Effects of Sward Composition and NㆍP Fertilization on Forage Yields and Intercompetition of Subterranean clover-Italian Ryegrass and Berseem clover-Italian Ryegrass Mixtures
Annual forage crops have been increasingly important for conpensating insufficient forage production of perennial pastures took place for short interval. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of sward composition and NㆍP fertilization on forage production and intercompetition of subterranean clover-Italian ryegrass and berseem clover-Italian ryegrass. The two clovers were grown in the field at the clover/ryegrass ratios of 0/100, 25/75, 50/50, 75/25 and 100/0 where no, N (200 kg /ha), P (50 kg /ha) or NㆍP fertilization was done. Each crop was separated after harvest and drying. Relative Crowding Coefficient (RCC), aggressivity and Relative Yield Total (RYT) were analyzed on the basis of the harvested dry matter of each crop. Berseem clover-ryegrass mixtures produced greater yield than subclover-ryegrass mixtures as a result of higher yields of the two component species. In the former forage yield was increased with increased rate of clover up to 75%, while in the latter the highest yields were obtained at more than 50% of the clover. In the mixtures N stimulated the growth of ryegrass, whereas P did only that of subclover. The two clovers produced more forage than the companion grass under no and only P fertilization although the reverse result was true under N or NㆍP fertilization, but the annual forage yield was decreased in the order of N and P, N, P, and no fertilization. The mixture yields were overyielded compared to the Expected Yield. Although generally RCCs and RYTs of subclover were higher than those of berseem clover in the mixtures differing the composition rate or under no and only P fertilization, those of the former clover were lower under N or NㆍP fertilization. In the clover-ryegrass mixtures, ryegrass acted as an aggressor and became more aggressive under P fertilization.