Dual-purpose use of winter wheat in western China: cutting time and nitrogen application effects on phenology, forage production, and grain yield
L. H. Tian A B , L. W. Bell C , Y. Y. Shen A B D and J. P. M. Whish C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou 730020, China.
B College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
C CSIRO Ecosystems Sciences/APSRU, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: yy.shen@lzu.edu.cn
Crop and Pasture Science 63(6) 520-528 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP12101
Submitted: 20 March 2012 Accepted: 20 July 2012 Published: 18 September 2012
Abstract
Conventional rainfed mixed crop–livestock systems of western China lack high-quality forage and restrict livestock production. This study explored the forage potential from wheat and its effects on subsequent grain yield. Different cutting times were imposed on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) at Qingyang, Gansu Province, in two growing seasons, and the effect of nitrogen (N) topdressing rates (0, 60, and 120 kg N/ha) on grain yield recovery was explored. Results showed the potential to produce 0.8–1.6 t DM/ha of wheat forage with high nutritive value when cut before stem elongation (GS 30). In the wetter year, cutting before stem elongation did not delay crop development significantly (<3 days at anthesis and 5 days at maturity), but grain yields were reduced by 17–28% compared with the uncut crop (5.8 t DM/ha), mainly due to reductions in number of spikes per m2 and, consequently, number of grains per m2. In both seasons, more forage biomass was available if crops were cut later than GS 32, but this came with large reductions (>62%) in grain yield and delays in crop development (>9 days or 131 degree-days). Crops cut later than GS 30 had greatly reduced harvest index, tillers per m2, and total N uptake but higher grain protein content. There was no significant effect of N topdressing rate on grain yield, although provided the crop was cut before GS 30, higher rates of N increased maturity biomass and crop N uptake by replacing N removed in cut biomass. This study showed that physiological delay of wheat due to cutting was not significant. The forage harvested from winter wheat before stem elongation could be a valuable feed resource to fill the feed gap in western China.
Additional keywords: defoliation, kernels, phenology, nitrogen.
References
Arzadún MJ, Arroquy JI, Laborde HE, Brevedan RE (2006) Effect of planting date, clipping height, and cultivar on forage and grain yield of winter wheat in Argentinean Pampas. Agronomy Journal 98, 1274–1279.| Effect of planting date, clipping height, and cultivar on forage and grain yield of winter wheat in Argentinean Pampas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Christiansen S, Svejcar T, Phillips WA (1989) Spring and fall cattle grazing effects on components and total grain-yield of winter wheat. Agronomy Journal 81, 145–150.
| Spring and fall cattle grazing effects on components and total grain-yield of winter wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dann PR (1968) Effect of clipping on yield of wheat. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 8, 731–735.
| Effect of clipping on yield of wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dann PR, Axelsen A, Edwards CBH (1977) Grain yield of winter-grazed crops. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 17, 452–461.
| Grain yield of winter-grazed crops.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dann PR, Axelsen A, Dear BS, Williams ER, Edwards CBH (1983) Herbage, grain and animal production from winter-grazed cereal crops. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 23, 154–161.
| Herbage, grain and animal production from winter-grazed cereal crops.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Francia E, Pecchioni N, Nicosia OLD, Paoletta G, Taibi L, Franco V, Odoardi M, Stanca AM, Delogu G (2006) Dual-purpose barley and oat in a Mediterranean environment. Field Crops Research 99, 158–166.
| Dual-purpose barley and oat in a Mediterranean environment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harrison MT, Kelman WM, Moore AD, Evans JR (2010) Grazing winter wheat relieves plant water stress and transiently enhances photosynthesis. Functional Plant Biology 37, 726–736.
| Grazing winter wheat relieves plant water stress and transiently enhances photosynthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXpt1Ckt7Y%3D&md5=3b8bef4f006ff10aeaf6d4bcd8426da4CAS |
Harrison MT, Evans JR, Dove H, Moore AD (2011a) Dual-purpose cereals: can the relative influences of management and environment on crop recovery and grain yield be dissected? Crop & Pasture Science 62, 930–946.
| Dual-purpose cereals: can the relative influences of management and environment on crop recovery and grain yield be dissected?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harrison MT, Evans JR, Dove H, Moore AD (2011b) Recovery dynamics of rainfed winter wheat after livestock grazing 2. Light interception, radiation-use efficiency and dry-matter partitioning. Crop & Pasture Science 62, 960–971.
| Recovery dynamics of rainfed winter wheat after livestock grazing 2. Light interception, radiation-use efficiency and dry-matter partitioning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holliday R (1956) Fodder production from winter-sown cereals and its effect upon grain yield. Field Crop Abstracts 9, 129–135.
Hou FJ, Nan ZB, Xie YZ, Li XL, Lin HL, Ren JH (2008) Integrated crop-livestock production systems in China. The Rangeland Journal 30, 221–231.
| Integrated crop-livestock production systems in China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Komarek AM, McDonald CK, Bell LW, Whish JPM, Robertson MJ, MacLeod ND, Bellotti WD (2012) Whole-farm effects of livestock intensification in smallholder systems in Gansu, China. Agricultural Systems 109, 16–24.
| Whole-farm effects of livestock intensification in smallholder systems in Gansu, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Merchan HD, Lutz EE, Morant AE (2007) Production of a double purpose wheat defoliated at different developmental stages of the growth apex. Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 76, 133–142.
Miller GL, Joost RE, Harrison SA (1993) Forage and grain yields of wheat and triticale as affected by forage management practices. Crop Science 33, 1070–1075.
| Forage and grain yields of wheat and triticale as affected by forage management practices.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moore AD (2009) Opportunities and trade-offs in dual-purpose cereals across the southern Australian mixed-farming zone: a modelling study. Animal Production Science 49, 759–768.
| Opportunities and trade-offs in dual-purpose cereals across the southern Australian mixed-farming zone: a modelling study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ortiz-Monasterio JI, Dhillon SS, Fischer RA (1994) Date of sowing effects on grain yield and yield components of irrigated spring wheat cultivars and relationships with radiation and temperature in Ludhiana, India. Field Crops Research 37, 169–184.
| Date of sowing effects on grain yield and yield components of irrigated spring wheat cultivars and relationships with radiation and temperature in Ludhiana, India.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pandey AK (2005) Effect of agronomic practices on green fodder, grain yield and economics of dual-purpose wheat (Triticum aestivum). Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 75, 27–29.
Peel MC, Finlayson BL, McMahon TA (2007) Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 11, 1633–1644.
| Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pinchak WE, Worrall WD, Caldwell SP, Hunt LJ, Worrall NJ, Conoly M (1996) Interrelationships of forage and steer growth dynamics on wheat pasture. Journal of Range Management 49, 126–130.
| Interrelationships of forage and steer growth dynamics on wheat pasture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pumphrey FV (1970) Semidwarf winter wheat response to early spring clipping and grazing. Agronomy Journal 62, 641–643.
| Semidwarf winter wheat response to early spring clipping and grazing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Redmon LA, Horn GW, Krenzer EG, Bernardo DJ (1995) A review of livestock grazing and wheat-grain yield-boom or bust. Agronomy Journal 87, 137–147.
| A review of livestock grazing and wheat-grain yield-boom or bust.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Redmon LA, Krenzer EG, Bernardo DJ, Horn GW (1996) Effect of wheat morphological stage at grazing termination on economic return. Agronomy Journal 88, 94–97.
| Effect of wheat morphological stage at grazing termination on economic return.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rodríguez A, Trapp JN, Walker OL, Bernardo DJ (1990) A wheat grazing systems-model for the United-States Southern Plains.1. Model description and performance. Agricultural Systems 33, 41–59.
| A wheat grazing systems-model for the United-States Southern Plains.1. Model description and performance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Royo C, Lopez A, Serra J, Tribo F (1997) Effect of sowing date and cutting stage on yield and quality of irrigated barley and triticale used for forage and grain. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 179, 227–234.
| Effect of sowing date and cutting stage on yield and quality of irrigated barley and triticale used for forage and grain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sprague MA (1954) The effect of grzing management on forage and grain production from rye wheat and oats. Agronomy Journal 46, 29–33.
| The effect of grzing management on forage and grain production from rye wheat and oats.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Van Soest PJ, Robertson JB, Lewis BA (1991) Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583–3597.
| Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK38%2FnvVCltA%3D%3D&md5=3fb280c5fc2633cfe8305ad1dfe199c1CAS |
Virgona JM, Gummer FAJ, Angus JF (2006) Effects of grazing on wheat growth, yield, development, water use, and nitrogen use. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 1307–1319.
| Effects of grazing on wheat growth, yield, development, water use, and nitrogen use.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Winter SR, Musick JT (1991) Grazed wheat-grain yield relationships. Agronomy Journal 83, 130–135.
| Grazed wheat-grain yield relationships.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zadoks JC, Chang TT, Konzak CF (1974) Decimal code for growth stages of cereals. Weed Research 14, 415–421.
| Decimal code for growth stages of cereals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhu XA, Li YS, Peng XA, Zhang SG (1983) Soils of the Loess region in China. Geoderma 29, 237–255.
| Soils of the Loess region in China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL3sXhvFKqtr8%3D&md5=c0891f767f9f5520fbd278e93cddf5faCAS |
