Effect of cultivar and grazing intensity in spring on shear and compression energies of dry mature subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)

1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 1199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Ru ◽  
J. A. Fortune
Keyword(s):  
Flowering Time ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Leaf Petiole ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Shear Energy

Twenty-six cultivars of subterranean clover were divided into 3 maturity groups according to the flowering time and sown in 2 blocks with 4 replicates. The plots were grazed under 2 intensities (hard and lax) during the growing season. The proportions of leaf, petiole, stem, and burr before senescence, dry matter digestibility (DMD), herbage availability, and seed yield in summer were measured. The energies required to shear and compress the resultant dry mature plant materials were determined using an Instron material testing instrument. The results showed a large range for shear (11·3-18·2 kJ/m2) and compression energies (2·8-4·6 kJ/kg DM) among the 26 cultivars. Grazing intensity in spring did not affect shear energy (P > 0·05) but increased the compression energy of dry mature subterranean clover by 0·2 units (P < 0·05). The energy required to shear or compress plant materials was highly correlated with herbage availability, flowering time, proportions of leaf and petiole in the sward, and fibre content of the plant materials, with the relationships being modified by grazing intensity in spring. Compression energy was related to DMD of plants (r = -0·7) and shear energy did not account for a significant amount of variation in DMD.

Variation in nutritive value of plant parts of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Ru ◽  
J. A. Fortune
Keyword(s):  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Nitrogen Concentration ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Vegetative Stage ◽  
Field Station ◽  
Leaf Petiole ◽  
Plant Parts ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Lack Of Information

While it has been reported that leaves of subterranean clover are less digestible than stems, there is a lack of information on the variability of nutritive value of plant parts of subterranean clover. To determine the variation in nutritive value of leaf, petiole, stem and burr, an experiment with 26 cultivars of subterranean clover was conducted at Shenton Park Field Station, Perth, Western Australia. The cultivars were divided into 3 maturity groups according to flowering time and each cultivar was sown in blocks comprising 4 replicates. The plots were grazed by sheep at 2-weekly intervals. Plants were sampled at the vegetative stage before grazing and after the cessation of flowering. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) and nitrogen concentration of leaves, petioles, stems and burrs were determined. At the vegetative stage, there was no difference in DMD (P>0.05) among plant parts for most cultivars, and leaf had the highest (P<0.05) nitrogen concentration (4.8–5.4%). After the cessation of flowering, leaf had the highest DMD and nitrogen concentration (P<0.05). The DMD of plant parts differed significantly among cultivars (P<0.05). There was a slight decrease in DMD over time for leaves and a significant decrease in DMD for stems and petioles. These results suggest the main objective of grazing management of subterranean clover swards should be to increase the proportion of leaf material in the swards and that selection of leafy varieties by breeding could improve the late season digestibility of subterranean clover. Such management and breeding strategies would have value when the cultivars are in mixed pastures or used with supplements in summer.

Seed yield and nutritive value of dry, mature subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.)

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Ru ◽  
J. A. Fortune
Keyword(s):  
Seed Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Mineral Content ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Zinc Content ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Crude Fibre ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Wide Range

The nutritive value of 26 cultivars of dry, mature subterranean clover was evaluated at Shenton Park, Perth, Western Australia. The cultivars were divided into 3 maturity groups according to flowering time and each cultivar was sown in blocks comprising 4 replicates. The plots were grazed by sheep at 2-week intervals during the growing season. Dry mature plant material and soil were sampled in summer to examine the effect of grazing and cultivar on seed yield and nutritive value of feed residues. Cultivars heavily grazed in spring had a low herbage mass. There was no difference in seed yield and seed weight between heavily and lightly grazed cultivars. Dry matter digestibility and mineral content of dry residues was inconsistent for the 2 grazing treatments. The dry matter digestibility of dry, mature subterranean clover ranged from 40 to 56%, with a wide range of crude fibre, nitrogen and mineral content for the 26 cultivars. While most minerals in the dry residues were above the requirement for sheep, 7 cultivars had a zinc content less than the maintenance requirement for sheep. There was an imbalance for all cultivars in calcium: phosphorus with a range of 4–10: 1. Concurrent estimates on the yield and composition of seed indicated that seed can be resource of minerals for grazing animals in summer. Most cultivars had a seed yield over 100 g/m2 with that of 9 cultivars being over 130 g/m2. Seed was rich in nitrogen, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper, and poor in sodium, calcium and manganese. However, there were no cultivars with an appropriate ratio of calcium and phosphorus. The imbalance in nitrogen and sulfur was a result of high nitrogen content with the ratio ranging from 19: 1 to 29: 1.

Responses of subterranean clover and Italian ryegrass to application of lime

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. A. Bolland ◽  
Z. Rengel ◽  
L. Paszkudzka-Baizert ◽  
L. D. Osborne
Keyword(s):  
Lolium Multiflorum ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrates ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Yield Responses

A glasshouse experiment evaluated dried herbage yield responses of dense swards of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum cv. Trikkala) or Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum cv. Aristocrat) to applications of different amounts of lime (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 t lime/ha) to either a loam or a sand. Yields were measured at 4 harvests [29, 51, 86 and 108 days after sowing (DAS)] when ryegrass plants had 3 leaves per tiller. Increasing amounts of lime raised the pH (1: 5, soil: 0.01 mol CaCl2/L) of the loam by 2.7 units and that of the sand by 2.0 units. Applications of lime significantly (P<0.05) increased dry herbage yields, by between 16 and 53%, for: (i) clover on the loam soil at 86 and 108 DAS, and for the sand at 108 DAS; (ii) ryegrass on the loam at 51, 86 and 108 DAS, and on the sand at 108 DAS. Increasing amounts of lime had no effect on the concentration of nutrient elements in dried herbage of either clover or ryegrass, except that the concentration of calcium increased, and the concentration of sodium, manganese and zinc (and boron for ryegrass only) all decreased. Additions of lime had no effect on dry matter digestibility, metabolisable energy, concentration of crude protein or water-soluble carbohydrates in dried herbage at any of the 4 harvests.

Responses of intensively grazed dairy pastures to applications of fertiliser nitrogen in south-western Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 927 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. A. Bolland ◽  
I. F. Guthridge
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Mineral Elements ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Total N ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility

For the first time, we quantified pasture dry matter (DM) responses to applied fertiliser nitrogen (N) for intensively grazed, rain-fed, dairy pastures on sandy soils common in the Mediterranean-type climate of south-western Australia. The pastures are composed of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) and annual and Italian ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud. and L. multiflorum Lam.). Six rates of N, as urea (46% N), were applied to 15 m by 15 m plots four times during 2002 and after each of the first 5–7 grazings in 2003 and 2004, throughout the typical April–October growing season. Total rates of N applied in the first year of the experiments were 0, 60, 120, 160, 200 and 320 kg N/ha, which were adjusted in subsequent years as detailed in the ‘Materials and methods’ section of this paper. The pastures in the experiments were rotationally grazed, by starting grazing when ryegrass plants had 2–3 leaves per tiller. The amount of pasture DM on each plot was measured before and after each grazing and was then used to estimate the amount of pasture DM consumed by the cows at each grazing for different times during the growing season. Linear increases (responses) of pasture DM to applied N occurred throughout the whole growing season when a total of up to 320 kg N/ha was applied in each year. No maximum yield plateaus were defined. Across all three experiments and years, on average in each year, a total of ~5 t/ha consumed DM was produced when no N was applied and ~7.5 t/ha was produced when a total of 200 kg N/ha was applied, giving ~2.5 t/ha increase in DM consumed and an N response efficiency of ~12.5 kg DM N/kg applied. As more fertiliser N was applied, the proportion of ryegrass in the pasture consistently increased, whereas clover content decreased. Concentrations of nitrate-N in the DM consistently increased as more N was applied, whereas concentrations of total N, and, therefore, concentration of crude protein in the DM, either increased or were unaffected by applied N. Application of N had no effect on concentrations of other mineral elements in DM and on dry matter digestibility and metabolisable energy of the DM. The results were generally consistent with findings of previous pasture N studies for perennial and annual temperate and subtropical pastures. We have shown that when pasture use for milk production has been maximised in the region, it is profitable to apply fertiliser N to grow extra DM consumed by dairy cows; conversely, it is a waste of money to apply N to undergrazed pastures to produce more unused DM.

Factors affecting the productivity of irrigated annual pastures. 2. Defoliation by dairy cows

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Grazing Intensities ◽  
Seed Reserves ◽  
Clover Seed

The influence of grazing intensity on the productivity of an irrigated annual pasture was studied for 3 years in northern Victoria. Lax-, medium- and hard-grazing intensities were described by post-grazing pasture heights of 7.2, 5.2 and 3.0 cm, respectively. Also, one instance of variable grazing frequency occurred, in winter of year 1. Hard-grazed plots produced 1 3 and 17% less herbage in years 1 and 2, respectively, than did lax- and medium-grazed plots, which produced similar amounts of herbage. When the interval between grazings was extended, the variation in productivity was reversed; lax grazing resulted in 9% less total production than heavier grazing. In years 1 and 2, there was little effect of grazing treatment on botanical composition until spring, at which time there was a marked reduction in the amount of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) in the hard-grazed plots, with a concomitant increase in grass content. There were no significant effects of grazing intensity on the amounts of weeds in either year. However, in year 3, weeds were important contributors to pasture production early in the season. This, together with reduced clover seed reserves and increased incidence of disease in subterranean clover with hard grazing, suggests that the long-term regenerating ability of an annual pasture may be impaired if severely grazed at regular intervals.

Flowering time in subterranean clover

1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 388 ◽  
Author(s):  
FHW Morley ◽  
CI Davern
Keyword(s):  
Plant Breeding ◽  
Flowering Time ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Strain Differences ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Relative Importance

Genotype-environment interactions have been observed in the flowering times of a number of varieties of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) grown in different locations. These interactions are interpreted in terms of the effects of photoperiod and temperature on flowering. Sensitivity to photoperiod may be independent of sensitivity to temperature. Flowering times of some strains, although simultaneous in one environment, may differ in another environment. This is due to variation in the relative importance of different components of the environment in controlling flowering time. These strain differences in flowering-time physiology are shown to be related to the climate of the strain's natural habitat. The importance of a knowledge of flowering physiology, and the recognition of the existence of genotype - environment interactions, are discussed in relation to plant breeding and introduction.

The inheritance of flowering time in Trifolium subterraneum L

1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
CI Davern ◽  
JW Peak ◽  
FHW Morley
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Flowering Time ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Diallel Analysis ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Breeding Behaviour ◽  
Variable Factor ◽  
Additive Genetic Effects

The inheritance of flowering time in subterranean clover, using a number of strains and hybrids among them, was investigated on autumn-sown material at Canberra. Heterosis and dominance were not found, and genetic variation was polygenic. An F1 diallel analysis and F2 two-way analysis showed that approximately 90 per cent. of the total variance was attributable to additive genetic effects. An estimate of the repeatability of strain performance over two seasons showed that small but significant strain-year interactions were occurring. Strain repeatability, as measured by intraclass correlation, was 86 per cent. A breeding test involving F2 selections and their progeny gave a mean parent-offspring regression of 0.86 over the six crosses studied, which is well in accord with expectations of breeding behaviour based on the above analyses. The results are discussed in relation to other studies on flowering time, especially with reference to the problem of interpreting results based on the threshold expression of a character dependent on the value of a continuously variable factor.

Herbicide dose rate response curves in subterranean clover determined by a bioassay

1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Sandral ◽  
B. S. Dear ◽  
J. E. Pratley ◽  
B. R. Cullis
Keyword(s):  
Dose Rate ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Response Curves ◽  
Leaf Stage ◽  
Time Of Application ◽  
Herbicide Treatments ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Major Factors

Summary. Herbicide dose response curves were developed for 5 herbicide treatments, MCPA, 2,4-DB, bromoxynil, MCPA + terbutryn and MCPA + diuron, when applied to 2 cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) in a glasshouse experiment. The effect of varying spraying time (14 May and 14 June) and leaf stage (3–4 v. 8–10 trifoliate leaves) at spraying was also examined. The dose rate multiple of the recommended rate required to reduce the clover herbage yield by 50% (I50) differed markedly between herbicide treatments. The 2 MCPA mixtures were the most phytotoxic with an I50 value between 0.45 and 0.83, bromoxynil and MCPA alone were intermediate. 2,4-DB was the least phytotoxic with an I50 value between 2.36 and 2.94 depending on cultivar and leaf stage at the time of application. The effect of leaf stage at spraying, time of spraying and cultivar on herbicide phytotoxicity was relatively small, the major factors being herbicide choice (which accounted for 83% of the variation in I50 values) and rate of herbicide applied. While there was differential cultivar tolerance to the herbicide 2,4-DB, there was no difference between the cultivars in their response to the other herbicide treatments. The phytotoxicity of the herbicides applied at either the 3–4 or 8–10 leaf stage in the glasshouse bioassay was highly correlated (r = 0.84, P<0.01) with previous estimates of phytotoxicity determined under field conditions, although slightly overestimated phytotoxicity compared with field tests. European Weed Research Council (EWRC) scores of herbicide damage in the glasshouse bioassay were found to be highly negatively correlated with dry matter yield losses in both the glasshouse (r = –0.78 to –0.98, P<0.001) and field (r = –0.72, P<0.001) and are therefore an acceptable alternative where destructive sampling is not practical. The EWRC scoring system was found to be more effective at quantifying damage where it was manifest as burning or stunting rather than as leaf distortion. The study indicated that a glasshouse herbicide bioassay is a useful technique for rapidly screening herbicides for phytotoxicity on subterranean clover.

Evolution in sown populations of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. ) in South Australia

1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
PS Cocks
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Flowering Time ◽  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Sole Source ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Mediterranean Basin

The seed banks of three pastures at Kingscote, Parndana and Waterloo, S.A., were sampled to determine the frequency of divergent genotypes in subterranean clover, and the direction of natural selection. The seeds were grown in nursery rows at Adelaide, and the resulting plants classified into one of the commercial cultivars, or as divergent genotypes. The divergent genotypes from one locality, Kingscote, were described in terms of 17 variables, and compared with strains collected from southern Australia and the Mediterranean basin. At each locality there was more genetic diversity than had been sown, both in terms of additional cultivars and the presence of divergent genotypes. The percentage of divergent genotypes appeared to be proportional to the age of the pasture, and was greatest at Kingscote, where it reached 67% of the population. The Kingscote genotypes were genetically related to Mt Barker and Dwalganup, only five out of 283 genotypes having leaf markings that differed from both cultivars. The 17 variables fell between the values recorded for Mt Barker and Dwalganup, and there was evidence of directional selection. For example, formononetin content was less, and genistein more than would be expected in the absence of natural selection. Mean flowering time was about equal to that of Seaton Park, and closer to Mt Barker than to Dwalganup. Flowering time was related to elevation above the lowest point in the paddock, the latest genotypes tending to inhabit sites at the foots of slopes, and the earliest genotypes sites on the tops. Seed and burr weight were slightly larger than expected. Hybridization was the most important, but not the sole source of genetic divergence at Kingscote, whereas contamination was the main source at Waterloo. It is likely that only a minority of the divergent genotypes was generated by mutation. The Australian subterranean clovers were as diverse as those from the Mediterranean. Those from Kingscote were also diverse, but, on the whole, had longer peduncles, shorter internodes and were taller than strains from other parts of Australia and from the Mediterranean basin.

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