Abstract
Abstract Relationships between alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) and associated grasses in a plant community are complex. A concern has developed whether alfalfa was, in fact, benefiting from grass association. A field study was conducted to describe the changes in canopy components of alfalfa‐reed canarygrass ( Phalaris arundinacea L.) and alfalfa‐orchardgrass ( Dactylis glomerata L.) mixtures. Alfalfa‐grass mixtures of one row of grass between two rows of alfalfa and one row of alfalfa between two rows of grass were planted in a repeating pattern. Monocultures of each species and four binary mixtures were sampled for total, alfalfa and grass component, and stratified alfalfa yields were measured at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 d of spring and summer regrowth for 2 yr. Planting pattern, grass species and season of growth affected botanical composition and yield of alfalfa‐grass mixtures. Alfalfa‐grass mixtures yielded more than alfalfa monocultures during only one spring growth cycle. During summer regrowth, alfalfa‐grass mixtures were less productive than alfalfa monocultures. In spring, reed canarygrass accounted for a greater proportion of the total yield than orchardgrass, whereas the two grasses were similar during summer. Grass yields of mixtures were not affected by alfalfa association. The results of this study suggest that alfalfa‐grass mixtures offer little yield advantage over alfalfa monocultures when harvested as hay.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Planting pattern, grass species and season affected mixture botanical composition.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativae0 - Treatment
- Planting patterne0
- Interactor
- grasse0other
- Outcome
- botanical compositione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Planting pattern, grass species and season of growth affected botanical composition and yield of alfalfa‐grass mixtures”
Claim · model-written summary
Planting pattern, grass species and season affected mixture yield.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Planting patterne0
- Interactor
- grasse0other
- Outcome
- yielde0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Planting pattern, grass species and season of growth affected botanical composition and yield of alfalfa‐grass mixtures”
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa-grass mixtures exceeded alfalfa monoculture yield in only one spring cycle.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Alfalfa‐grass mixturese0
- Interactor
- grasse0other
- Outcome
- yieldede0
- Direction
- moree0
- Qualifier
- only one spring growth cyclee0
- Comparator
- alfalfa monoculturese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Alfalfa‐grass mixtures yielded more than alfalfa monocultures during only one spring growth cycle”
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa-grass mixtures were less productive than alfalfa monocultures in summer regrowth.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- alfalfa‐grass mixturese0
- Interactor
- grasse0other
- Outcome
- productivee0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Qualifier
- summer regrowthe0
- Comparator
- alfalfa monoculturese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“During summer regrowth, alfalfa‐grass mixtures were less productive than alfalfa monocultures”
Claim · model-written summary
Reed canarygrass contributed more to spring total yield than orchardgrass.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Interactor
- reed canarygrasse0other
- Second interactor
- orchardgrass
.jpg?width=60)
Dactylis glomeratae0other - Outcome
- proportion of the total yielde0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Qualifier
- springe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“In spring, reed canarygrass accounted for a greater proportion of the total yield than orchardgrass”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The two grasses had similar summer yield proportions.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Interactor
- reed canarygrasse0other
- Second interactor
- orchardgrassDactylis glomeratae0other
- Outcome
- proportion of the total yielde0
- Direction
- similare0
- Qualifier
- summere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“reed canarygrass accounted for a greater proportion of the total yield than orchardgrass, whereas the two grasses were similar during summer”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Grass yield in mixtures was unaffected by alfalfa association.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Interactor
- Grasse0other
- Outcome
- Grass yieldse0
- Direction
- not affectede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grass yields of mixtures were not affected by alfalfa association”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors conclude mixtures offer little hay yield advantage over alfalfa monocultures.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Interactor
- grasse0other
- Outcome
- little yield advantagee0
- Qualifier
- when harvested as haye0
- Comparator
- alfalfa monoculturese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“alfalfa‐grass mixtures offer little yield advantage over alfalfa monocultures when harvested as hay”