Effect of nitrogen application, seeding rate and defoliation height on mixtures of Trifolium vesiculosum cv Amclo and Lolium multiflorum cv Midmar: II. Yield advantage as reflected in the land equivalent ratio.

Abstract

Pure stands of Trifolium vesiculosum cv Amclo and Lolium multiflorum cv Midmar were compared with a range of mixtures of these two species in terms of dry matter production, crude protein content and crude protein production. Land equivalent ratios (LER) calculated for both dry matter and crude protein production showed that mixing of the two species was advantageous. This was more evident in terms of crude protein production than in DM production. High seeding rates of the grass (20-25 kg/ha), low levels of nitrogen (60 kg/N/ha) and heavy defoliation (50 mm) gave the highest LER values. It was concluded that better utilization of land could be obtained with mixtures of the two components than with pure stands.

Keywords: crude protein content; defoliation; dry matter production; grasses; lolium multiflorum; pretoria; production; protein production; rietondale research station; south africa; trifolium vesiculosum; utilization; yield