Evaluation of Alfalfa-Tall Fescue Mixtures across Multiple Environments

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorTracy, Benjamin F.en
dc.contributor.authorAlbrecht, Kenen
dc.contributor.authorFlores, Joaoen
dc.contributor.authorHall, Marvinen
dc.contributor.authorIslam, Anowarulen
dc.contributor.authorJones, Gordon M.en
dc.contributor.authorLamp, William O.en
dc.contributor.authorMacAdam, Jennifer W.en
dc.contributor.authorSkinner, Howarden
dc.contributor.authorTeutsch, Christopher D.en
dc.contributor.departmentSchool of Plant and Environmental Sciencesen
dc.contributor.departmentVirginia Agricultural Experiment Stationen
dc.date.accessioned2020-04-21T18:12:39Zen
dc.date.available2020-04-21T18:12:39Zen
dc.date.issued2016-07en
dc.description.abstractBinary grass-legume mixtures can benefit forage production systems in different ways helping growers cope both with increasing input costs (e.g., N fertilizer, herbicides) and potentially more variable weather. The main objective of this study was to evaluate alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and tall fescue [Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub] mixtures across a wide range of environments to assess herbage accumulation, weed suppression and fertilizer nitrogen replacement values (FNRV). A common field experiment was established in 2009 and 2010 at six study sites in the United States: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Experimental treatments included an alfalfa monoculture, three alfalfa-fescue mixtures with seed ratios of 75: 25, 50: 50, and 25: 75 of alfalfa/tall fescue, and tall fescue monocultures that received nitrogen applications of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 kg N ha(-1), respectively. Data were collected over a 2-yr period. The responses of tall fescue monocultures to N fertilization differed among sites, and this contrasted with mixture yields, which did not exhibit site x treatment interactions (P > 0.05). Herbage accumulation and weed suppression were consistently higher in mixtures compared with alfalfa monocultures and tall fescue monocultures receiving less than 100 kg N ha(-1). The FNRVs for alfalfa were within the range reported for other studies and averaged 143 kg N ha(-1). The consistent herbage accumulations across these multiple environments suggest binary mixtures of alfalfa-tall fescue may be a good option for many forage-livestock producers although yields could be improved with location specific cultivar selection.en
dc.description.adminPublic domain – authored by a U.S. government employeeen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2015.09.0553en
dc.identifier.eissn1435-0653en
dc.identifier.issn0011-183Xen
dc.identifier.issue4en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/97858en
dc.identifier.volume56en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsCC0 1.0 Universalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/en
dc.titleEvaluation of Alfalfa-Tall Fescue Mixtures across Multiple Environmentsen
dc.title.serialCrop Scienceen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.dcmitypeStillImageen

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
cropsci2015.09.0553.pdf
Size:
311.96 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

Scholarly Works, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Scholarly Works, Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station