ARS | Publication request: TIME-RELATED CONSIDERATIONS OF SWARD DYNAMICS IN FORAGE PLOT STUDIES AND GRAZING EXPERIMENTS

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 29, 1995
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Pastures are dynamic ecosystems with continuing anatomical and morphologi development of individual plants and often changes in species composition These anatomical, morphological, and botanical changes are influenced by environmental conditions and forage management along with plant developmental processes and life cycles. Distinct seasonal patterns in forage quantity and quality are produced by these factors. Animal performance is dependent upon forage quantity and quality. Thus, even intensely managed pastures will produce distinct seasonal patterns in ani production. Although objectives of forage research are often made to develop management approaches and techniques that maintain high yields an stabilize forage quality at acceptable levels, responses to time are ofte not analyzed in forage experiments. Useful information can be obtained from plot studies and grazing experiments that measure responses in yield d quality and species composition over time to management treatments.