A comparison of the establishment, productivity, and feed quality of four cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) and four brome (Bromus spp.) cultivars, under leaf stage based defoliation management
L. R. Turner A C , D. J. Donaghy A , P. A. Lane B and R. P. Rawnsley AA Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, Burnie, Tas. 7320, Australia.
B University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7000, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: wilsonlr@utas.edu.au
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58(9) 900-906 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR06252
Submitted: 5 April 2007 Accepted: 24 May 2007 Published: 28 September 2007
Abstract
A glasshouse study was undertaken to investigate the differences in rate of establishment, productivity, feed quality, and response to defoliation frequency between new and old cultivars within the brome (Bromus spp.) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) genera. Three of the more recent brome (Bareno, Gala, and Exceltas) and cocksfoot (Tekapo, Megatas, and Uplands) cultivars were compared with Matua and Kara, the most widely sown and utilised brome and cocksfoot dairy pasture cultivars, respectively.
The improvements resulting from breeding and selection within the cocksfoot genera included faster seedling emergence and tiller production during establishment, higher tiller density once established, lower acid detergent fibre (ADF), higher crude protein (CP), and higher metabolisable energy (ME) concentrations. The newer cocksfoot cultivars had lower leaf and tiller dry matter (DM) yields than Kara, with little variation in ME levels between cultivars.
The improvements resulting from breeding and selection within the brome genera, measured in this study, included faster seedling emergence, lower ADF, and higher CP concentrations. The higher fibre levels for Matua did not translate into a lower ME concentration; in fact, the energy content in Matua and Gala was higher than for all remaining cultivars. There were further similarities between Matua and Gala, the high water-soluble carbohydrate levels, leaf, and tiller DM yields of these cultivars, reflecting a strong regrowth response to defoliation.
Further research in the field is required to confirm the observed variation within and between cocksfoot and brome cultivars, and to quantify the potential benefits of using the new v. the original cultivars.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge financial support provided by Dairy Australia and technical assistance provided by Andrew Turner and Karen Christie. Thanks to DPIW Tasmania, Heritage Seeds and PGG Wrightson for generous donation of seed.
Aguirre L, Johnson DA
(1991) Root morphological development in relation to shoot growth in seedlings of four range grasses. Journal of Range Management 44, 341–346.
Borman MM,
Krueger WC, Johnson DE
(1990) Growth patterns of perennial grasses in the annual grassland type of southwest Oregon. Agronomy Journal 82, 1093–1098.
Clarke T,
Flinn PC, McGowen AA
(1982) Low cost pepson-cellulase assays for prediction of digestibility of herbage. Grass and Forage Science 37, 147–150.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cornish PS,
McWilliam JR, So HB
(1984) Root morphology, water uptake, growth and survival of seedlings of ryegrass and phalaris. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 35, 479–492.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
DeLacy H
(1987) Matua prairie grass at last earns due respect—ryegrass not good enough for Canterbury farms. New Zealand Journal of Agriculture 152, 12–13.
Donaghy DJ, Fulkerson WJ
(1997) The importance of water-soluble carbohydrate reserves on regrowth and root growth of Lolium perenne (L.). Grass and Forage Science 52, 401–407.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ducrocq H, Duru M
(1997) In vitro digestibility of green lamina of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) in relation to water deficit. Grass and Forage Science 52, 432–438.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Emoto T, Ikeda H
(1999) Appearance and development of tillers in herbage grass species. Grassland Science 45, 210–216.
Fraser TJ
(1982) Evaluation of ‘Grasslands Matua’ prairie grass and ‘Grasslands Maru’ phalaris with and without lucerne in Canterbury. New Zealand Journal of Experimental Agriculture 10, 235–237.
Fulkerson WJ,
Fennell JFM, Slack K
(2000) Production and forage quality of prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii) in comparison to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) in subtropical dairy pastures. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 1059–1067.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fulkerson WJ, Slack K
(1994) Leaf number as a criterion for determining defoliation time for Lolium perenne. 1. Effect of water-soluble carbohydrates and senescence. Grass and Forage Science 49, 373–377.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fulkerson WJ,
Slack K,
Hennessy DW, Hough GD
(1998) Nutrients in ryegrass (Lolium spp.), white clover (Trifolium repens) and kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) pastures in relation to season and stage of regrowth in a subtropical environment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38, 227–240.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lowe KF,
Bowdler TM,
Casey ND, Moss RJ
(1999) Performance of temperate perennial pastures in the Australian subtropics. 1. Yield, persistence and pasture quality. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 39, 663–676.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McQuaker NR,
Brown DF, Kluckner PD
(1979) Digestion of environmental materials for analysis by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry 51, 1082–1084.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moot DJ,
Scott WR,
Roy AM, Nicholls AC
(2000) Base temperature and thermal time requirements for germination and emergence of temperate pasture species. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 15–25.
Rawnsley RP,
Donaghy DJ,
Fulkerson WJ, Lane PA
(2002) Changes in the physiology and feed quality of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) during regrowth. Grass and Forage Science 57, 203–211.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sathish P,
Withana N,
Biswas M,
Bryant C,
Templeton K,
Al-Wahb M,
Smith-Espinoza C,
Roche JR,
Elborough KM, Phillips JR
(2007) Transriptome analysis reveals season-specific rbcS gene expression profiles in diploid perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Plant Biotechnology Journal 5, 146–161.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Slack K,
Fulkerson WJ, Scott JM
(2000) Regrowth of prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in response to temperature and defoliation. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 555–561.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith D
(1969) Removing and analysing total non-structural carbohydrates from plant tissue. Wisconsin Agricultural Experimental Station Research Report 41, 1–11.
Sweeney RA, Rexroad PR
(1987) Comparison of LECO FP-228 ‘Nitrogen Determinator’ with AOAC Copper Catalyst Kjeldahl method for crude protein. Journal – Association of Official Analytical Chemists 70, 1027.
Thom ER,
Taylor MJ, Wildermoth DD
(1990) Effects of establishment method, seeding rate and soil fertility on the growth and persistence of a prairie grass pasture in the Waikato. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 51, 79–84.
Turner LR,
Donaghy DJ,
Lane PA, Rawnsley RP
(2006a) The effect of defoliation interval on water-soluble carbohydrate and nitrogen energy reserves, regrowth of leaves and roots, and tiller number of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) plants. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 243–249.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner LR,
Donaghy DJ,
Lane PA, Rawnsley RP
(2006b) Effect of defoliation management, based on leaf stage, on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth.) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) under dryland conditions. 1. Regrowth, tillering and water-soluble carbohydrate concentration. Grass and Forage Science 61, 164–174.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner LR,
Donaghy DJ,
Lane PA, Rawnsley RP
(2006c) Effect of defoliation management, based on leaf stage, on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth.) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) under dryland conditions. 2. Nutritive value. Grass and Forage Science 61, 175–181.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner LR,
Donaghy DJ,
Lane PA, Rawnsley RP
(2006d) Changes in the physiology and feed quality of prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth.) during regrowth. Agronomy Journal 98, 1326–1332.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner LR,
Donaghy DJ,
Lane PA, Rawnsley RP
(2007) Distribution of water-soluble carbohydrate energy reserves in the stubble of prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth.) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) plants. Agronomy Journal 99, 591–594.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Van Soest PJ, Wine RH
(1967) Use of detergents in the analysis of fibrous feeds. IV. Determination of plant cell wall constituents. Journal – Association of Official Analytical Chemists 50, 50–55.
Vartha EW
(1977) Comparative growth of ‘Grasslands Matua’ prairie grass, ‘S23’ ryegrass, and experimental cocksfoot, and ‘Grasslands Kahu’ timothy at Lincoln, Canterbury. New Zealand Journal of Experimental Agriculture 5, 137–149.
Wilman D,
Acuna PGH, Michaud PJ
(1994) Concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium in perennial ryegrass and white clover leaves of different ages. Grass and Forage Science 49, 422–428.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wilson JR
(1976) Variation in leaf characteristics with level of insertion on a grass tiller. II. Anatomy. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 27, 355–364.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
