The impact of legumes to above ground biomass in grassland and to subsequent crops
2007
Kadžiuliene, T., Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Kedainiai (Lithuania) | Šarunaite, L., Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Këdainiai (Lithuania) | Kadžiulis, L., Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Këdainiai (Lithuania)
The stable balance between legumes and grasses in the swards, sustainable forage production over several years are still relevant objectives in grassland management. A whole range factors and their interactions influence the potential of legumes as nitrogen suppliers. The experiments on a loamy Endocalcari-Epihypogleyic Cambisol in Dotnuva (55 degree 24 N) were aimed to assess the impact of several legumes to above ground biomasss in grassland experiment and to subsequent crops in crop rotation experiments. Different swards consisting of Trifolium repens L., Medicago sativa L., Lolium perenne L., Poa pratensis L, Festulolium hybrid in were investigated under grazing management. The proportion of legumes in the legume/grass mixtures fluctuated both from year to year and within individual growth periods, and was very strongly influenced by environmental stress. The yield of legumes in the swards consisting lucerne after eight years of grazing accounted for nearly half and even more than half of the total sward yield. The content of white clover decreased more rapidly than content of lucerne. Among three functional groups (legumes, grasses and forbs), the persistence and competition of grasses with increasing sward age decreased. A positive effect of lucerne on stability of grazing swards was obtained over eight years. The effect of different legume/grass swards on the subsequent winter wheat crop depended on sward composition, and highest grain yield was obtained after ploughed-in lucerne. Spring wheat following lucerne/grass swards produced a higher grain yield than those red clover swards. Pre-crop of white clover and conventional drilling significantly affected winter wheat grain yield and the yield of triticale was higher following wheat after pre-crops that included white clover. The highest winter wheat and following barley grain yield was achieved on the ploughed-in legumes plots using conventional sowing method.
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