Effect of Harvesting Practices on Foliage and Root Development, Digestibility, Cold Hardiness and Nodulation of Birdsfoot Trefoil

Abstract

Empire, Leo, Viking and Wallace cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil were evaluated in a greenhouse experiment for total forage production, aerial and root growth, in vitro digestibility, cold hardiness, etiolated regrowth and modulation. Plants were harvested at the vegetative stage (four harvests); 10% bloom (three harvests); 50% bloom (two harvests); and maximum growth (one harvest), at two stubble heights, 2.5 and 7.5 cm. Harvesting at the maximum growth stage produced the most dry matter but the lowest digestibility, with the greatest etiolated regrowth and best nodulation. Production at the vegetative stage produced the least forage which was the most digestible. Empire was the most productive cultivar, with a hardiness rating equal to Leo. At the 10 and 50% bloom stages, Wallace equalled this cultivar in production and there was no difference between the four cultivars in forage production when harvested at the vegetative stage. Viking appeared to be the least hardy of the cultivars examined, although it produced more etiolated regrowth than Empire and Wallace but not as much as Leo. This experiment shows that criteria other than total production must be examined in evaluating birdsfoot trefoil cultivars.

Dinitrogen (C2H2) fixation, total plant yield, and total nitrogen percentage in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) as affected by plant density, cutting management, and cultivar

“…Langille and Calder (1971) reported more nodulation on birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) with a decreased frequency of harvests.…”

“…After cut ting, however, these nodules were replaced by new ones lo cated on the tap root as well as by nodules on the lateral root branches farther belpw the soil surface. Langille and Calder (1971) studied birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.). When harvested at a height of 7.5 cm rather than at 2.5 cm, there were significantly more nodules per plant.…”

Birdsfoot Trefoil Management. I. Root Growth and Carbohydrate Storage

“…They also stated that increased harvest frequency lowered the root weight. Workers in Canada found that root weights decreased as cutting frequency increased, regardless of cultivar or stubble height (Langille and Calder, 1971 ). Other researchers reported a difference in root weight in response to harvest treatments by different germplasms of birdsfoot trefoil (Pierre and Jackobs, 1953).…”

Tree canopy effect on grass and grass/legume mixtures in eastern Nebraska

“…Birdsfoot trefoil can tolerate many growing conditions, can grow where soil properties or environmental conditions make alfalfa production difficult, and will grow under drought conditions (Beuselinck and Grant 1995;Undersander et al 1993). The nutritive value of BFT has been suggested to be equal to or greater than that of alfalfa (Langilee and Calder 1971;Marten and Jordan 1979). The purpose of this study was to evaluate tree and forage species common to the central Great Plains, as to their potential in silvopasture systems.…”