‘Snowstorm’, a New Forage Kochia Cultivar with Improved Stature, Productivity, and Nutritional Content for Enhanced Fall and Winter Grazing

Abstract

‘Snowstorm’ (Reg. No. CV‐8, PI 666938) forage kochia [Bassia prostrata (L.) A.J. Scott; syn. Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad.] was released on 22 Mar. 2012 by the USDA‐ARS and the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station. Snowstorm was evaluated as OTVSEL and Otavny‐select and was developed as a synthetic cultivar using two cycles of recurrent selection for stature, forage production, and adaptation to semiarid environments. Snowstorm was compared with the standard forage kochia cultivar, Immigrant, and other ARS experimental forage kochia populations. Research has shown that Immigrant can increase rangeland productivity three‐ to sixfold and provides critical protein (>70 g kg−1) during the fall and winter for livestock and wildlife; however, Immigrant is easily covered by snow because of its short stature. In field comparisons with Immigrant, Snowstorm was similar to Immigrant in establishment and adaptation on semiarid rangelands but was 64% taller (77 versus 47 cm), produced 68% more forage (2526 versus 1504 kg ha−1), and had a 22% higher protein content (79 versus 65 g kg−1) and 4% higher digestibility (674 versus 648 g kg−1) (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, DNA fingerprinting showed that Snowstorm, Immigrant, and experimental populations were genetically unique and distinct from each other. Snowstorm is named for its ability to extend the grazing season into the fall and winter and because it provides ranchers and land managers a new, taller, more productive, more nutritious forage kochia cultivar capable of increasing carrying capacity and nutritional content of fall and winter grazinglands, including locations where snow cover had limited forage kochia use in the past.

Factors Influencing the Field Germination of Forage Kochia

“…Forage kochia has limited stored reserves (Balyan, 1972) due to its seed size. The higher field germination percentages of Sahsel (Table 3) suggest it may benefit from added stored reserves from having a 25% larger seed (0.12 g 100‐seed −1 ) than Immigrant (0.09 g 100‐seed −1 ) (Waldron et al, 2013). This can be especially important as favorable environmental conditions begin to deteriorate in the spring similar to the rising temperature and lack of precipitation that occurred in our study (Table 4, Fig.…”

Genotype and Planting Date Influence on Establishment and Growth of Bassia prostrata (L) A.J. Scott in a Semiarid Subtropical Dry Winter Region

“…Scott (syn. Kochia prostrata)) is known as "the alfalfa of the desert" in its area of origin because of its forage value for ruminants [2,3]. Bassia prostrata is a long-lived semishrub (nonwoody stems) that is native to arid and semiarid areas from the Mediterranean Basin to Siberia which was introduced to North America in the 1960s [2,4,5].…”

“…Bassia prostrata is a long-lived semishrub (nonwoody stems) that is native to arid and semiarid areas from the Mediterranean Basin to Siberia which was introduced to North America in the 1960s [2,4,5]. It has demonstrated potential as forage for multiple classes of livestock and wildlife [2,3,5], as well as for soil stabilization and reclamation on western rangelands [6,7] due to drought tolerance [8], being more salt tolerant than alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and tall wheatgrass (Thinypyrum ponticum L.) [9], and being competitive against many annual weeds [10]. B. prostrata is different from its weedy annual relative, Kochia scoparia, because it is not invasive in perennial plant communities, spreading primarily by seed [3], and is not known to contain any compounds toxic to livestock [2,5].…”

“…Waldron et al [2,3] reported biomass production of 1348 to 2471 kg ha −1 in rainfed conditions of 100 to 200 mm, but they also stated that some studies had measured yields of up to 6000 kg ha −1 . Bailey et al [7] reported that the nutritive value of B. prostrata ranged from 8% to 12% crude protein and Harrison et al [11] reported crude protein concentrations of 9% and 14% in March and August, respectively, all of which were consistent to or slightly higher than that measured by Waldron et al [3].…”

Forage Intake and Wastage by Ewes in Pea/Hay Barley Swath Grazing and Bale Feeding Systems

“…Winter feeding costs are some of the highest inputs associated with livestock production [1]. Costs of traditional baled feeding systems include harvesting and baling hay, maintaining machinery, moving, stacking, and feeding bales, and removing wastage and manure [2].…”