Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
A three-year study on the use of mefluidide, a plant growth regulator, for suppressing seed-head production in a range of grass is reported. The first stage, involving the evaluation of a range of does and timings on up to nine grass species, indicated the potential of mefluidide applied at 150 g ha-1 in early spring to prevent the normal decline in herbage quality associated with flowering and to transfer growth from spring to mid-summer, albeit at a loss of some 30% in total dry-matter production. A supplementary investigation showed that white clover was reasonably tolerant to mefluidide treatment although a shortening of the main stolons undermined the plants' exploitive character. A one-year grazing experiment, aimed at measuring sward and livestock responses to mefluidide at 160 g ha-1 applied either in March or April, confirmed the value of early spraying for evening out grass growth; losses in total yield were less than those recorded in the cutting experiments. Animal grazing days, corrected for increasing liveweights of core animals, indicated the usefulness of the March-applied treatment. There is now a need to devise a grazing system to exploit this potential.
Citation
Haggar, R J. and Isaac, S P., "Regulating Grass and Clover Growth with Mefludide" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 33.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1985/ses3/33)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Regulating Grass and Clover Growth with Mefludide
Kyoto Japan
A three-year study on the use of mefluidide, a plant growth regulator, for suppressing seed-head production in a range of grass is reported. The first stage, involving the evaluation of a range of does and timings on up to nine grass species, indicated the potential of mefluidide applied at 150 g ha-1 in early spring to prevent the normal decline in herbage quality associated with flowering and to transfer growth from spring to mid-summer, albeit at a loss of some 30% in total dry-matter production. A supplementary investigation showed that white clover was reasonably tolerant to mefluidide treatment although a shortening of the main stolons undermined the plants' exploitive character. A one-year grazing experiment, aimed at measuring sward and livestock responses to mefluidide at 160 g ha-1 applied either in March or April, confirmed the value of early spraying for evening out grass growth; losses in total yield were less than those recorded in the cutting experiments. Animal grazing days, corrected for increasing liveweights of core animals, indicated the usefulness of the March-applied treatment. There is now a need to devise a grazing system to exploit this potential.
