HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Muir, J. P. Articles by Patterson, J. M. PubMed Articles by Muir, J. P. Articles by Patterson, J. M. Agricola Articles by Muir, J. P. Articles by Patterson, J. M. Related Collections Forage Management Other Forage Crops Forage quality

FORAGES

Defoliation of Panicled Tick-Clover, Tweedy's Tick-Clover, and Tall Bush-Clover: II. Herbage Nutritive Value and Condensed Tannin Concentrations

^a Texas AgriLife Research, 1229 North U.S. Hwy 281, Stephenville, TX 76401
^b University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

^* Corresponding author (j-muir{at}tamu.edu).

Few native herbaceous perennial warm-season legumes are available for cultivation in the southern United States. These would be useful for pastures, biomass production, wildlife plantings, rangeland reseeding, or native prairie restoration. Three native perennial legumes were selected from an initial screening of north Texas germplasm for potential domestication based on successful establishment, ease of seed harvest, and herbage production. Response to herbage removal was evaluated by measuring forage nutritive value when clipped at 10-, 20- and 40-cm height (whenever regrowth exceeded 20 cm above cutting height) over three seasons in 2- by 2-m plots with 0.5 m between plants. Tweedy's tick-clover (Desmodium tweedyi Britton) became reproductive in June so herbage acid detergent fiber (ADF) (338–373 g kg^–1) was greater (P < 0.05) than tall bush-cover (Lespedeza stuevei Nutt.) and panicled tick-clover [D. paniculatum (L.) DC.] that both flowered primarily in September. Herbage N concentrations were uniformly (P > 0.05) high (31.7 g kg^–1) the first year and unaffected by harvest height all 3 yr; by the third year, however, tall bush-cover had the lowest (P < 0.05) N concentration (22.6 g kg^–1) and in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD; 651 g kg^–1). Condensed tannin (CT) concentrations exceeded 120 g kg^–1 for both the panicled tick-clover and the tall bush-clover although fraction distribution varied among entries. These three native North American legumes show potential as nutritious forage components to natural and cultivated systems.

Abbreviations: ADF, acid detergent fiber • ADL, acid detergent fiber lignin • CP, crude protein • CT, condensed tannin • GIN, gastro-intestinal nematode • IVDMD, in vitro dry matter disappearance • LSD, least significant difference • NDF, neutral detergent fiber

All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Received for publication March 26, 2008.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. P. Muir and J. R. Bow Defoliation of Panicled Tick-Clover, Tweedy's Tick-Clover, and Tall Bush-Clover: I. Winter Survival and Yields of Nitrogen, Herbage, and Seed Agron. J., October 21, 2008; 100(6): 1631 - 1634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]