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Publication Date
1981
Description
Intensive forage production requires fertilizer nitrogen (N), the manufacture of which depends upon fossil-fuel energy. Increasing energy costs and possible scarcity raise doubts about the future. Thus, there has been renewed interest in forage legume production. In ongoing research at The West of Scotland Agricultural College, the effects of applied N levels and closeness of cutting on white dover varieties of differing morphological types are being assessed under a simulated grazing regimen. Also, the influence on production of white clover, diploid and tetraploid red clover, and lucerne swards, sown alone or with each of five companion grasses, is being evaluated under a simulated conservation regimen with no applied N; in a third experiment, the same four legumes, sown alone and in all possible combinations, are evaluated under similar management. In the white clover experiment, mean total herbage dry matter (DM) responded from 7.62 metric tons (t)/ha at no N to 12.20 t/ha at 360 kg/ha N; conversely, clover contribution declined. Close defoliation increased both total herbage and clover DM. The absence of variety x applied N interactions suggested that varieties did not differ in tolerance to applied N. In the legume-companion grass experiment, red clover at 15.99 t/ha DM outyielded lucerne (10 . .38 t/ha) and white clover (9.55 t/ha). Mean annual DM yields were 13 . .36 t/ha for legume-grass mixtures and 12.10 t/ha for pure-sown legumes. In the legumemixture experiment, red clover dominated other legumes, and annual DM yields ranged from 14.46 to 16.16 t/ha. Red clover sown alone also outyielded lucerne and white clover. White dover increased organic-matter digestibility where it made up a substantial content of the sward. The future role of forage legumes is to substitute for or complement manufactured N fertilizers and provide high-quality forage. Legume exploitation will also depend upon how well legumes can be integrated into farming systems.
Citation
Frame, J; Harkess, R D.; and Boyd, A G., "The Potential of Forage Legumes and Their Role in Scotland" (1981). IGC Proceedings (1977-2023). 2.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1981/section9/2)
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The Potential of Forage Legumes and Their Role in Scotland
Intensive forage production requires fertilizer nitrogen (N), the manufacture of which depends upon fossil-fuel energy. Increasing energy costs and possible scarcity raise doubts about the future. Thus, there has been renewed interest in forage legume production. In ongoing research at The West of Scotland Agricultural College, the effects of applied N levels and closeness of cutting on white dover varieties of differing morphological types are being assessed under a simulated grazing regimen. Also, the influence on production of white clover, diploid and tetraploid red clover, and lucerne swards, sown alone or with each of five companion grasses, is being evaluated under a simulated conservation regimen with no applied N; in a third experiment, the same four legumes, sown alone and in all possible combinations, are evaluated under similar management. In the white clover experiment, mean total herbage dry matter (DM) responded from 7.62 metric tons (t)/ha at no N to 12.20 t/ha at 360 kg/ha N; conversely, clover contribution declined. Close defoliation increased both total herbage and clover DM. The absence of variety x applied N interactions suggested that varieties did not differ in tolerance to applied N. In the legume-companion grass experiment, red clover at 15.99 t/ha DM outyielded lucerne (10 . .38 t/ha) and white clover (9.55 t/ha). Mean annual DM yields were 13 . .36 t/ha for legume-grass mixtures and 12.10 t/ha for pure-sown legumes. In the legumemixture experiment, red clover dominated other legumes, and annual DM yields ranged from 14.46 to 16.16 t/ha. Red clover sown alone also outyielded lucerne and white clover. White dover increased organic-matter digestibility where it made up a substantial content of the sward. The future role of forage legumes is to substitute for or complement manufactured N fertilizers and provide high-quality forage. Legume exploitation will also depend upon how well legumes can be integrated into farming systems.
