Published online 7 February 2006
Published in Agron J 98:265-269 (2006)
DOI: 10.2134/agronj2005.0037
© 2006 American Society of Agronomy
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
Production Papers
Wheat Effect on Frost-Seeded Red Clover Cultivar Establishment and Yield
Jeremy W. Singera,*,
Michael D. Caslerb and
Keith A. Kohlera
a USDA-ARS, National Soil Tilth Laboratory, Ames, IA 50011
b USDA-ARS, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, WI 53706
* Corresponding author (singer{at}nstl.gov)
Received for publication February 1, 2005.
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ABSTRACT
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Frost-seeding red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) into winter cereals is a cost effective establishment method. Abiotic effects on seedling establishment have been reported, but information on cultivar differences is lacking. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the establishment, persistence, and forage dry matter (DM) production of 15 red clover cultivars of diverse origin. Cultivars were frost-seeded near Ames, IA in March of 2003 and 2004 and Prairie du Sac, WI in 2004. Presence of the wheat crop caused 19 and 23% mortality in 2003 and 2004 compared with the no-wheat treatment in Iowa and 51% mortality in 2004 in Wisconsin. Dry matter yield of diploid cultivars exceeded tetraploids in all environments (439 vs. 559 g m–2). Favorable conditions for germination and emergence in 2003 resulted in high plant densities and no relationship between post-wheat red clover density and DM yield. In 2004, unfavorable environmental conditions reduced plant densities, creating a relationship between red clover density (x) and DM yield (y) (y = 305 + 8.86x, R2 = 0.65 in Iowa; y = 382 + 3.83x, R2 = 0.22 in Wisconsin). The southern cultivar Cherokee generally had greater performance than the average northern cultivar. Differences across years and locations were inconsistent for elite and land races. Within different origins and selection histories, large variability exists in cultivar performance. More data are needed to determine if the cultivar-by-wheat interaction is important for screening cultivars for dual grain/forage systems.
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INTRODUCTION
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RED CLOVER is interseeded in winter cereal systems at northern latitudes for forage (Sustainable Agriculture Network, 1998), for weed suppression (Mutch et al., 2003), and as a nitrogen (N) source (Bruulsema and Christie, 1987; Hesterman et al., 1992) for corn (Zea mays L.). Although red clover is considered shade tolerant, extreme shading occurs in a cereal canopy that is harvested for grain. Smith et al. (1985) recommended reducing the seeding rate of the small grain by 50 to 75% to obtain a good stand of red clover. They also state that it may be desirable to harvest the small grain early as a hay or silage crop before it smothers the clover.
Recent studies have demonstrated that a wheat/red clover year in the corn-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation is economically competitive with continuous corn, soybean followed by 2 yr of corn, and a corn–soybean rotation, depending on tillage and marketing the wheat straw (Singer and Cox, 1998b; Katsvairo and Cox, 2000). Little published information is available comparing establishment and forage DM production of red clover cultivars. Mutch et al. (2003) reported a seeding rate-by-cultivar interaction in 1 of 2 yr in a Michigan study comparing the effectiveness of different frost-seeded cultivars on weed suppression following winter wheat. Hesterman et al. (1992) reported no difference between ‘Michigan Mammoth’ and medium red clover for plant density, fall herbage, fall roots, spring herbage, spring roots, or plowdown N yield in a Michigan study where the red clover remained undisturbed for the duration of the growing season after wheat harvest.
Agronomic information is available for red clover cultivar selection, but information comparing cultivar performance in a winter cereal interseeding is lacking. Singer and Cox (1998a) reported that red clover establishment in years with dry springs was poor, but they used only one cultivar. Identifying red clover cultivars with greater establishment and low mortality under dense cereal canopies may improve subsequent forage DM production. Sturz et al. (2003) evaluated different red clover and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars for red clover-potato combinations for improved potato yield. They detected a specific combination that increased tuber yield. To the best of our knowledge, limited work comparing red clover cultivar performance (establishment and yield) in winter cereal systems has been conducted. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of winter wheat on the establishment, persistence, and forage DM production of 15 red clover cultivars of diverse origin.
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MATERIALS AND METHODS
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Field studies were conducted near Ames, IA at the Iowa State University Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering Research Farm (42°01' N, 93°45' W) and near Prairie du Sac, WI (43°20' N, 89°23' W). Soil type in 2003 was a Nicollet clay loam (fine loamy, mixed, mesic, Aquic Hapludoll) and in 2004 was a Canisteo silty clay loam (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquolls) near Ames, IA and a St. Charles silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludalfs) near Prairie du Sac, WI. Soil test results in 2003 were 12 mg kg–1 P (Bray P), 80 mg kg–1 K (ammonium acetate), and a pH of 7.0. In 2004, soil test results in Iowa were 12 mg kg–1 P, 120 mg kg–1 K, and a pH of 7.4 and 38 mg kg–1 P, 189 mg kg–1 K, and a pH of 6.8 at the Wisconsin site.
The experimental design was a randomized complete block in a split-plot arrangement with four replicates. Red clover cultivar was the main plot, with the presence or absence of wheat as the subplot. Subplots were 1.48 m2 in size. Red clover cultivars were selected that represented Elite Southern, Elite Northern, Wisconsin Elite, Eastern Land Race, Wisconsin Land Race, and tetraploid populations (Table 1). Cultivars were chosen from a population of over 200 red clover cultivars collected from North American and European breeding programs. Six groups were defined based on differences in ploidy (diploid vs. tetraploid), geographic origin (location of the breeding program), and selection history (elite vs. land races). The six groups were chosen to form the basis of a set of orthogonal contrasts. The division between northern and southern groups in North America was 37° N lat. Wisconsin populations were included in the northern group but were also compared with the remainder of the cultivars in the northern group. The three land races originated in Wisconsin (HC-11), Pennsylvania (Pennscott), and Maryland (Chesapeake). The groups and contrasts were chosen on the basis of potential or anticipated differences in establishment capacity from frost seeding into a stand of winter wheat. Because this type of seeding has not been previously reported, germplasm groups were largely defined based on known sources of variation in red clover germplasm (Smith et al., 1985).
‘Kaskaskia’ winter wheat was drilled at 2.96 x 106 seeds ha–1 on 11 and 1 October of 2002 and 2003 in Iowa in 19-cm row widths following soybean, and ‘Kaltenberg KW39’ winter wheat was drilled no-tillage on 9 October 2003 at a seeding rate of approximately 3 x 106 seeds ha–1 following soybean in Wisconsin in 18-cm row widths. Liquid dairy (Bos taurus) manure (59 g kg–1 DM, 221, 38, and 127 kg N, P, and K ha–1) was applied at a rate of 8 x 104 L ha–1 to the Wisconsin field before wheat planting. In Iowa, soybean stubble was subjected to a single pass of a tandem disk set to operate at a depth of 5.1 to 7.6 cm before wheat planting. Actual wheat plant densities were 2.34 x 106 and 2.28 x 106 plants ha–1 in 2003 and 2004, respectively, in Iowa and 2.78 x 106 in Wisconsin. Wheat plant densities were determined by counting a 1.74-m2 area in each replicate of the study on 22 and 2 April 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and on 6 April 2004 in Wisconsin. Red clover cultivars were frost-seeded by hand using a mixture of sand and seed to facilitate uniform seed distribution on 24 and 22 March of 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and on 23 March 2004 in Wisconsin at a seeding rate of 850 pure live seed m–2, which averaged about 17 kg seed ha–1. All red clover seed was inoculated before seeding with Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii (Nitragin, Inc., Brookfield, WI).
Shortly after green-up, wheat in the no-wheat plots was chemically eliminated using sethoxydim 2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one at a rate of 0.28 kg a.i. ha–1 on 22 and 16 April in 2003 and 2004 in Iowa or 1.2 kg a.i. ha–1 of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] on 14 April 2004 in Wisconsin. In the fall of 2002 in Iowa, a broadcast application of 26-67-135 kg ha–1 (N-P-K) was applied. In the spring of 2004 in Iowa, a broadcast application of 26-67-67 kg ha–1 (N-P-K) was applied. All plots were topdressed with ammonium nitrate at 45 kg N ha–1 on 25 and 31 March in 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and on 2 April 2004 in Wisconsin.
Red clover establishment plant density counts were collected on 7 and 5 May in 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and on 6 May 2004 in Wisconsin. Wheat harvest occurred on 15 and 16 July in 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and 26 July 2004 in Wisconsin. Post-wheat harvest density counts were collected on 18 and 19 July in 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and on 4 August 2004 in Wisconsin. Plant density counts were collected from two 0.1-m2 quadrats in 2003 and two 0.25 m2 quadrats in 2004 in each subplot at both sampling times. Red clover forage DM was collected on 22 and 19 August 2003 and 2004 and on 30 September in 2003 and 2004 in Iowa and on 25 August and 15 October in 2004 in Wisconsin by clipping all shoot biomass to a 6-cm stubble height from one 0.25-m2 quadrat in each subplot.
Data were submitted to analysis of variance assuming all effects to be fixed, except replicates, which were random. Analyses of variance were initially combined across locations and years to test interactions of these factors with cultivars and wheat treatments. When these interactions were significant, separate analyses of variance were computed for individual locations, years, or wheat treatments. Comparisons among red clover cultivar means were conducted by a set of meaningful and orthogonal contrasts structured by the six germplasm sources identified in Table 1 and a protected LSD at the 0.05 significance level. Simple linear regression was used to determine the relationship between forage DM yield and post-wheat harvest plant density.
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
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Abiotic, edaphic, and cultural practices were probably responsible for the varied response observed across years and locations. Air temperature and rainfall deviated from long-term averages during both growing seasons (Table 2). Location main effect and location-by-cultivar interactions were not significant in 2004, but location-by-wheat and location-by-cultivar-by-wheat interactions were significant (Table 3). Year main effect and interactions were also significant. Data are presented by year and location for all measured variables. Cultivar-by-wheat interactions were not observed in Iowa in 2003 or 2004 for establishment density (P = 0.44 and 0.73), post-wheat harvest density (P = 0.10 and 0.22), or forage DM yield (P = 0.22 and 0.62), so cultivar and wheat data were pooled. In Wisconsin in 2004, cultivar-by-wheat interactions were detected for establishment density (P = 0.02) and forage DM yield (P = 0.04) but not for post-wheat harvest density (P = 0.10), so cultivar-by-wheat means were presented.
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Table 2. Mean monthly air temperature and rainfall near Ames, IA, and Prairie du Sac (PDS), WI. Long-term means were computed from data collected in 1951–2004 for Ames and 1971–2000 for Prairie du Sac.
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Table 3. Analysis of variance probabilities for red clover establishment density, post-wheat harvest density, and forage dry matter yield. The location effect is a test of Ames vs. Prairie du Sac in 2004. The year effect is a comparison of 2003 vs. 2004 at Ames. Dry matter yield is the sum of two 40-d harvest periods following wheat harvest.
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Establishment Density
Red clover establishment densities were high in the spring of 2003 near Ames because of the 112 mm of rainfall in April (Table 4). In 2003, above-average air temperature and rainfall in April resulted in rapid red clover germination. The range in density between the high (Marathon) and low (Wis4x) cultivars (160 plants m–2) was equal to the density of the low cultivar (161 plants m–2). In the spring of 2004, establishment densities were low because of the 61 mm of rainfall in April, which reduced and delayed emergence and extended the emergence window. Comparisons between and within cultivar groups exhibited similarities between years in Iowa. Diploid populations had greater establishment densities than tetraploid populations in 2003 and 2004. The European tetraploid trended higher than the local tetraploid but was different only in 2004 in Iowa. Similarly, Cherokee, the southern origin population, trended higher than the northern origin population but was different only in 2003. Differences between Wisconsin and other northern elite germplasms were detected only in 2003. Within Wisconsin elite populations, ‘Marathon’ established more seedlings than ‘C328’ in 2003. Due to the general consistency of these effects across locations and years, Cherokee had 19% greater establishment density than northern cultivars (P < 0.01), elite lines had 19% greater establishment density than land races (P < 0.01), and Wisconsin elite lines had 16% greater establishment density than other elite lines (P < 0.01).
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Table 4. Mean red clover seedling density in spring (establishment) near Ames, IA, in 2003 and 2004 and near Prairie du Sac (PDS), WI, in 2004. Means are pooled across wheat treatments in Ames because cultivar-by-wheat interactions were not significant.
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In 2003, the top five cultivars (Marathon, Sienna, Scarlett, AC Endure, and Cherokee) had similar establishment densities, ranging from 270 to 321 plants m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 54). In 2004, ‘Pennscott’ had greater establishment densities (57 plants m–2) than the next closest cultivar (41 plants m–2, LSD 0.05 = 11). A group of 10 cultivars had similar densities that ranged from 31 to 41 plants m–2, of which Marathon, Sienna, Scarlett, and Cherokee were included. In Wisconsin, a group of five cultivars, including Pennscott, Cherokee, Chesapeake, Marathon, and Sienna, were in the top group in the no-wheat plots, with densities ranging from 27 to 45 plants m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 20). In the wheat plots, eight cultivars, including Marathon, Sienna, C328, Ram, Pennscott, Starfire, AC Endure, and Cherokee, had densities ranging from 117 to 165 plants m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 51). Pooled across cultivar, the no-wheat vs. wheat treatment means were 212 vs. 245 plants m–2 in 2003 and 39 vs. 30 plants m–2 in 2004 in Iowa and 21 vs. 108 plants m–2 in 2004 in Wisconsin.
Post-Wheat Harvest Density
Fewer differences were observed among cultivars and groups for post-wheat harvest density compared with establishment density (Table 5). Differences between diploid and tetraploid cultivars were consistent for establishment and post-wheat harvest red clover plant density. However, other red clover group comparisons were inconsistent between the two measures of red clover plant density. Elite lines vs. land races differed for the two measures of red clover plant density only at Ames in 2003. This was also true for Wisconsin elite lines vs. other elite lines. In 2003, the top five cultivars (Sienna, C328, AC Endure, Marathon, and Scarlett) had similar post-wheat harvest densities, ranging from 249 to 287 plants m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 41). In 2004, the cultivars Pennscott, Marathon, and C328 were in the top group (42, 35, and 34 plants m–2; LSD 0.05 = 9) in Iowa. In Wisconsin, the top group of cultivars in the wheat treatment included all cultivars except HC-11, Wis4x, and Dolina (LSD 0.05 = 21), with densities ranging from 48 to 68 plants m–2. Hesterman et al. (1992) reported similar fall red clover densities for medium and ‘Michigan Mammoth’ (140 and 151 plants m–2) across three Michigan locations with loam, sandy loam, and silty clay soil types.
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Table 5. Mean red clover seedling density in summer (post-wheat harvest) near Ames, IA, in 2003 and 2004 and near Prairie du Sac (PDS), WI, in 2004. Means are pooled across wheat treatments in Ames because cultivar-by-wheat interactions were not significant.
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Pooled across cultivar, the no-wheat vs. wheat treatment means were 260 vs. 199 plants m–2 in 2003 and 36 vs. 23 plants m–2 in 2004 in Iowa and 24 vs. 53 plants m–2 in 2004 in Wisconsin. It is unclear why the wheat plots had higher densities than the no-wheat plots in Wisconsin because in both years we observed the opposite response in Iowa. Nevertheless, the level of mortality (loss in plant numbers from establishment to post-wheat harvest) in the wheat plots in Wisconsin was 51%, compared with 19% and 23% in Iowa in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
Forage Dry Matter Yield
Forage DM yields ranged from 338 to 558 g m–2 in 2003 and 419 to 673 g m–2 in 2004 in Iowa and from 411 to 771 g m–2 in 2004 in Wisconsin in the wheat plots (Table 6). In August 2003, above-average temperature and below-average rainfall adversely affected red clover DM yield during the first growth period after wheat harvest. In September 2004, below-average rainfall at both locations adversely affected DM yield during the second growth period. Dry matter yields were greater in diploid compared with tetraploid populations in both years at all sites. Other comparisons were not consistent across years or locations. In 2003, the top group of cultivars included Cherokee, Ram, Robust II, Marathon, Chesapeake, Sienna, and Cinnamon, with DM ranging from 510 to 558 g m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 51). In 2004 in Iowa, the top group of cultivars included all cultivars except Wis4X, with DM ranging from 482 to 673 g m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 194). In Wisconsin, the top group of cultivars for the wheat plots included Chesapeake, Cherokee, Starfire, Cinnamon, and Robust II, with DM ranging from 629 to 771 g m–2 (LSD 0.05 = 156). Regression analysis of DM yield on post-wheat harvest density indicated no relationship of DM yield to post-wheat harvest density when red clover densities were high (2003). In 2004, a linear relationship was detected for the Iowa (y = 305 + 8.86x; R2 = 0.65; n = 15; P < 0.01) and Wisconsin sites (y = 382 + 3.83x; R2 = 0.22; n = 15; P < 0.01).
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Table 6. Mean forage dry matter (DM) yield for red clover cultivars near Ames, IA, in 2003 and 2004 and near Prairie du Sac (PDS), WI, in 2004. Means are pooled across wheat treatments in Ames because cultivar-by-wheat interactions were not significant. Forage DM yield is the sum of two 40-d harvest periods following wheat harvest.
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CONCLUSIONS
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Red clover cultivar performance varies by ploidy, origin, and selection history. In years with favorable germination and emergence conditions, differences in cultivar establishment and forage yield are less pronounced. In years with unfavorable spring conditions for germination and emergence, cultivar differences are pronounced and markedly influence emergence and forage yield. Performance of diploid cultivars exceeds tetraploid in all tested environments. The southern cultivar Cherokee generally had higher performance than the average northern cultivar, most likely due to greater establishment year growth and productivity. Differences across years, locations, and variables were inconsistent for elite and land races. Within different origins and selection histories, large variability exists in cultivar performance. More data are needed to determine if the cultivar-by-wheat interaction is important for screening cultivars for dual grain/forage systems.
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REFERENCES
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- Bruulsema, T.W., and B.R. Christie. 1987. Nitrogen contribution to succeeding corn from alfalfa and red clover. Agron. J. 79:96–100.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Hesterman, O.B., T.S. Griffin, P.T. Williams, G.H. Harris, and D.R. Christenson. 1992. Forage legume–small grain intercrops: Nitrogen production and response of subsequent crops. J. Prod. Agric. 5:340–348.
- Katsvairo, T.W., and W.J. Cox. 2000. Economics of cropping systems featuring different rotations, tillage, and management. Agron. J. 92:485–493.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Mutch, D.R., T.E. Martin, and K.R. Kosola. 2003. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) suppression of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). Weed Technol. 17:181–185.
- Singer, J.W., and W.J. Cox. 1998a. Agronomics of corn production under different crop rotations in New York. J. Prod. Agric. 10:462–468.
- Singer, J.W., and W.J. Cox. 1998b. Economics of different crop rotations in New York. J. Prod. Agric. 10:447–451.
- Smith, R.R., N.L. Taylor, and S.R. Bowley. 1985. Red clover. p. 457–470. In N.L. Taylor (ed.) Clover science and technology. Agron. Monogr. 25. ASA, Madison, WI.
- Sturz, A.V., W. Arsenault, and B.R. Christie. 2003. Red clover-potato cultivar combinations for improved potato yield. Agron. J. 95:1089–1092.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Sustainable Agriculture Network. 1998. Managing cover crops profitably. 2nd ed. Sustainable Agric. Network Handb. Ser., Book 3. SARE, USDA, Washington, DC.
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TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
