Yield, Legume Introduction, and Persistence in Permanent Pastures¹

Abstract

Permanent pasture in hill land is frequently on steep and/or rough land unsuited to frequent travel with ground equipment. Ways are needed to introduce and maintain legumes on such land. This study involved 18 treatments using P (208 kg/ha), Mo (2.2 kg/ha), lime (6.5 metric ton/ha), rototilling and white clover, Trifolium repens L. seed (2.2 kg/ha) in various combinations on two permanent pastures in central West Virginia to investigate ways of increasing yields and introducing legumes, and to determine persistence of introduced legumes. A limestone soil (Typic Hapludalf) produced higher yields when treated than a sandstone soil (Typic Dystrochrept) but the reverse was true when no treatments were applied. Legume introduction was more successful on limestone soil than sandstone soil. Phosphorus application was the most critical aspect of treatment on the limestone soil relative to legume introduction and yield increase, whereas liming was the most critical aspect of treatment on the sandstone soil. Legumes on the limestone soil accounted for over 75% of the total forage produced on some plots the year following treatment. Total legume content decreased after the 2nd year and reached a low of near 10% during the 4th year. Volunteer legumes, mostly white clover and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), accounted for as high a percentage of the total yield as the seeded legume during the 4th and 5th years. On the sandstone soil none of the treatments resulted in enough legumes to account for more than 20% of the forage. Introduction of legumes increased yield and skewed the seasonal distribution pattern toward a higher percentage of total yields early in the season. Molybdenum did not influence legume introduction, yield, or persistence.

Persistence of Legumes in Hill Land Pasture Following Sod Seeding

“…During the experiment, the area was rotationally grazed and at each grazing most of the forage was removed. These results under grazing are nearly identical to those reported from earlier clipping studies in West Virginia (BAKER 1980). WOLFE (1970) presents the following as a typical pattern of development when native pastures are improved in Australia.…”

“…Experiments have shown that hill pastures can be improved both in terms of quality and quantity by lime and fertilizer applications (BAKER 1980, BROWN et al 1960, VAN KEUREN 1976. SMITH et al (1944) concluded that satisfactory stands of various grasses and legumes can be obtained quickly by tillage, treatment BRYAN with lime and P, and seeding.…”

“…They suggested that controlled grazing of new seedings would be beneficial. BAKER (1980) compared the effects of various combinations of molybdenum, P, and lime applications, seeding with white clover {Trifolium repens L.), and rototilling on pasture yield and on legume introduction and persistence. He found that P was the most critical treatment on a limestone soil, whereas hming was the most critical on a sandstone soil.…”

Conditions that favor clover establishment in permanent grass swards

“…It also was hypothesized that soil fertility, especially P and K concentrations, and rotational grazing had a major influence on the success of clover establishment (Dunlop et al . ; Baker ; Hill and Hoveland ; Frame ). Soil fertility and rotational grazing were not manipulated in that study, however, so the importance of these variables could not be quantified precisely.…”

Legume establishment and persistence at sites varying in landscape position, grazing method, and soil characteristics

“…It has been shown that legumes can increase the productivity and quality of a grass pasture. In order to secure a legume component in the sward, legumes have been successfully established in both cool-season and warm-season grass sods by reduced tillage methods (Baker 1980;Bryan 1985;Decker et al, 1969;Dovel et al, 1990;George et al, 1995;Mueller and Chamblee, 1984;Olsen et al, 1981;Taylor et al, 1969). Frost-seeding has also been documented to successfully establish legumes in cool-season grasses when Graber (1927) established yellow sweetclover in Kentucky bluegrass sods, and more recently by George et al (1995) and Gettle et al(1996) in warm-season grasses.…”