Preliminary evaluation of perennial forage legumes for organic farming in Finland

In 1998-2001 fourteen forage legume species were evaluated for their productivity in mixed organic swards. The aim was to find new alternatives for red clover. Medicago falcata produced the highest dry matter yield (about 11 000 kg/ha/year). Dry matter production of Trifolium pratense, Trifolium hybridum and Medicago sativa varied from 2 200 to 10 600 kg/ha/year

Preliminary evaluation of annually cultivated forage legumes for organic farming in Finland

In 1998-2001 nineteen forage legume species (Lupinus, Medicago, Melilotus, Pisum, Trifolium and Vicia species) were evaluated at two sites of Eastern Finland (Mikkeli and Juva). Species were studied for their annual productivity in pure stands and in mixtures with cereals (barley and oats) and Italian ryegrass. Swards were cut either twice or once (whole grain silage stage of barley)

Management of red clover content of organic grassland

The clover content is an important factor in organic grassland management to optimize yield, feeding value and pre-crop effect of the ley. The variation of red clover (Trifolium pratense) content in swards of different age is often rather high in Finland. In the ongoing field experiment (1999-2002) staggered sowing of red clover seed was tested to regulate the clover content of the mixed sward. Sowing strategy did not have clear effect on the clover content or the yield of the sward. However the seeding rate affected the clover density of the field (plants/m²) in the first year. After two years the differences were equated. The best strategy to control the clover amount in the mixed swards seems sowing of 2 or 3 kg/ha (100 or 150 seeds/m²) clover seeds in establishment and then oversow on a first second ley year 1 or 2 kg/ha (50 or 100 seeds/m²)

Higher Yield and Fewer Weeds in Four-Species Grass/Legume Mixtures Than in Monocultures: Results from the First Year at 20 Sites of Cost Action 852

Utilisation of grass/legume mixtures instead of grass monocultures is a sensible alternative for low input, efficient agricultural systems that reduce production costs, promote environmental policy and maintain a living countryside. Consequently, widely adapted forage legumes will become increasingly important. Instability of simple grass / legume mixtures with only one grass and one legume species is a major problem (Wachendorf et al., 2001). An experiment was established in 39 sites in Europe, Australia and Canada within COST Action 852 to: (1) assess the benefits of grass / legume mixtures in terms of forage production, (2) test whether the combination of fast and slow-growing species improves the stability of the mixtures and (3) assess response patterns over a large environmental gradient

Dry matter production of annually cultivated forage legumes in organic farming

In 1998-2001 nineteen forage legume species were evaluated at two sites of Eastern Finland. Species were studied for their annual productivity in pure stands and in mixtures with cereals (barley and oats) and Italian ryegrass. Swards were cut either twice or once per year

Effect of sowing strategy on clover performance in an organic red clover-grass mixture

vokEKO/Karil

Overwintering and growing season dynamics of Trifolium repens L. in mixture with Lolium perenne L. : A model approach to plant-environment interactions

In attempting to increase the reliability of clover contribution in clover/ryegrass systems it is important to understand the roles of (1) specific traits of the clover genotype (2) climate and (3) their interactions in determining clover behaviour in swards. Overwintering and spring growth of white clover (cultivars AberHerald and Huia) grown in binary mixtures with perennial ryegrass were measured at 12 European sites ranging in latitude from Reykjavik, Iceland (64°30' N) to Pordenone, Italy (46°30' N). In the overwintering period, tiller density of the grass was assessed and detailed morphological and chemical measurements were made on the clover at each sampling time. During the growing season, the clover contribution to total available biomass was recorded. Detailed climatic data were available at all sites. The annual growth cycle of swards was divided into four functional periods (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Within each functional period community responses were modelled. The models incorporated independent biotic variables characterizing each community within each site at the start of the period and independent variables characterizing the climate at each site during the period. The models were linked dynamically by taking, as response variable(s) for a functional period, the independent biotic variable(s) of the succeeding period. In general, the modelling strategy was successful in producing a series of biologically meaningful linked models. Essential prerequisites for this were (a) the establishment of a well-devised common protocol prior to the experiment and (b) the extensive gradients of climatic and other variables obtained by using numerous sites. AberHerald generally performed as well as, or better than, Huia throughout the annual cycle across the range of climatic conditions encountered, and especially under low temperature conditions in winter and autumn. Clover leaf area index appeared to be a key variable in determining clover performance over winter and through the following growing season. Grass tiller density had a strong negative effect on clover content in spring but only at low temperatures. This emphasizes the importance of a high clover leaf area index in autumn as the main biotic factor related to spring clover content in milder conditions. The importance of climatic variables in the models is their use in explaining the reliability of the contribution of clover in clover/ryegrass systems. Temperature was the primary climatic determinant of clover response in all periods, having a direct effect on clover content and leaf area index or mediating the effect of the associate species. Radiation strongly influenced clover dynamics during winter and spring but not in the other periods, possibly because it was confounded with the effect of higher temperature. Precipitation was positively related to clover growth during spring and autumn and was related to tiller density in a complex manner during autumn and winte