Compatibility of Five White Clover and Five Tall Fescue Cultivars Grown in Association

Abstract

AbstractThe need for tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pasture renovation due to a fungal endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum Morgan‐Jones and Gams) that causes fescue toxicosis in grazing cattle (Bos taurus L.) has given farmers the opportunity to add white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to their improved pastures. This study was conducted to determine the compatibility of five white clover and five tall fescue cultivars grown in association during two seeding years and to determine any interactions between cultivars. ‘Regal’, ‘Tillman’, ‘Louisiana S‐1’, ‘Osceola’, and MS Brown Loam Syn. #6 white clover were grown in all combinations with ‘Kentucky 31’, ‘Kenhy’, ‘Johnstone’, ‘Triumph’, and ‘Missouri 96’ tall fescue in two separate seeding year studies. The studies were grown on a Catalpa silty clay (fine, montmorillonitic, thermic Fluvaquentic Hapludoll) at Mississippi State, MS. Louisiana S‐1 associations produced significantly less total dry matter (DM) and white clover (WC) yield and more tall fescue (TF) yield than those of the other white clover cultivars across tall fescue cultivars. Triumph associations produced significantly less WC yield and more TF yield than those of the other tall fescue cultivars across white clover cultivars. No differences in total DM yield were observed for the tall fescue cultivars. No interactions between tall fescue and white clover cultivars were found in either seeding year. The cultivar relationships were constant over years an over harvests within years, though the botanical composition of the plots varied between harvests and years. Triumph was more competitive with white clover than the other tall fescue cultivars, and Louisiana S‐1 was less competitive with tall fescue than the other white clover cultivars during the seeding year. No advantage was found for any specific combination of white clover and tall fescue cultivars during the seeding year.