Managing interspecies competition to improve spring pasture maturity, nutritive value, and biomass

Abstract

AbstractIn much of the United States, wet springs often cause poor field conditions leading to harvest and/or grazing delays and subsequent reductions in forage nutritive value. The objective of this study was to compare monocultures and combinations of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to determine the effects of interspecies competition on plant maturity, nutritive value, and forage mass over two consecutive springs. It was hypothesized that shade and competition from chicory would delay orchardgrass maturity resulting in greater nutritive value and an extended harvest or grazing window for high‐nutritive value forage. Mixtures containing chicory delayed orchardgrass maturity by at least 9 days in the first spring as compared to orchardgrass monocultures and orchardgrass‐white clover mixtures. Even with decreased chicory mass in the second year (due to drought and winterkill), both 1:1:1 and 4:1:1 (ratio of seeds per hectare) orchardgrass–white clover–chicory mixtures provided greater forage mass and nutritive value (crude protein and net energy) yield over 2 years compared to an orchardgrass monoculture; however, only the 1:1:1 orchardgrass–white clover–chicory mixture provided greater benefits to forage mass and nutritive value yield when compared to orchardgrass–white clover mixtures that are commonly found on farms. This study showed that chicory inclusion provides benefits to orchardgrass and orchardgrass–white clover pastures when planted in appropriate seed proportions; however, increasing chicory longevity will require further investigation to provide continued benefits in perennial cool‐season grass and legume pasture systems.