Plant relations in mixtures of Trifolium subterraneum cv MT Barker and Lolium multiflorum cv Midmar: I. Dry matter production, crude protein content and crude protein production.

Abstract

The interaction between Trifolium subterraneum cv MT Barker 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 five different seeding rates of the grass component, four rates of nitrogen application and two defoliation heights. The pure clover outyielded the pure grass and the mixtures at all levels of applied nitrogen, while the total DM production of the pure grass at 240 kg N/ha, did not differ appreciably from the mixtures receiving 120-240 kg N/ha. Apart from the 20 kg grass/ha mixture, receiving 240 kg N/ha, the weighted crude protein content of the mixtures surpassed that of the pure grass at all levels of applied nitrogen. Crude protein production of the mixtures, receiving 0 to 120 kg N/ha compared well with pure grass receiving 240 kg N/ha, but was significantly less than pure clover receiving no nitrogen.

Keywords: clover; competition; crude protein; crude protein content; defoliation; dry matter production; field trial; grasses; interaction; lolium multiflorum; nitrogen; pretoria; production; protein production; rietondale research station; seeding; south africa; treatments; trifolium subterraneum