Companion crop, herbicide and weed effects on establishment and yields of alfalfa-bromegrass mixture

. 2006. A review of research progress on cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.). Can. J. Plant Sci. 86: 49-62. This review of cicer milkvetch includes both published and unpublished information regarding crop and seed characteristics, seed treatments, breeding, agronomic practices and nutritional value for livestock. Cicer milkvetch is a long-lived perennial, acid-and drought-tolerant crop providing high-quality forage throughout the growing season. It does not cause bloat in ruminants. Although it has caused photosensitization in ruminants, this was apparently due to specific environmental conditions and the cultivar used. Cicer milkvetch is compatible with other forage crops in mixed stands and is particularly suitable for pasture. Although the crop has many good qualities and was introduced in North America approximately 75 yr ago, it has not been utilized extensively, primarily due to slow establishment. However, stand establishment has been improved by elucidation of seed and seedling characteristics, followed by selection for heavy seed, rate of emergence, and mature plant vigor. Improved cultivars, developed through recurrent selection for rapid establishment, are now available. Seed scarification, inoculation with rhizobia, and shallow seeding into a pre-packed, warm seedbed are of great importance in cicer milkvetch establishment. Seeding later in the spring (without a companion crop) increases the probability of successful establishment of genetically improved cultivars. Development of cultivars with upright growth characteristics and long-term persistence under grazing stress, improved scarification techniques (to reduce seed loss), and a seeding protocol for successful establishment of the crop, have the potential to substantially increase utilization of this important forage legume. Cette revue bibliographique englobe l'information connue et inédite sur les caractéristiques de la plante et de la graine, les traitements grainiers, l'hybridation, les pratiques agronomiques et la valeur nutritive de cette culture pour le bétail. L'astragale est une vivace longévive qui tolère bien les sols acides et la sécheresse; elle produit un fourrage de haute qualité pendant toute la période végétative. Elle n'entraîne pas le météorisme chez les ruminants. La photosensibilisation qu'elle engendre à l'occasion chez eux semble résulter de certaines conditions environnementales ainsi que du cultivar employé. L'astragale est compatible avec d'autres plantes fourragères dans les peuplements mixtes et se prête particulièrement bien aux pâturages. En dépit de ses nombreuses qualités et de son introduction en Amérique du Nord il y a près de 75 ans, l'astragale n'est pas énormément utilisée, principalement parce qu'elle prend du temps à s'implanter. On peut néan-moins améliorer l'établissement de la culture en triant les semences et les plantules d'après leurs propriétés puis en sélectionnant les plants pour une production abondante de graines, le taux de levée et la vigueur des plants adultes. On trouve désormais sur le ma...

Section: Seeding Pure Forage Standsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Seeding Pure Forage Standsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of research progress on cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.)

Acharya¹,

Kastelic²,

Beauchemin³

et al. 2006

“…Although some analyses of the nutritive composition of weeds have been conducted, animal intake and rate of gain from the weedy forages are unknown (Moyer and Hironaka 1993). Weed contents > 25% are considered unacceptable and the price of hay may be discounted by 1% for each percentage of weeds up to 25% (Moline and Robison 1971;Smith et al 1997). Therefore, weed management in fenugreek is required if this crop is to be commercially grown for forage.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Weed management in irrigated fenugreek grown for forage in rotation with other annual crops

Moyer¹,

Acharya²,

Mir³

et al. 2003

Self Cite

) is an annual legume that has potential as a forage crop on the Canadian Prairies. Experiments were established to determine the tolerance of fenugreek to several herbicides and their efficacy on various weeds. Potentially, fenugreek could be grown in conservation tillage systems in rotation with other annual crops. Therefore, additional multi-factor experiments were conducted to determine the effect of herbicides, seeding method, and 11 previous crops on fenugreek yield. Without herbicide application, weeds contributed 37 to 86% to total dry matter production. When imazamox/imazethapyr, or combinations of imazamoz/imazethapyr or imazethapyr with ethalfluralin was applied, weed contents were about 5% of the total dry matter and the herbicides did not reduce fenugreek yield compared to the hand-weeded check. Total forage samples with a low weed content had lower fibre content and higher protein and digestible dry matter content than forages with a high weed content. When imazamox/imazethapyr was used for weed control, fenugreek yields and weed biomass were similar after direct seeding and after cultivation plus seeding. In addition, the effect of previous crop and the previous crop by seeding method interaction was not significant for fenugreek yield and weed biomass. Therefore, irrigated fenugreek can be successfully grown in conservation tillage systems in rotation with several crops provided an effective herbicide is used for weed control. ) est une légu-mineuse annuelle dont on pourrait se servir pour l'affouragement dans les Prairies canadiennes. Des expériences ont permis d'établir la tolérance de cette culture à divers herbicides et l'efficacité de ces derniers sur plusieurs adventices. Le fenugrec pourrait être cultivé dans un système de conservation du sol, en assolement avec d'autres annuelles. Les auteurs ont donc entrepris de nouvelles expériences multifactorielles afin de préciser les effets des désherbants, de la méthode d'ensemencement et de onze cultures antérieures sur le rendement du fenugrec. En l'absence d'herbicides, les adventices représentent de 37 à 86 % de la matière sèche totale produite. Quand on applique de l'imazamox/imazéthapyr ou un mélange d'imazamox/imazéthapyr ou d'imazéthapyr et d'éthalfluraline, elles ne constituent toutefois plus que 5 % du volume total de matière sèche; en outre, les herbicides ne réduisent pas le rendement du fenugrec, quand on le compare au rendement de la parcelle témoin, désherbée à la main. Les échantillons de fourrage renfermant peu d'adventices se caractérisaient par une plus faible teneur en fibres ainsi que par une concentration accrue de protéines et de matière sèche digestible, comparativement aux échantillons contenant beaucoup de mauvaises herbes. Après désherbage chimique à l'imazamox/imazéthapyr, le semis direct de fenugrec donne un rendement et une biomasse d'adventices semblables à ceux obtenus avec l'ensemencement après travail du sol. La culture antérieure et les interactions entre cette dernière et la méthode de semis n'ont pas d'incidenc...

“…Weeds can contribute over 80% of the total dry matter in the establishment year of perennial forage crops (Moyer et al 1995). High weed infestations can also result in an increased weed seed bank, necessitating further costly control measures in subsequent years.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dry matter yields were determined by harvesting two 1-m lengths of row from each species subplot on 15 August 1995. Counts (1994 and1995) and yield data (1995) were subjected to ANOVA to test the effects of herbicides and for herbicide × species interactions. The differences between counts, visual injury For personal use only.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Tolerance of annual forage legumes to herbicides in Alberta

Fraser¹,

Moyer²,

Topinka³

et al. 2003

Self Cite

Tolerance of annual forage legumes to herbicides in Alberta. Can. J. Plant. Sci. 83: 649-652. The effects of ethalfluralin, trifluralin, and imazethapyr herbicides were assessed on stand density, visual injury and dry matter yield of annual forage legumes under irrigation. Results indicate that recommended rates of either ethalfluralin or imazethapyr have potential for weed control in alfalfa, berseem clover, balansa clover, fenugreek, pea, and vetches.