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Growth of prairie grass ( Bromus willdenowii Kunth) and Westerwolds ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at Wageningen, The Netherlands
Author(s) -
HUME D. E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1990.tb01965.x
Subject(s) - bromus , lolium multiflorum , tiller (botany) , agronomy , biology , dry matter , lolium , poaceae
Herbage quality, yields, tiller and plant populations of ‘Grasslands Matua’ prairie grass and ‘Caramba’ tetraploid Westerwolds ryegrass were investigated in a 2‐year field trial on a sandy soil. Plots were either harvested frequently (five to six cuts per year) or infrequently (four cuts). During the first year, herbage was separated into leaf, vegetative and reproductive pseudostem, and analysed separately. With very mild winters and adequate water supply, swards had good persistence and production for 2 years. Total yield in the first year (10.5 t DM ha −1 ) was similar for both species. Yields in the second year were (t DM ha −1 ) 13.4 and 18 for Matua and 11.1 and 13 for Caramba under frequent and infrequent cutting respectively. Leaf contributed 58% to yields and reproductive pseudostem 35%. Infrequently cut plots had: 23% higher dry matter yields, primarily due to higher yields of reproductive pseudostem; higher yields of most chemical components and higher contents of water‐soluble carbohydrates and cell walls; lower digestibility and nitrogen content. Cell wall content was consistently higher in Matua but otherwise herbage quality was similar for the two species. It is suggested that prairie grass should be considered as a replacement for spring‐sown Westerwolds ryegrass on sandy soils in The Netherlands.