Herbicide application and direct drilling improves establishment and yield of chicory and plantain

Abstract

The herbs chicory ( C ichorium intybus L.) and plantain ( P lantago lanceolata L.) are increasingly popular summer forage cropping options for dairy producers. However, the impact of different establishment methods on their productivity is largely unknown. Four establishment methods for chicory and plantain crops sown into non‐cultivated ryegrass pastures in spring were compared. Establishment methods included direct‐drilling or broadcasting seed into existing pastures, with or without herbicide application before sowing in a 2 × 2 factorial design. It was hypothesized that plant establishment and growth would be enhanced by spraying to kill existing ryegrass pasture and direct‐drilling herbs (Spray and Drill, SD) compared with broadcasting seed with no herbicide application (Unsprayed and Broadcast, UB). This hypothesis was supported with an additional 2·1–2·3 t DM ha−1 grown over 201 d from swards established by SD, compared with swards established by UB. The SD method also increased the plant density of the herbs and reduced the proportion of weed species. Spraying and direct drilling is more expensive than broadcasting seed with no herbicide application, but the increase in yield means that extra feed can be supplied at less than half the cost of purchasing the equivalent amount of feed. Therefore, for optimal economic outcomes, chicory and plantain swards should be established by applying herbicide to existing pasture and direct‐drilling seed.

Rumen Fermentation and Fatty Acid Composition of Milk of Mid Lactating Dairy Cows Grazing Chicory and Ryegrass

“…Alternative forages, such as chicory (CH; Cichorium intybus L.) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) present an opportunity to improve the FA composition of milk whilst meeting environmental and economic requirements in pastoral livestock systems. Chicory has long been considered a useful component of the pastoral system in temperate regions [12], providing benefits of improved mineral nutrition [13,14] and producing a large amount of high-quality summer feed compared to RGWC when sown as monoculture or in diverse swards [15][16][17]. Chicory contains more readily fermentable carbohydrates (non-fibre carbohydrates; NFC) than ryegrass/white clover (Lolium perenne L./Trifolium repens L.; RGWC) herbage [18], which may increase the concentration of total VFA and lower rumen pH during ruminal fermentation.…”

Herbage dry‐matter production and forage quality of three legumes and four non‐leguminous forbs grown in single‐species stands

“…Collins and McCoy, ; Kunelius and MacRae, ; Li and Kemp, ) and to a lesser extent for ribwort plantain (Sanderson et al ., ,b). These two species are high yielding relative to many other forbs (Labreveux et al ., ) and are included in some commercial forage mixtures, for instance, in New Zealand dairy pastures (Glassey et al ., ), but agronomic information on other forbs is sparse. In particular, quantitative data from field trials carried out during the growing season on potential dry‐matter (DM) yield and feed value of non‐leguminous forbs relative to grasses and the main forage legumes, and in relation to environmental factors, are lacking.…”

Evaluación del establecimiento de tres cultivares de achicoria (Cichorium intybus L.) en siembra asociada a ballica bianual y avena en la comuna de Purranque

“…Análisis nutricional según variedades de achicoria. 25% vs. un 20% de Glassey et al (2013), lo cual nos permite sugerir que los datos de Glassey et al (2013), tienen que ser de plantas más maduras, o que su análisis fue realizado en una etapa mas tardía del cultivo. Sin embargo, al compararlos en energía metabolizable, los datos son similares a los aportados por Sepúlveda et al (2011).…”

“…Al referirnos al contenido de cenizas totales de los cv en estudio, no existen marcadas diferencias, puesto que al compararlos con Sepúlveda et al (2011), las diferencias son de 5%. No obstante Glassey et al (2013) entregan en su estudio contenidos de cenizas totales cercanas al 14%, lo que refleja diferencias de 2% con el contenido de cenizas totales (12%) obtenidas en este estudio.…”

“…Las características que se han observado en otros países de clima mediterráneo en el primer año son, un muy rápido establecimiento en relación con otras especies, con excelente adaptación al pastoreo, gran respuesta a la fertilización nitrogenada, con una elevada producción de forraje en primavera y verano (sobre los 100 kg MS ha -1 d -1 ) (Li y Kemp, 2005). Las características nutritivas de la achicoria muestran que tiene cerca de un 20% de proteína cruda, una fibra detergente ácido cercano al 23%, una fibra detergente neutro de alrededor de un 26%, azúcar soluble de un 13%, almidón cercano a 1,4%, 14% de cenizas totales, una digestibilidad in vitro de la MS del 73% y una energía metabolizable cercana a 2,8 Mcal kg MS -1 , todo esto en base a materia seca (Glassey, 2013).…”