Offered Papers Theme A: Efficient Production from Grassland
Description
Organic farmers must use only organically produced seed for establishing new meadows and for, renovation and undersowing of old pastures, in accordance with EC regulations. Therefore an important and difficult goal is to obtain enough seed of grasses without the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilisers. The seed yield is closely related to the number of fertile tillers, which depends on adequate nitrogen in the soil. Growing grasses for seed with a legume, as a companion crop, is one possibility for providing a source of organic nitrogen. Aamlid (1999) claimed that growing timothy together with white clover or alsike clover can produce yields of timothy grass seed comparable to conventional production. The need for more information about growing grasses with leguminous crops was emphasised by Marshall & Humphreys (2002) and was the subject of this research.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Black Medick - A Beneficial Companion Crop for Use in Organic Grass Production
Organic farmers must use only organically produced seed for establishing new meadows and for, renovation and undersowing of old pastures, in accordance with EC regulations. Therefore an important and difficult goal is to obtain enough seed of grasses without the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilisers. The seed yield is closely related to the number of fertile tillers, which depends on adequate nitrogen in the soil. Growing grasses for seed with a legume, as a companion crop, is one possibility for providing a source of organic nitrogen. Aamlid (1999) claimed that growing timothy together with white clover or alsike clover can produce yields of timothy grass seed comparable to conventional production. The need for more information about growing grasses with leguminous crops was emphasised by Marshall & Humphreys (2002) and was the subject of this research.
