White clover: the forgotten component of high-producing pastures?
D. F. Chapman A D , J. M. Lee B , L. Rossi A , G. R. Edwards C , J. B. Pinxterhuis A and E. M. K. Minnee BA DairyNZ, c/- PO Box 85066, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
B DairyNZ, Private Bag 3221, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
C Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, PO Box 85084, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
D Corresponding author. Email: david.chapman@dairynz.co.nz
Animal Production Science 57(7) 1269-1276 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN16453
Submitted: 15 July 2016 Accepted: 17 August 2016 Published: 28 September 2016
Abstract
The contribution of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to nitrogen fixation and feed quality in mixed pastures is indisputable, but the benefits of clover inclusion to total herbage accumulation (HA) are less clear. Results from four experiments comparing mixed pastures of white clover–perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with perennial ryegrass monocultures are presented. These experiments covered a range of environments (dryland northern New Zealand and irrigated southern New Zealand), management inputs (nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates and defoliation management), and genotypes of ryegrass and white clover. Mixtures resulted in a significantly greater HA than did monocultures in 7 of the 8 years for which data were available; the interaction between pasture type (monoculture or mixture) and N rate was significant in six of those years, with a greater advantage in HA for mixtures under low N rates (mean = 3.08 t DM/ha.year) than under high N rates (mean = 1.54 t DM/ha.year). Two-thirds to four-fifths of the yield advantage under grazing was due to the direct effect of clover contribution (which ranged between 10% and 30% of total annual yield) to HA, most of which accrued in summer. The remainder was due to the capture of additional clover-derived N by the grass component of the mixture, estimated to equate to 50–60 kg N/ha under low N-fertiliser rates and 15–35 kg N/ha under high N rates. The magnitude and consistency of the yield advantages observed here indicates that there are unrealised yield and other benefits not currently being captured in New Zealand dairy production systems, largely because they are negated by the use of high N-fertiliser rates. The agronomic practices required to support clover-rich mixed pastures receiving moderate rates of N fertiliser are well documented and can be applied to help deal with nutrient loss limits required by environmental regulations plus volatility in farm-gate milk prices.
Additional keywords: mixed pastures, nitrogen fertiliser, pasture composition, pasture management.
References
Brock J (1973) Growth and nitrogen fixation of pure stands of three pasture legumes with high/low phosphate. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 483–491.| Growth and nitrogen fixation of pure stands of three pasture legumes with high/low phosphate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaE2cXks1ymsw%3D%3D&md5=452f0d4dbae65bb68815a6ba0709a023CAS |
Chapman DF, Parsons AJ, Schwinning S (1996) Management of clover in grazed pastures: expectations, limitations and opportunities. In ‘White clover: New Zealand’s competitive edge’. (Ed. DR Woodfield) pp. 55–64. Agronomy Society of New Zealand Special Publication No. 11/Grasslands Research and Practice Series No. 6. (New Zealand Grassland Association: Palmerston North, New Zealand)
Clark DA, Harris SL (1996) White clover or nitrogen fertiliser for dairying? In ‘White clover: New Zealand’s competitive edge’. (Ed. DR Woodfield) pp. 107–114. Agronomy Society of New Zealand Special Publication No. 11/Grasslands Research and Practice Series No. 6. (New Zealand Grassland Association: Palmerston North, New Zealand)
Davidson IA, Robson MJ, Drennan DSH (1986) Effect of temperature and nitrogen supply on the growth of perennial ryegrass and white clover 1. Carbon and nitrogen economies of mixed swards at low-temperature. Annals of Botany 57, 697–708.
Elgersma A, Schlepers H, Nassiri M (2000) Interactions between perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) under contrasting nitrogen availability: productivity, seasonal patterns of species composition, N2 fixation, N transfer and N recovery. Plant and Soil 221, 281–299.
| Interactions between perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) under contrasting nitrogen availability: productivity, seasonal patterns of species composition, N2 fixation, N transfer and N recovery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXlslynsbY%3D&md5=91ce6755f57e877677a584cd9a90f482CAS |
Enriquez-Hidalgo D, Gilliland TJ, Hennessy D (2016) Herbage and nitrogen yields, fixation and transfer by white clover to companion grasses in grazed swards under different rates of nitrogen fertilization. Grass and Forage Science
| Herbage and nitrogen yields, fixation and transfer by white clover to companion grasses in grazed swards under different rates of nitrogen fertilization.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Evans DR, Williams TA, Mason SA (1990) Contribution of white clover varieties to total sward production under typical farm management. Grass and Forage Science 45, 129–134.
| Contribution of white clover varieties to total sward production under typical farm management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harris W (2001) Formulation of pasture seed mixtures with reference to competition and succession in pastures. In ‘Competition and succession in pastures’. (Eds PG Tow, A Lazenby) pp. 149–174. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)
Harris SL, Clark DA (1996) Effect of high rates of nitrogen fertiliser on white clover growth, morphology, and nitrogen fixation activity in grazed dairy pasture in northern New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 39, 149–158.
| Effect of high rates of nitrogen fertiliser on white clover growth, morphology, and nitrogen fixation activity in grazed dairy pasture in northern New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harris W, Hoglund JH (1977) Influences of seasonal growth periodicity and N-fixation on competitive combining abilities of grasses and legumes. In Proceedings of the 13th international grassland congress. Sectional papers, Sections 1–2’. pp. 239–243.
Haynes RJ (1980) Competitive aspects of the grass–legume association. Advances in Agronomy 33, 227–261.
| Competitive aspects of the grass–legume association.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hewitt AE (2010) ‘New Zealand soil classification.’ (Manaaki Whenua Press, Landcare Research: Lincoln, New Zealand)
Laidlaw AS (1988) The contribution of different white clover cultivars to the nitrogen yield of mixed swards. Grass and Forage Science 43, 347–350.
| The contribution of different white clover cultivars to the nitrogen yield of mixed swards.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ledgard SF (1991) Transfer of fixed nitrogen from white clover to associated grasses in swards grazed by dairy cows, estimated using 15N methods. Plant and Soil 131, 215–223.
| Transfer of fixed nitrogen from white clover to associated grasses in swards grazed by dairy cows, estimated using 15N methods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXhsVaiur4%3D&md5=6f668d656b41b4ee87cc8283413cf804CAS |
Martin TW (1960) The role of white clover in grassland. Herbage Abstracts 30, 159–164.
Ministry for Primary Industries (2012) ‘Pastoral input trends in New Zealand: a snapshot.’ (Ministry for Primary Industries: Wellington, New Zealand)
Reid D (1983) The combined use of fertilizer nitrogen and white clover as nitrogen-sources for herbage growth. The Journal of Agricultural Science 100, 613–623.
| The combined use of fertilizer nitrogen and white clover as nitrogen-sources for herbage growth.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rossi L, McDonagh J, McEvoy M, O’Donovan M, Lee JM, Chapman DF, Edwards GR (2014) Implications of species and management interactions for ranking perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars: a progress report from the two hemispheres. In ‘Proceedings of the 6th Australasian dairy science symposium’, 19–21 November 2014, Hamilton, New Zealand. (Ed. J Roche) pp. 259–262. Available at http://www.adssymposium.com.au/inewsfiles/2014proceedings/ADSS2014_FULL.pdf [Verified 8 September 2016]
Ryle GJA, Powell CE, Gordon AJ (1979) The respiratory costs of nitrogen fixation in soyabean, cowpea, and white clover II. Comparisons of the cost of nitrogen fixation and the utilization of combined nitrogen. Journal of Experimental Botany 30, 145–153.
| The respiratory costs of nitrogen fixation in soyabean, cowpea, and white clover II. Comparisons of the cost of nitrogen fixation and the utilization of combined nitrogen.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaE1MXitVSns78%3D&md5=a2b4a172704f309378af605b68007414CAS |
Savage J, Lewis C (2005) Applying science as a tool for dairy farmers. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 67, 61–66.
Schwinning S, Parsons AJ (1996) Analysis of the coexistence mechanisms for grasses and legumes in grazing systems. Journal of Ecology 84, 799–813.
| Analysis of the coexistence mechanisms for grasses and legumes in grazing systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thom ER, Popay AJ, Hume DE, Fletcher LR (2012) Evaluating the performance of endophytes in farm systems to improve farmer outcomes: a review. Crop & Pasture Science 63, 927–943.
| Evaluating the performance of endophytes in farm systems to improve farmer outcomes: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tozer KN, Chapman DF, Bell NL, Crush JR, King WM, Rennie GM, Wilson DJ, Mapp NR, Rossi L, Aalders LT, Cameron CA (2014) A botanical survey of perennial ryegrass-based dairy pastures in three regions of New Zealand: implications for ryegrass persistence. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 14–29.
| A botanical survey of perennial ryegrass-based dairy pastures in three regions of New Zealand: implications for ryegrass persistence.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Bysterveldt A, Christie R (2007) Dairy farmer adoption of science demonstrated by a commercially focussed demonstration farm. In ‘Proceedings of the 3rd Australasian dairy science symposium’. (Eds DF Chapman, DA Clark, KL Macmillan, DP Nation) pp. 535–540. (National Dairy Alliance: Melbourne)
Verbyla AP, Cullis BR, Kenward MG, Welham SJ (1999) The analysis of designed experiments and longitudinal data by using smoothing splines. Applied Statistics 48, 269–311.
| The analysis of designed experiments and longitudinal data by using smoothing splines.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Widdup KH, Barrett BA (2011) Achieving persistence and productivity in white clover. In ‘Pasture persistence symposium. Grassland research and practice series no. 15.’ (Ed. CF Mercer) pp. 173–180. (New Zealand Grassland Association: Dunedin, New Zealand)
