Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T06:21:51.972Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of seed rate and nitrogen fertilizer on the yield and nutritive value of oat-vetch mixtures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

N. Moreira
Affiliation:
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Crop Science Department, 5000 Vila Real, Portugal

Summary

Experiments were conducted on the seed rates of the components of oat-vetch mixtures combined with varying rates of nitrogen fertilizer in a rainfed area of north-east Portugal in 1982–3 and 1984–5.

Forage oats grown alone showed a very high yield response to N and rainfall ranging from 30 to 18·2 t D.M./ha, but had a very low crude protein concentration (37–54 g/kg D.M.) and a poor mineral nutrient composition.

The increased use of vetch in the seed mixture had a buffering effect on dry-matter (D.M.) yield but this depended very much on crop N nutrition. For N-deficient conditions vetch inclusion increased the D.M. yield and had a strong positive effect on total forage crude protein (CP) and mineral composition. When crop N nutrition was good, very high D.M. yields (> 12 t D.M./ha) were possible using a high proportion of oats, with vetch making a reduced contribution to the yield and nutritive value of total forage.

Seed rates suggested in the literature for Mediterranean conditions are adequate for low N inputs and low available soil N, but not for high D.M. yields which can only be obtained by using a higher proportion of oats and adequate N fertilizer.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abreu, J. M., Calouro, M. F. & Soares, A. M. (1982). Tabelas de valor alimentar. Forragens mediterránicas cultivadas em Portugal. (Feeding value of Mediterranean forages grown in Portugal.) Lisbon: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.Google Scholar
Aerts, J. V., de Brabander, D. L., Cottyn, B. G. & Buysse, F. X. (1979). Composition chimique, digestibilité et valeur alimentaire des céréales iramatures ensilées. (Chemical composition, digestibility and feeding value of whole-crop small grain silages.) Revue de l'Agriculture 32, 891906.Google Scholar
Arnon, I. (1972). Crop Production in Dry Regions, Vol. 2. Systematic treatment of the principal crops, p. 592. London: Leonard Hill.Google Scholar
Bartholomew, P. W. & Williams, R. J. (1981). Nitrogen application for short-term forages in Saudi Arabia. I. Winter annuals; wheat, oats and Italian ryegrass. Experimental Agriculture 17, 271279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brundage, A. L., Taylor, R. L. & Burton, V. L. (1979). Relative yields and nutritive values of barley, oats, and peas harvested at four successive dates for forage. Journal of Dairy Science 62, 740745.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cannell, R. Q. & Jobson, H. T. (1968). The relationship between yield and digestibility in spring varieties of barley, oats and wheat after ear emergence. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 71, 337341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cherney, J. H. & Marten, G. C. (1982). Small grain crop forage potential: I. Biological and chemical determinants of quality, and yield. Crop Science 22, 227231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chew, V. (1976). Comparing treatment means: A compendium. HortScience 11, 348357.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coffman, F. A. (1961). Oats and Oat Improvement. Madison, Wisconsin: The American Society of Agronomy.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corrall, A. J., Heard, A. J., Fenlon, J. S., Terry, C. P. & Lewis, G. C. (1977). Whole crop forages. Relationship between stage of growth, yield and forage quality in small grain-cereals and maize. G.R.I. Technical Report No. 22, May, 1977. Hurley, Maidenhead: The Grassland Research Institute.Google Scholar
Demarquilly, C. (1970). Évolution de la digestibilité et de la quantité ingérée des plantes entiéres d'avoine, de blé et d'orge entre la floraison et la maturation du grain. (Evolution of digestibility and voluntary intake of oats, wheat and barley from anthesis to ripening.) Annales Zootechniques 19, 413422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Demarquilly, C. (1977). Fertilisation et qualité du forrage. (Fertilization and forage quality.) Fourrages 69, 6184.Google Scholar
Derbyshire, J. C., Gordon, C. H. & Humphrey, J. L. (1966). Effect of ensiling treatment and stage of maturity on oat silages. Journal of Dairy Science 49, 716.Google Scholar
Devuyst, A., Arnould, R., Delvaux, R., Tijskens, R. & François, J. (1975). Les céréales immatures sont-elles un fourrage intéressant? (Are the small grain cereals an interesting forage crop?) Revue de l'Agriculture 28, 3958.Google Scholar
Duthil, J. (1967) La production fourragère (Forage production.) Paris: J. B. Baillière et Fils.Google Scholar
Eagles, H. A., Lewis, T. D., Holland, R. & Haslemore, R. M. (1979). Quality and quantity of forage from winter oats in the Manawatu. New Zealand Journal of Experimental Agriculture 7, 337341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleming, G. A. (1973). Mineral composition of herbage. In Chemistry and Biochemistry of Herbage, Vol. 1 (ed. Butler, G. W. and Bailey, R. W.), pp. 529566. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Folkins, L. P. & Kaufman, M. L. (1974). Yield and morphological studies with oats for forage and grain production. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 54, 617620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gachet, J. P. & Jaritz, G. (1972). Situation et perspectives de la production fourragère en culture sèche en Tunisie Septentrionale. (Present state and perspectives of forage production under rainfed conditions in Northern Tunisia.) Fourrages 49, 324.Google Scholar
George, M. R., Kearney, Th. E. & Schoner, C. A. Jr (1982). Oat Hay and Silage Production. Berkeley: Division of Agricultural Sciences, University of California.Google Scholar
Gervais, P. & St. Pierre, C. A. (1981). Étude sur le rendement et la composition chimique de six cultivars d'avoine recolte's en vert. (Study on the yield and chemical composition of six cultivars of forage oats.) Canadian Journal of Plant Science 61, 633638.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gonzáles, G., Jimeno, L. & Lozano, J. M. (1966). Efectos de la associacion de cebada y veza sobre el rendimiento de forraje y grano. (The effects of growing barley and vetch in mixtures on forage and grain yield.) Anales de Edafologia y Agrobiologia XXV (1–2), 4556.Google Scholar
Hadjichristodoulou, A. (1977). Effects of genotype and rainfall on forage oats in a semi-arid region. Experimental Agriculture 13, 217223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haynes, R. J. (1980). Competitive aspects of the grass-legume association. Advances in Agronomy 33, 227261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henderson, J. L. & Davies, R. O. (1955). The yield and composition of mixed cereal-legume crops at different stages of growth. Empire Journal of Experimental Agriculture 23, 131144.Google Scholar
Hodgson, H. J. (1956). Effect of seeding rates and time of harvest on yield and quality of oat-pea forage. Agronomy Journal 48, 8790.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawes, D. A. & Jones, D. I. H. (1971). Yield, nutritive value and ensiling characteristics of whole-crop spring cereals. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 76, 479485.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leffel, R. G. (1973). Other legumes. In Forages. The Science of Grassland Agriculture, 3rd edn (ed. Heath, M. E., Metcalfe, D. S. and Barnes, R. F.), pp. 208220. Ames, Iowa: The Iowa University Press.Google Scholar
Marten, G. C. & Barnes, R. F. (1980). Prediction of energy digestibility of forages with in vitro rumen fermentation and fungal enzyme systems. In Standardization of Analytical Methodology for Feeds (ed. Pigden, W. C., Balch, C. C. and Graham, M.), pp. 6171. Ottawa: International Development Research Center.Google Scholar
McDonald, R. C. & Stephen, R. C. (1979). Effect of sowing and harvesting dates on dry matter production of autumn-sown Tama ryegrass, ryecorn, and oats. New Zealand Journal of Experimental Agriculture 7, 271275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1975). Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants. Technical Bulletin No. 33. London: MAFF.Google Scholar
Moreira, N. (1982). Produçāo de forragens e pastagens no sequeiro mediterrānico: data de corte de uma consociaçāo aveia × ervilhaca II. (Yield of forage crops under rainfed Mediterranean conditions. II. Effect of harvesting stage on oat-vetch mixtures.) Pastagens e Forragens, Elvas, 3, 193200.Google Scholar
Muslera Pardo, E. & Ratera Garcia, C. (1984). Praderas e forrages. Produccion y aprovechamiento. (Pastures and fodder crops management), pp. 495506. Madrid: Mundi-Prensa.Google Scholar
National Research Council (1975). Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals. No. 5. Nutrient requirements of sheep. 5th rev. edn.Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Science.Google Scholar
National Research Council (1976). Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals. No. 4. Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. 5th rev. edn.Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Science.Google Scholar
National Research Council (1978). Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals. No. 3. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle. 5th rev. edn.Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Science.Google Scholar
Nicholson, I. A. (1957). The effect of stage of maturity on the yield and chemical composition of oats for haymaking. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 49, 129139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noller, C. H. & Rhykerd, C. L. (1974). Relationship of nitrogen fertilization and chemical composition of forage to animal health and performance. In Forage Fertilization (ed. Mays, D. A.), pp. 363394. Madison, Wisconsin: American Society of Agronomy.Google Scholar
Papastylianou, I. & Samios, Th. (1987). Comparison of rotations in which barley for grain follows woollypod vetch or forage barley. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 108, 609615.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puckridge, D. W. & Donald, C. M. (1967). Competition among wheat plants sown at a wide range of densities. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 193211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, R. G. (1960). Oat-pea or oat-vetch mixtures for forage or seed. Agronomy Journal 52, 546549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romano, A. M. & Vinte Um, F. R. (1981). Reacção de gramíneas e leguminosas de sequeiro quer estremes quer consociadas a 4 niveis de adubacão azotada. (Effects of four levels of nitrogen fertilization on annual grass and legume monocultures and mixtures.) Pastagens e Forragens, Elvas, 2, 147164.Google Scholar
Steel, R. G. D. & Torrie, J. H. (1981). Principles and Procedures of Statistics. A biometrical approach, 2nd edn.Lisbon: McGraw Hill.Google Scholar
Thompson, R. K. & Day, A. D. (1959). Spring oats for winter forage in the Southwest. Agronomy Journal 51, 912.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. & Terry, R. A. (1963). A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 104111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tingle, J. N. & Dawley, W. K. (1974). Yield and nutritive value of whole-plant cereals at a silage stage. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 54, 621624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tiwana, M. S. & Puri, K. P. (1980). Forage production potential of oats, barley and triticale varieties. Indian Journal of Agronomy 25, 149150.Google Scholar
Vasconcelos, J. (1962). Ervas forrageiras (Forages). Lisbon: DGSA.Google Scholar
Villax, E. J. (1963). La culture des plantes fourragères dans la région méditerranéenne occidentale. (Grass and forage science in Mediterranean-type environments.) Rabat, Morocco: INRA.Google Scholar
Walker, H. F. (1959). The digestibility of oat hay. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 53, 289295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wit, C. T. & Van Den Bergh, (1965). Competition between herbage plants. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 13, 212221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yoda, K., Kira, T., Ogawa, H. & Hozumi, K. (1963). Intraspecific competition among higher plants XI. Self-thinning in overcrowded pure stands under cultivated and natural conditions. Journal of Biology, Osaka City University 14, 107129.Google Scholar