Persistence and Spread of Kura Clover in Cool‐Season Grass Pastures

Abstract

promise for longevity in pastures of the north-central USA (Sheaffer et al., 1992). Exceptional winterhardi-Legumes can improve productivity and quality of cool-season grass ness, tolerance to drought (Black and Lucas, 2000; Watpastures but often do not persist under grazing. In May of 1997 and 1998, field experiments were planted in cool-season grass pastures son et al., 1998), and tolerance to frequent defoliation near Morris, MN, to evaluate establishment and persistence of kura (Peterson et al., 2002; Peterson et al., 1994a) have inclover (Trifolium ambiguum Bieb.) compared with alfalfa (Medicago creased interest in the potential of kura clover as a sativa L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), and red clover component in pasture-based livestock production sys-(Trifolium pratense L.) under grazing pressure in the north-central tems. These characteristics are linked to its extensive, USA. Each spring, from planting through 2002, stands of these leroot-rhizome complex (Peterson et al., 1994b). In Wisgumes were evaluated for persistence. Pastures were grazed five or consin, Holstein steers grazing kura clover/mixed coolsix times per growing season for 12-h grazing periods by lactating season grass pastures gained an average of 1.2 kg d Ϫ1 dairy cows (Bos taurus L.) over the duration of the study. Kura clover and more than 1000 kg ha Ϫ1 during 3 yr of rotational stand density was low relative to the other species in the growing stocking (Mourino et al., 2002). The consistently supeseason after establishment but increased and maintained denser stands in subsequent growing seasons. Alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, and red clo-

Kura Clover Forage Yield Contribution Increases Over Time When Seeded in Mixture with Grasses in Southwestern Québec

“…Kura clover has the potential to cause bloat when contributing in large proportions to total forage yield (10,15). Kura clover has been reported to successfully establish with different grasses species, either when direct-seeded in mixtures or used to renovate grass-dominated pastures (1,5,6,16). Despite its great potential, KC use remains marginal mainly due to a characteristic slow development (3,5,6,13,14).…”

“…Despite its great potential, KC use remains marginal mainly due to a characteristic slow development (3,5,6,13,14). Kura clover's contribution to yield is initially minimal; it however gradually increases in post-seeding years (1,2,5,6). If KC's development pattern is well known, there is however limited information on how KC yield contribution over time may differ when seeded with various grass species.…”

Overseeding Unimproved Warm-Season Pasture with Cool- and Warm-Season Legumes to Enhance Forage Productivity

“…It is debatable whether such a slow rate of improvement could be recommended for practical application, although slow colonization is not unique to the species or conditions studied here; Cuomo et al (2003), for example, reported that Kura clover took 4 years from planting to reach its greatest stand density. If vegetative spread provides a more persistent stand of legume, as indicated by Beuselinck et al, (1994) and Woods and Caddel (1994), then slow colonization may be acceptable in low-input systems, especially if it is associated with low cost and limited disturbance to existing pasture.…”

“…Overseeding with lespedeza increased harvested N yield by an average of 40 kg ha −1 over four years. The effect of cool-season overseeding on N yield was most apparent in the years (2002 and 2003) immediately following sowing of legumes and was reduced in the final two years of the experiment, so that there was no significant difference in N yield between legume-oversown and unimproved pasture plots by the final year of the experiment (Table 5. , based on Cuomo et al, (2003), can be established by no-till seeding into nearly-dormant unimproved warmseason pasture. The results showed, however, that establishment of an apparently satisfactory plant stand did not necessarily result in significant production of legume.…”

“…Some yield limitation may be attributed to the low productivity of the experimental site that is typical of unimproved mixed grass pasture in the SGP (Berg, 1995;Gillen and Berg, 1998), but the use of a no-till management regime in the work reported here is also likely to have reduced legume production. In contrast with other research, for example, that of Cuomo et al, (2003) and Laberge et al, (2005), no chemical suppression of the existing crop was made prior to sowing legumes, even though this has been identified as an important determinant of success for overseeded forages (Bartholomew, 2005). Warmseason grass suppression was not undertaken here because the warm-season pasture was close to the end of its growing season when cool-season legumes were sown and it was assumed that existing pasture would not compete with establishing legumes.…”