Original scientific paper
Herbage productivity, chemical composition and persistence of introduced grass cultivars in mountain area
Josip Leto
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb
Mladen Knežević
Krešimir Bošnjak
Marina Vranić
Goran Perčulija
Hrvoje Kutnjak
Vedran Klišanić
Abstract
The seeds for grassland establishment and renovation have been mostly imported into the Republic of Croatia. The aim of the present research was to determine yield, chemical composition and persistence of 13 introduced grass cultivars (cv.) in the hilly mountain area of Croatia. The Lolium perenne cv. Pimpernel and Calibra, and Phleum pratense cv. Richmond had the highest dry matter (DM) yield in the year 2000 (10,5 t/ha in average). Phalaris arundinacea had the lowest DM yield (6,35 t/ha) but not statistically lower than Bromus inermis, Festuca rubra, and all three Dactylis glomerata cultivars, Lolium westerwoldicum and Phleum pratense cv. Bilbo (7,12 t/ha in average). The highest DM yields determined in the year 2001 were obtained from Festuca rubra, Phalaris arundinacea, Bromus inermis, Festuca pratensis, Dactylis glomerata cv. Okay, cv. Baraula, cv. Amba, Lolium perenne cv. Pimpernel, (14,9 t/ha in average). The lowest DM yield had Lolium westerwoldicum and Lolium multiflorum (9,8 t/ha in average). Phalaris arundinacea had the highest DM yield (12,89 t/ha) in 2002. followed by Bromus inermis and Dactylis glomerata cultivars with 20% lower DM yield than Phalaris arundinacea, and Lolium westerwoldicum and Phleum pratense cv. Bilbo which had 24% lower DM yield, while both Lolium perenne cultivars had about 30% lower DM yield in comparison with Phalaris arundinacea. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between cultivars for all the chemical parameters investigated except fort nitrogen free extract (NFE). The highest crude protein (CP) concentration was observed in Bromus inermis, Lolium multiflorum cv. Bofur, Dactylis glomerata cultivars, Phalaris arundinacea, Festuca pratensis, Lolium westerwoldicum, Phleum pratense cv. Bilbo (24,78% in average). Significantly the lowest crude fibre (CF) was determined in Lolium westerwoldicum (18,07%), Festuca pratensis, Lolium multiflorum and Phalaris arundinacea (19,7% in average). The highest ground cover and the lowest variations over the investigation period were determined for Lolium perenne cv. Pimpernel, both Phleum pratense cultivars and Dactylis glomerata cv. Amba and Okay.
Keywords
grass cultivars; yield; chemical composition; ground cover
Hrčak ID:
4267
URI
Publication date:
5.7.2006.
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