Dairy Forage and Aquaculture Research Site Logo
ARS Home About Us Helptop nav spacerContact Us En Espanoltop nav spacer
Printable VersionPrintable Version     E-mail this pageE-mail this page
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
Search
  Advanced Search
 
Programs and Projects
Subjects of Investigation
 

Research Project: REDESIGNING FORAGE GERMPLASM AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS FOR EFFICIENCY, PROFIT, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF DAIRY FARMS

Location: Dairy Forage and Aquaculture Research

Title: Intercropping Corn with Lablab bean, Velvet Bean, and Scarlet Runner Bean for Forage

Authors
item Armstrong, Kevin - UNIV. OF IL
item Albrecht, Kenneth - UNIV. OF WI
item Lauer, Joseph - UNIV. OF WI
item Riday, Heathcliffe

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 27, 2007
Publication Date: January 16, 2008
Repository URL: http:////crop.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/48/1/371
Citation: Armstrong, K.L., Albrecht, K.A., Lauer, J.G., Riday, H. 2008. Intercropping Corn with Lablab bean, Velvet Bean, and Scarlet Runner Bean for Forage. Crop Science. 48:371-379.

Interpretive Summary: Low protein concentration in corn forage is its major limitation in dairy rations. This experiment was designed to determine if intercropping corn with climbing beans is a viable option to increase protein in forage rather than purchasing costly protein supplements for dairy cattle rations in Wisconsin. These experiments show that lablab bean grown with corn has the greatest potential to increase protein above monoculture corn in comparison with velvet and scarlet runner bean. Additionally the lablab mixture does not compromise forage yield or potential milk production.

Technical Abstract: Low crude protein (CP) concentration in corn (Zea mays L.) forage is its major limitation in dairy rations. This experiment was designed to determine if intercropping corn with climbing beans is a viable option to increase CP concentration in forage rather than purchasing costly CP supplements for dairy cattle rations in Wisconsin. In these experiments, corn was intercropped with three climbing beans: lablab bean [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet], velvet bean [Mucuna pruriens (L.) D.C.], and scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.), or grown in monoculture near Arlington and Lancaster, WI. Corn was sown in early May and late April in 2004 and 2005, respectively and later thinned to 55,000 (low density) or 82,500 (normal density) plants ha-1. Beans were sown in rows 8 cm on one side of the corn rows at 82,500 plants ha-1 two or four weeks after corn planting. Averaged over four environments, mixture forage DM yields were similar, however the velvet bean and scarlet runner bean mixtures produced significantly higher forage DM yield in the late bean planting treatment. Mixture forage DM yields were significantly higher in the normal corn density treatment (21.0 Mg ha-1) compared to the low corn density treatment (17.2 Mg ha-1). Proportions of bean in the mixtures were: lablab bean 11.4%, scarlet runner bean 5.2%, and velvet bean 10.3%. Beans increased the CP concentration of all mixtures, except the scarlet runner bean mixture, with the greatest increases from the lablab bean (13%) and velvet bean (16%). Only the velvet bean mixture was significantly lower in calculated Milk ha-1. These experiments show that lablab bean grown with corn has the greatest potential of the three beans to increase CP concentration above monoculture corn, without compromising forage yield or calculated milk ha-1 and increasing feedstuff break-even nutrient value.

   

 
Project Team
Casler, Michael
Brink, Geoffrey
Grabber, John
Sullivan, Michael
Hatfield, Ronald
Riday, Heathcliffe
Muck, Richard
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Bioenergy (213)
  Food Animal Production (101)
  Pasture, Forage and Rangeland Systems (215)
 
Related Projects
   EVALUATING PERENNIAL GRASS CULTIVARS FOR THEIR USE AS BIOMASS ENERGY CROPS IN UPPER MICHIGAN
 
 
Last Modified: 05/20/2013
ARS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Policies and Links 
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Nondiscrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House