ARS | Publication request: MANAGING COOL-SEASON CRP WITH FIRE AND HAYING

Submitted to: Lotus Newsletter
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: January 23, 2006
Publication Date: March 4, 2006
Repository URL: http://www.inia.org.uy/sitios/lnl/vol36/beuselinck.pdf
Citation: Beuselinck, P.R., Mcgraw, R.L., Roberts, C.A., Kallenbach, R.L. 2006. Managing cool-season crp with fire and haying. Lotus Newsletter. 36:1-6.

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to determine if there were detrimental effects of timed burns and mowing or haying applied to Conservation Reserve Plantings (CRP) with birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) grown in combination with the cool-season grasses Bromus inermis (L.) and Festuca arundinacea (Shreb.). CRP lands must be managed to reduce the growth of undesirable weeds and brush and acceptable managements include mowing and burning, and optional rotational haying. Swards were sampled before a management treatment was applied, then the sward was monitored repeatedly (June, October, and June) for post-treatment changes in species proportion and the contribution of species to sward productivity and quality. Other forb and weed species were monitored. Few effects of managements were noted. Yield differences were observed only at the second June sampling; all managements were significantly higher than the control, but not from each other. Changes in botanical composition of the award may result from the type and timing of management, but management treatments generally did not impact ADF, NDF, or CP significantly. The results indicate that a single management event on CRP does not have a detrimental effect on yield or herbage quality.