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Thursday 21 July 2016

Performance of Kura clover compared to that of perennial forage legumes traditionally cultivated in central Europe

Volume 66, Issue 6, 17 August 2016, Pages 516-522

  (Article)

a  Department of Agrotechnology, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland
b  Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States

Abstract

Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) is a rhizomatous perennial legume that is native to Caucasia, is extremely persistent in North America, but its performance has not been adequately evaluated in Europe. The objective of this research was to compare forage yield and nutritive value of Kura clover to lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) at two locations in Poland. All clover stands thinned markedly by spring of the second production year because of infection by Sclerotinia crown and stem rot, but lucerne stands remained dense and this legume produced the highest total yield over 3 or 4 production years. Kura clover yields of 7.2–8.3 Mg ha−1 were second to lucerne by the third production year but long-term performance was diminished by stand thinning. Kura clover and white clover had lower fiber concentrations and greater protein concentrations and forage digestibility than red clover and lucerne. Kura clover can be a source of high-quality forage in Europe, but cannot be recommended for use in areas with known Sclerotinia trifoliorum presence until resistance to this pathogen is developed. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author keywords

Caucasian clover; forage quality; forage yield; Sclerotinia trifoliorum; Trifolium ambiguum
ISSN: 09064710 CODEN: AASBESource Type: Journal Original language: English
DOI: 10.1080/09064710.2016.1184306Document Type: Article
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Funding Details
Number; Acronym; Sponsor: 31260307; NSFC; National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Andrzejewska, J.; Department of Agrotechnology, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Poland; email:jadwiga@utp.edu.pl
© Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.