Forage Yield, Quality, Compatibility, and Persistence of Warm‐Season Grass—Legume Mixtures

Abstract

Development of compatible, persistent, wann-season f:rass-legume mixtuns could increase forage yield and quality during summer months. We established a trial to detennine forage yield, quality, species compatibility, and persistence of binary mixtures of wann·st·ason grasses with selected legumes, five of which are native to the ~:entral USA. Grass entries were switchgrass (Panicum virgaJum L.), sideoats grama (Bouleloua curtipendula Michx.), and indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash]. Legume entries were purple prairieclover [Dalea purpurea Vent.; syn. Petalostemon purpureum (Vent.) Rydb.], roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata Michx.), leadplant fAmorplra canescens Pursh), Ulinois bundleOower [Desmanthus illinoensis (Mich{.) MacMill., B. Robins. & Fern.), catclaw sensitive brier [Schrankia nuttaUii (DC.) Standi.), and cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.), a cool-season species. Unfertilized grass plots without legumes also were included. The experiment was on a Haynie very fine sandy loam soil (coarse-silty, mixed, calcareous, mesic Typic Udifluvents). All mixtures containing purple prairieclover, roundhead lespedeza, Illinois bunolleflower, or catclaw sensitive brier yielded more forage than did g1·asses grown alone or with leadplant, except for pure switchgrass in 1986. All legumes increased the crude protein concentration of fora:~e compared to that of grass-alone plots, except for leadplant with switchgrass in 1986. Inclusion of catclaw sensitive brier and cicer milkvetch with grasses consistently improved in vitro digestible dry mutter concentration (IVDDM), while inclusion of roundhead lespedeza, leadplant, and Illinois bundleflower generally resulted in decreased IVDDM concentration of forage. Purple prairieclover generally did :mot influence JVDMD of mixtures. Persistence of all legumes was good. Cicer milkvetch was not compatible with these grasses because it developed a thick, dense canopy prior to initiation of growth by these grasses.T HE ADVANTAGES OF COOL-SEASON LEGUMES in coolseason pasture and hayland plantings :have been well documented (Burns and Standaert, 1985;Wagner, 1954). Including adapted legumes with grasses in a mixture has consistently increased forage yield and quality compared to unfertilized grasses. Rumbaugh et al. (1982) reported that interplanting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or cicer milkvetch into a stand of crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch.) Schult.] significantly increased forage yield, as well as protein concentration and yield of the grass. Broadcast-seeding of biennial sweetclover [Melilotus officina/is (L.) Desr.] into native range increased yield and protein concentration of western wheatgrass [Pascopyron smithii (Rydb.) A. LOve] (Nichols and Johnson, 1969).Cool-season legumes may not be satisfactory companion species in warm-season grass pastun!s. Differences in seedling vigor, optimum time of establishment,

Restoring Tallgrass Prairie Species Mixtures on Leafy Spurge-Infested Rangeland

“…Legumes may improve N availability in degraded rangeland ecosystems, while providing a sustainable and higher quality forage resource. Posler et al (1993) Total vegetation yield (planted species yield + resident vegetation yield) responses to the treatments varied by site. At Mason City, the interaction of herbicide and planting treatments was significant (P < 0.05) (Table 5).…”

Restoring tallgrass prairie species mixtures on leafy spurge-infested rangeland

“…Legumes may improve N availability in degraded rangeland ecosystems, while providing a sustainable and higher quality forage resource. Posler et al (1993) found that certain legumes native to the central Great Plains, e.g., Illinois bundleflower, roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata Michx. ), and catclaw sensitivebriar [Mimosa quadrivalvis var.…”

Self-Seeding Warm-Season Legumes for Low-Input Forage Production in the Southern Great Plains of the USA

“…Feed quality of unimproved warm-season pastures in the Southern Great Plains (SGP) can be improved by in-clusion of legumes in the system [1] [2]. Annual forage legumes may be productive during the summer months [3] [4], but their adoption by low-input farmers is often constrained by limited resources for cultivation and sowing.…”