The effect of associate perennial grasses on a simple pasture mixture of phalaris and subterranean clover

Abstract

Over the period 1952-1954 there was no significant difference in the yield of herbage produced annually by the addition to a Phalaris tuberosa L.–Trifolium subterraneum L. pasture mixture, of any one of the following grasses: Agropyron obtusiusculum Lange., Bromus coloratus Steud., Bromus inermis Leyss., Dactylis glomerata L., or Festuca arundinacea Schreb. There were indications of a small change in seasonal production where certain grasses, notably D. glomerata, were included in the mixture. Over the 3-year period the proportion of the sown grass component, in the mixtures where either D. glomerata, B. inermis, or B. coloratus were included, increased by a greater amount than where the simple mixture of phalaris and subterranean clover was used. The addition of each grass also lessened the amount of P. tuberosa in the sown grass component of the yield. In the third year, despite the varying proportions of the phalaris and associated sown grass species, the mean population of the sown perennial grasses in each treatment did not differ significantly from the mean figure of 1.34 plants/sq. lk. The increased production of the sown grass yield component following the association of certain of the above species with P. tuberosa suggests that the latter does not fully exploit the environment. The principle of including another perennial grass when sowing phalaris and subterranean clover might have wide application as a means of combatting "phalaris staggers".