Effect of nitrogen application, seeding rate and defoliation height on mixtures of Trifolium vesiculosum cv Amclo and Lolium multiflorum cv Midmar: I. dry matter production, crude protein content and crude protein production.

Abstract

The interaction between Trifolium vesiculosum cv Amclo and Lolium multiflorum cv Midmar was measured in a field trial, in terms of dry matter production, crude protein content and crude protein production. The treatments included in the field trials were five different seeding rates of the grass component, four rates of nitrogen application and two defoliation heights. Total DM production of the mixtures differed only slightly, and height of defoliation had, likewise, little effect on the DM production. N production application tended to increase the yield of pure grass as well as the grass component of the mixtures. Crude protein content and crude protein production of the mixtures were markedly increased by nitrogen application, largely due to effective uptake of nitrogen by the grass component. However, the highest crude protein production, achieved by an application of 240 kg N/ha to both mixtures and pure grass swards, did not differ appreciably from the amount produced by pure clover receiving no nitogen fertilizer.

Keywords: clover; crude protein content; defoliation; dry matter production; fertilizer; field trial; grass sward; grasses; interaction; lolium multiflorum; nitrogen; pretoria; production; protein; protein production; rietondale research station; seeding; south africa; treatments; trifolium vesiculosum; uptake; yield