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Integration of Cool-Season Annual Legumes and Dairy Manure Compost with Switchgrass

^a Texas AgriLife Research, 1229 North U.S. Hwy. 281, Stephenville, TX 76401
^b Tarleton State Univ., Stephenville, TX 76401
^c The Noble Foundation, 2510 Sam Noble Pkwy., Ardmore, OK 73401

^* Corresponding author (j-muir{at}tamu.edu).

Annual cool-season legumes can contribute forage or green manure to warm-season grass pastures or biofuel crops but may interfere with subsequent grass development. Arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi cv. Yuchi), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), and button medic [Medicago orbicularis (L.) Bartal cv. Estes] were oversown on 10-yr-old switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in north-central Texas to evaluate dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value. Legumes were no-till drilled into a Windthorst fine sandy loam in autumn of 2000 and 2001; plots either received no dairy manure compost or 30 Mg compost ha^–1. Forage was harvested when individual legume species reached flowering, when switchgrass regrowth reached boot stage, and at the end of the summer growing season. Switchgrass DM yields (3022–6630 kg ha^–1 yr^–1) were not reduced by overseeded legumes. Arrowleaf clover had the greatest production among the legume species and yielded more in a monoculture (1762–1923 kg ha^–1 yr^–1) than with switchgrass (757–814 kg). Cumulative yields increased the second year as a result of legumes, compost, and combinations of the two. Compost increased phosphorus concentrations in both the grass and legumes, but not crude protein or acid detergent fiber concentrations. Cool-season annual legumes may be beneficial in switchgrass forage and biofuel systems, especially in combination with manure compost.

Abbreviations: ADF, acid detergent fiber • CP, crude protein • DM, dry matter

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Received for publication December 26, 2007.