forage dry matter yield was significantly correlated to main stem length (r = 0.932), number of fertile nodes (r = 0.710), number of internodes (r = 0.640) and number of leaves (r = 0.604). Seed yield was significantly correlated to number of pods (r = 0.930), number of seeds (r = 0.883), number of stems (r = 0.882) and number of fertile nodes (r = 0.768). Our study confirmed that large-flowered vetch may represent a stable and quality source of forage in temperate regions such as the Balkans, as well as that it may have its place in various crop rotations and farming systems. At the same time, the existing phenotypic variability offers a solid basis for further improvement of this species.     

Crop and Weed Growth in a Sequence of Spring Barley and Winter Wheat Crops Established Together from a Spring Sowing (Relay Cropping)

A relay cropping system of cereals, whereby winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was undersown in two‐row spring barley (Hordeum distichum L.), was established in a field trial in central Sweden in 1999 and continued until 2000. The purpose of the study was to examine crop and weed responses to different plant densities of the undersown winter crop. Winter wheat was sown at four seed rates (187, 94, 47 and 0 kg ha^?1) immediately after the sowing of barley. Barley was harvested in the first autumn after sowing and winter wheat in the second autumn. The grain yield of barley was not affected by the seed rate of wheat, and averaged 4580 kg ha^?1. Winter wheat did not vernalize during the first growing season but remained at the vegetative stage. The grain yield of wheat was 1990 kg ha^?1 for the lowest and 5610 kg ha^?1 for the highest seed rate of wheat. Whilst the undersowing process itself stimulated weed emergence in this experiment, increasing the undersowing seed rate reduced the population of perennial weeds by 40–70 %. In the second growing season, the total biomass of weeds was 66 % higher at the highest seed rate compared with the lowest seed rate.     

Transfer of Grain Legume Nitrogen within a Crop Rotation Containing Winter Wheat and Winter Barley

In a crop rotation trial, conducted from 1985 to 1988 at TU-Munich's research station in Roggenstein, the transfer of grain legume nitrogen was evaluated in crop rotations containing fababeans and dry peas as well as oats (reference crop) and winter wheat and winter barley as following crops. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: Dinitrogen fixation by fababeans ranged from 165 to 240 kg N ha¹, whereas N₂-fixation by peas amounted from 215 to 246 kg N ha^?1. In all seasons the calculated N-balance where only grain was removed was positive, with a net gain being on average 106 (peas) and 84 (fababeans) kg N ha^?1. After the harvest of peas 202 kg N ha^?1 remained on the field on average over seasons (158 kg N ha^?1 in the above ground biomass and 44 kg N ha^?1 as NO₃-N in 0–90 cm depth). As compared to peas, fababeans left 41 kg N ha^?1 less due to smaller amounts of nitrogen in the straw. After oats very small amounts of residual nitrogen (33 kg N ha^?1) were detected. After the harvest of grain legumes always a very high nitrogen mineralization was observed during autumn especially after peas due to a close C/N-relationship and higher amounts of nitrogen in the straw as compared to fababeans. In comparison with fababeans, N-mineralization after the cultivation of oats remained lower by more than 50%. During winter, seepage water regularly led to a considerable decrease of soil NO₃-N content. The N-leaching losses were especially high after cultivation of peas (80 kg N ha ^?1) and considerably lower after fababeans (50 kg N ha^?1) and oats (20 kg N ha^?1). As compared to oats, a higher NO₃-N content in soil was determined at the beginning of the growing period after preceding grain legumes. Therefore, winter wheat yielded highest after preceding peas (68 dt ha^?1) and fababeans (60 dt ha^?1) and lowest after preceding oats (42 dt ha^?1). The cultivation of grain legumes had no measurable effect on yield formation of the third crop winter barley in either of the growing seasons.     

Management of Italian and Perennial Ryegrasses for Seed and Forage Production in Crop Rotations

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and perennial ryegrass (L. perenne L.) can be grown for seed and forage in cold winter regions provided the stand persists well over winter. Seed yield and plant characteristics during primary growth, and forage yield during regrowth, were determined for two Italian and one perennial ryegrass cultivars in Atlantic Canada. Establishment methods and dates included sowing ryegrass in cultivated soil alone or with barley in mid‐May and, after harvesting the barley crop, by sowing ryegrass following conventional or reduced cultivation and by no‐till drilling into barley stubble in mid‐August and early September. Despite some winterkill, particularly in Italian ryegrass, seed and forage yields were adequate in post‐establishment growing seasons. Seed yield for Italian ryegrass was greatest (1270 kg ha^?1) when it was sown into cultivated soil in mid‐August and least (890 kg ha^?1) when sown alone in May. Italian ryegrass yielded 15–17 % more seed when plots were established in mid‐August rather than in mid‐May or early September. Italian ryegrass cv. Lemtal had a greater density of fertile tillers (1030 m^?2) in the sward than cv. Ajax (860 m^?2) and its tiller density was greater when seeded into cultivated soil in September than in mid‐August. There were fewer spikelets per seed head for sowing Italian ryegrass with barley in May than for the other methods of establishment. Forage yield in regrowth was greater for Italian ryegrass cv. Ajax (2770 kg ha^?1) than for cv. Lemtal (2480 kg ha^?1). Seed yield of perennial ryegrass was greater when seeded in mid‐May than in mid‐August or early September. The seed yield of perennial ryegrass was greater when it was sown with barley in May and harvested for grain, than when it was sown alone or with barley harvested at late milk stage. The establishment methods for mid‐August and early September sowing had little effect on seed yield. However, the no‐till and reduced tillage methods resulted in a greater tiller density than sowing into the cultivated seedbed. Fertile tillers tended to be denser under reduced cultivation for sowing in August. Forage yield of perennial ryegrass regrowth was not influenced by the sowing method and timing. In conclusion, Italian and perennial ryegrasses produce adequate seed and forage regrowth under different establishment methods and timing. However, the poor persistence of Italian ryegrass may limit commercial production after the establishment year in Atlantic Canada.     

Nitrogen use efficiency and fertiliser fate in a long-term experiment with winter cover crops

The use of winter cover crops enhances environmental benefits and, if properly managed, may supply economic and agronomic advantages. Nitrogen retained in the cover crop biomass left over the soil reduces soil N availability, which might enhance the N fertiliser use efficiency of the subsequent cash crop and the risk of depressive yield and pre-emptive competition. The main goal of this study was to determine the cover crop effect on crop yield, N use efficiency and fertiliser recovery in a 2-year study included in a long-term (10 years) maize/cover crop production system. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and vetch (Vicia sativa L.), as cover crops, were compared with a fallow treatment during the maize intercropping period. All treatments were cropped following the same procedure, including 130 kg N ha⁻¹ with ¹⁵N fertiliser. The N rate was reduced from the recommended N rate based on previous results, to enhance the cover crop effect. Crop yield and N uptake, soil N mineral and ¹⁵N fertiliser recovered in plants and the soil were determined at different times. The cover crops behaved differently: the barley covered the ground faster, while the vetch attained a larger coverage and N content before being killed. Maize yield and biomass were not affected by the treatments. Maize N uptake was larger after vetch than after barley, while fallow treatment provided intermediate results. This result can be ascribed to N mineralization of vetch residues, which results in an increased N use efficiency of maize. All treatments showed low soil N availability after the maize harvest; however, barley also reduced the N in the upper layers before maize planting, increasing the risk of pre-emptive competition. In addition to the year-long effect of residue decomposition, there was a cumulative effect on the soil’s capacity to supply N after 7 years of cover cropping, larger for the vetch than for the barley.     

Forage and Food Legumes in a Multi‐Year,Wheat‐Based Rotation Under Drought‐Stressed Conditions in Northern Syria’s Medium Rainfall Zone

Long‐term crop rotation trials were designed to assess sustainability of alternatives to traditional fallow and monocropping. The trial described here (6 years) involved wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in rotation with lentil (Lens culinaris L.), forage vetch (Vicia sativa), pasture medic (Medicago spp.), fallow and watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris). Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was compared with wheat for an additional 2 years. Cereal grain and straw yields were highest with fallow and watermelon followed by vetch, lentil and medic; the latter showed no differential effect of variable grazing intensity. Fertilizer N increased yields except in the low‐rainfall years (less than 250 mm). Barley out‐yielded wheat in terms of grain, but not straw. Medic yielded highest in dry matter, whereas lentil produced highest seed yield. Despite the difficulty of assessing crop and animal‐oriented rotations because of non‐commonality of outputs, economic considerations are foremost, but other benefits of rotations (soil quality, water‐use relations) are also relevant to the overall assessment of cereal‐based Mediterranean rotations. The study suggested barley rather than wheat as the desired cereal in rotation with legumes in this marginal‐rainfall (350 mm) environment and provided support for the viability of vetch and lentil in the cropping system. Given the importance of sheep in the region’s farming system, vetch is likely to have a major role in crop rotations.     

Effects of Time and Rate of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Application on the Growth and the Seed and Oil Yields of Canola (Brassica napus L.)

A field study was conducted to investigate the influence of variable rates of application of N and P fertilizers in splits at various times on the growth and the seed and oil yields of canola (Brassica napus L.) during 1995–97. Rates of fertilizer application were 0 and 0 (F0), 60 and 0 (F1), 0 and 30 (F2), 60 and 30 (F3), 90 and 60 (F4) and 120 and 90 (F5) kg N ha^?1 and kg P₂O₅ ha^?1. All the P was applied at sowing while N was applied in splits, i.e. all at sowing, half at sowing and half with first irrigation, or half at sowing and half at flowering. The responses of growth, seed yield and components of yield were consistent in both years. Increasing the rate of fertilizer application from F4 (90/60 kg N/P₂O₅ ha^?1) to F5 (120/90 kg N/P₂O₅ ha^?1) increased the leaf area index (LAI) relative to the control and to lower rates of fertilizer application. For both crops, application of 90/60 kg N/P₂O₅ ha^?1 significantly enhanced total dry matter (TDM) and seed yield. Seed yield increased mainly due to a greater number of pods per plant and seeds per seed‐pod. The time of fertilizer application did not significantly affect seed yield or components of yield in either season. Oil yield generally followed seed yield, increasing with increasing rate of fertilizer application up to 90/60 kg N/P₂O₅ ha^?1. The maximum oil contents were obtained from the control. The results show that seed and oil yields of canola were maximized at the F4 (90/60 kg N/P₂O₅ ha^?1) rate of application under the agro‐ecological conditions of Faisalabad, Pakistan.     

Annual Medicago as a Smother Crop in Soybean

Use of conservation tillage and narrow row spacing in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production has led to increased use of herbicides for weed control. Some producers are seeking alternative weed control methods, such as smother crops, that would reduce dependence on chemical weed control. A successful smother crop must compete strongly with weeds but minimally with the crop. In four environments, we intercropped three annual Medicago spp. (medics) with soybean to test their utility as a smother crop for weed control. Annual medics were intercropped with soybean at rates of 0, 85, 258, or 775 seeds m^?2, and the intercrops were grown with and without weed control. Increasing medic seeding rate decreased weed yields but also reduced soybean herbage and grain yields. For the weed‐controlled treatment, average soybean grain yields declined 7 kg ha^?1 for every 10 seeds m^?2 increase in medic seeding rate. Soybean grain yield was lower when grown with Medicago scutellata L. cv. Sava than when grown with Medicago polymorpha L. cv. Santiago or Medicago lupilina L. cv. George. Soybean grain yield was negatively related (r=?81) to medic herbage production. In the autumn following soybean harvest, medic residue ranged from 200 to 3700 kg ha^?1 depending on the location and seeding rate. Medics provided residue for soil protection, suppressed weeds, but also reduced soybean yields.     

Impact of Phosphorus from Dairy Manure and Commercial Fertilizer on Perennial Grass Forage Production

Increased recovery and recycling of manure phosphorus (P) by crops on dairy farms is needed to minimize environmental problems. The main objective of this study was to compare P utilization by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae Schreb.) from dairy manure or inorganic fertilizer. The study was conducted from 1994 to 2000 at the Cornell University Baker Farm, Willsboro, NY, on a somewhat poorly drained Kingsbury clay (very–fine, illitic, mesic Aeric Epiaqualfs). The design was a split‐plot in a randomized complete block with two manure rates (16 800 and 33 600 kg ha^?1) and one nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate (84 kg N ha^?1 at spring greenup and 56 kg N ha^?1 prior to each regrowth harvest) as the main plots and grass species as subplots replicated six times. Fertilizer P [Ca(H₂PO₄)₂] was applied to the fertilizer treatment in 1995 and 1996 at 11 kg P ha^?1 year^?1. Orchardgrass P removal averaged 21 % higher than tall fescue P removal for the spring harvest, but orchardgrass averaged 24 % lower P removal than tall fescue removal for all regrowth harvests from 1995–99. Phosphorus herbage concentration in the fertilizer treatment was in the range of 1.9–2.7 g P kg^?1 compared with 2.2–5.3 g P kg^?1 in the manure treatments. Seasonal P removal ranged from as low as 9.2 kg P ha^?1 to as high as 48.5 kg P ha^?1. Morgan extractable soil P in the top 0–0.20 m remained high through 1999, with 29.1 kg P ha^?1 at the highest manure rate in tall fescue compared with 8.4 kg P ha^?1 measured in 1993 prior to the experiment. In 2000, soil P at the highest manure rate in tall fescue dropped to 10.1 kg P ha^?1, following cessation of manure application in 1998. Intensively managed harvested orchardgrass and tall fescue have the potential to remove large quantities of manure P.     

Alfalfa Phytoestrogen Content: Impact of Plant Maturity and Herbage Components

Legumes contain a range of non‐nutritional phytochemicals that may have health‐promoting effects in humans. In this study, we determined the concentrations of four phytoestrogens (coumestrol, apigenin, luteolin and quercetin) in field‐grown alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Differences between plants of different stages of maturity, between plant parts, and different canopy segments were assessed. The concentration of individual phytoestrogen in whole herbage varied between 15 and 225 μg g^?1 dry matter (DM) and was strongly affected by stage of maturity. Coumestrol and apigenin concentrations were highest at early vegetative stages, luteolin and quercetin at early vegetative and late flowering stages. All phytoestrogens were found in lowest concentrations at the early flowering stage (average 68 μg g^?1 DM); stage at which alfalfa is usually harvested when used as a forage source for animals. At vegetative stages, apigenin was the predominant phytoestrogen in herbage followed by coumestrol, the reverse being observed upon initiation of flowering; luteolin and quercetin were found at all stages in similarly lower concentrations. Concentrations of luteolin, quercetin and apigenin were 225, 410 and 690 % greater, respectively, in flowers than in leaves or stems; coumestrol concentration was similar between plant parts. In flowers and stems the predominant phytoestrogens were apigenin and quercetin, followed by coumestrol and luteolin. Similar concentrations (average 26 μg g^?1 DM) of each of the four phytoestrogens were found in leaves. Concentrations through the herbage canopy varied and were greatest at >60 cm from the soil surface for apigenin and coumestrol, but greatest at >60 and 0–20 cm for quercetin and at 0–20 cm for luteolin. The results suggest that if alfalfa is to be used as a source of phytoestrogens and is harvested for the production of herbal supplements or nutraceuticals, management will need to be adapted.     

The Influence of Row Spacing and Seeding Rate on Seed Yield and Yield Components of Forage Turnip (Brassica rapa L.)

The effects of four row spacings (17.5, 35.0, 52.5 and 70.0 cm) and five seeding rates (50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 viable seeds m^?2) on seed yield and some yield components of forage turnip (Brassica rapa L.) were evaluated under rainfed conditions in Bursa, Turkey in the 1998–1999 and 1999–2000 growing seasons. Plant height, stem diameter, pods/terminal raceme, total pods/plant, seeds/pod and primary branches/plant were measured individually. The number of plants per unit area was counted and the lodging rate of the plots was scored. The seed yield and 1000‐seed weight were also determined. Row spacing and seeding rate significantly affected most yield components measured. The number of plants per unit area increased with increasing seeding rate and decreasing row spacing. Plant height was not greatly influenced by row spacing and seeding rate, but higher seeding rates reduced the number of primary branches and the stem diameter. The number of pods/main stem was affected by row spacing and but not by the seeding rate. Also, the number of seeds per pod was not affected by either the row spacing or the seeding rate. In contrast, the number of pods per plant clearly increased with increasing row spacing, but decreased with increasing seeding rate. The plots seeded at narrow row spacings and at high seeding rates were more sensitive to lodging. Seeding rate had no significant effect on seed yield in both years. Seed yield was similar at all seeding rates, averaging 1151 kg ha^?1. However, row spacing was associated with seed yield. The highest seed yield (1409 kg ha^?1) was obtained for the 35.0‐cm row spacing and 200 seeds m^?2 seeding rate combination without serious lodging problems.     

The Impact of Underseeding Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) on Timothy (Phleum pratense L.)-Clover (Trifolium pratense L.; Trifolium hybridum L.) Forage Production in a Cool Maritime Climate

Growing barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the year of forage establishment is a common agronomic practice in marginal growing regions, but is often not recommended to growers. We examined the effect of silage barley production over an establishing timothy (Phleum pratense L.)‐clover (Trifolium pratense L.; Trifolium hybridum L.) forage sward in a 4‐year study near St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. The experiment compared two barley varieties differing in plant height (semidwarf Chapais and Leger), three barley seeding rates and the effect of a forage understorey on forage (barley) production in the establishment year and forage (timothy‐clover) production in the subsequent year. The taller Leger yielded similar forage biomass to Chapais in the year of forage establishment, which (when planted at 375 plants m^?2) was roughly twice that of a pure‐stand timothy‐clover mix. Increasing the barley seeding rate from 125 to 375 plants m^?2 resulted in a linear increase in forage yield in the year of planting. The production of barley forage in the establishment year resulted in reduced timothy‐clover forage yield in the year following barley planted at 125 and 375 seeds m^?2, but not for barley planted at 250 seeds m^?2. Companion planting also altered forage species composition in that higher barley seeding rates resulted in 12–18 % less timothy and 2–4 % lower fibre levels in the year following planting. Barley seeded at rates of 250–375 seeds m^?2 and undersown with a timothy‐clover mixture (harvested at mid‐milk) resulted in greater forage yield of poorer quality than pure‐stand timothy‐clover in the planting year, and a barley seeding rate of 250 seeds m^?2 did not impede forage production in the subsequent year.     

Quantification and Simulation of Grazing Impacts on Soil Water in Boreal Grasslands

We conducted a 2‐year study in central Alberta to quantify and simulate the soil water status of boreal grasslands under three grazing systems using wapiti (Cervus elaphus Canadensis), viz. (1) ungrazed control (UNG), (2) high intensity [4.16 animal unit month per ha (AUM) ha^?1 ] short‐duration grazing (SDG) and (3) moderate intensity (2.08 AUM ha^?1) continuous grazing (CG). Soil water was measured from May 1997 to September 1998 to a depth of 15 cm. Total annual precipitation in 1997 and 1998 was 494 and 429 mm respectively. In both years grazing treatments reduced soil water. Soil water content under SDG was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than CG. Simulation of soil water on each grazing system was conducted using PASTURE, a simple compartmental system dynamics model. Evaluation of the model was conducted using statistical criteria that included calculation of average error, root mean square, coefficient of residual mass and modelling efficiency and comparing these statistics against optimal values. Although the model under‐predicted soil water, simulations of soil water for grazing treatments in both years were closest to measured values with modelling efficiency (how well observed values are close to simulated values) up to 68 %.     

Crop Management Effects on Pre-and Post-Anthesis Changes in Leaf Area Index and Leaf Area Duration and their Contribution to Grain Yield and Yield Components in Spring Cereals

Seasonal changes in leaf area index (LAI) and leaf area duration (LAD, i.e. LAI integrated over cumulated degree days) have a marked effect on crop productivity. Three case experiments were conducted at Suitia (60°11′N) and Viikki (60°13′N) Experimental Farms, University of Helsinki, Finland, to evaluate the possibilities of accelerating pre-an thesis expansion of leaf area and modifying pre- and post-anthesis LAD in spring cereals through crop management. Effects of time of incorporation of a green manure crop residue into the soil [conventional tillage (autumn ploughing and seed bed preparation in the spring), conservation tillage (sole spring tillage) with and without a green manure crop, common vetch (Vicia saliva I.)]and N fertilizer rate (0, 50, 100kg N ha^?1) on LAI and pre- and post-anthesis LAD in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were studied in exp I; green manuring (common vetch) and N fertilizer rate (0,40, 70,110,150kg N ha^?1) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and wheat in exp II; and foliar application of chlormequat chloride (CCC) and ethephon in oat lines (dwarf, naked, modern, landrace) differing in canopy structure in exp III. Time of incorporation of the green manure crop residues into the soil (exp I), green manuring (exp II), N fertilizer rate (exps I and II), and selection for crop growth type (exp III), but not CCC and ethephon, modified LAI and LAD in spring cereals by affecting the rate of pre-anthesis expansion and post-anthesis reduction in leaf area rather than by markedly prolonging the growth period. High rates of N fertilizer accelerated expansion of leaf area, especially prior to stem elongation, and resulted in high pre-anthesis LAD due to enhanced tiller growth (exps I and II) and more tillers per main shoot (exp I). Green manuring increased leaf expansion from the tillering stage most when combined with high N rate, and especially in barley (exp II), but no such effects were found in exp I. Use of a high N fertilizer rate (exps I and II) and green manuring (exp II) also resulted in high post-anthesis LAD. Such modifications enabled higher rates of grain- and head-filling, and in exp I contributed to increased head weight and grain yield. Selection for inherent differences in growth type provided an additional possibility for manipulation of canopy structure and yield formation.     

Effects of Temperature and Photoperiod on Days to Flowering, Yield and Yield Components of Lupinus albus (L.) under Field Conditions

A better understanding of the agronomic importance of planting date and the influence of cold temperatures and photoperiod during germination and plant growth may lead to better management strategies for cultivation of the sweet white lupin (Lupinus albus). The effects of planting date (temperature and photoperiod) were determined on the number of days to flowering, yield and yield components of four early to medium and one late sweet white lupin genotype in a field trial at Potchefstroom, South Africa, planted during February 1996 to January 1997. Moisture stress was avoided through regular irrigation. Duration of the developmental phases planting date to emergence, emergence to floral initiation, initiation to first flower, duration of flower and days to physiological and harvest maturity was related to field measurements of temperature and photoperiod. Differences in the main determinants of yield, i.e. seeds per pod, pods per plant, single seed mass (SSM), plant and pod height and yield, were measured. Results showed that both temperature and photoperiod influence the growth and development of the Lupinus albus genotypes ‘Esta’, ‘Hantie’, ‘Tifwhite’, ‘Kiev’ and ‘LAL 186’. Temperature influences include the effect of vernalization at seedling emergence. Minimum grass temperatures under 5 °C at emergence are effective for vernalization. However, after grass temperatures at emergence increased again from June to December, to gether with an increase in the photoperiod length, ‘Tifwhite’ as well as the other genotypes still flowered earlier, confirming that these cultivars are long‐day plants, which is in accordance with controlled‐environment data. Cool vernalizing temperatures thus not only influence obligate vernalization requiring genotypes such as ‘Tifwhite’, but also influence the non‐obligate genotypes studied. Plan‐ting date had a significant influence on pods per plant, single seed mass (SSM) and seed yield. In all trials laterplanting, from June to November, decreased SSM and seed yield. The highest seed yield of 1.5 t ha^?1 was obtained for the 10 June planting date and the lowest average yield of 0.450 t ha^?1 for the 5 November planting date.