Dry‐matter production and botanical composition of multispecies and perennial ryegrass swards under varying defoliation management

Abstract

Abstract Multispecies swards, comprised of different plant functional groups have comparable production potential to high N input L. perenne swards at reduced N when legumes are included. However, information on the appropriate management of multispecies swards is limited. The effect of differing management practices on the herbage dry‐matter (DM) production and botanical composition of different sward types was investigated using a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design plot experiment. The experiment consisted of three sward types: L. perenne ‐only receiving (LP; 250 kg N ha −1 a −1 ); L. perenne‐Trifolium repens (LP‐TR); multispecies sward containing L. perenne , Phleum pratense , Trifolium repens , Trifolium pratense , Plantago lanceolata and Cichorium intybus (MSS). LP‐TR and MSS received 90 kg N ha −1 a −1 . Harvesting of plot herbage took place every 21 or 28 days to a defoliation height of 4 or 6 cm, over two growing seasons (March to November 2020 and 2021 inclusive). Annual herbage produced by both LP and LP‐TR was not significantly affected by defoliation frequency. However, MSS produced 1923 kg DM ha −1 a −1 more herbage when harvested less frequently. Unsown species contributed significantly less to the herbage DM of MSS compared to LP and LP‐TR and remained similar in 2020 and 2021, whereas the contribution of unsown species to herbage DM increased in LP and LP‐TR from 2020 to 2021, with noxious species more associated with LP and LP‐TR than MSS. Results demonstrate the role of multispecies swards in improving the sustainability of grass‐based agricultural systems in an environment of reduced fertilizer inputs.