Legume-grass forage mixes for maximizing yield and competitiveness against weeds in early establishment

• Author / Creator

  Gabruck, Danielle

• A field experiment from 2003 to 2005 at two sites examined the impacts of forage species and legume proportion on forage sward production. Grasses generally established rapidly and out-yielded swards high in legume content, although legumes did improve forage quality. Alfalfa was retained at greater relative biomass in mixed swards than swards containing clover. Legume persistence also varied depending on neighbouring grass species.
  A greenhouse study examined competitive interactions between Canada thistle (a common pasture weed), white clover and Kentucky bluegrass during establishment. Although thistle was most susceptible to intra-specific competition, and strongly affected forage yield, the latter also influenced weed biomass. Competitiveness of forages depended directly on soil medium, emphasizing the importance of abiotic factors on vegetation dynamics in mixed swards.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Canada thistle
  • Yields
  • Alfalfa
  • Legumes
  • Clover
  • Cirsium arvense
  • Competition
  • Overyielding

• Graduation date

  Spring 2010

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3PS4H

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.