I. EckerAgricultural University of Keszthely, Hungary
The major quantity of the annual grassland vegetation comes from the first cut in Hungary because of the continental climate of the country. Perennial legumes are an important source of fodder in Hungary. In temperate regions, white clover/Trifolium repens L./is the predominent legume in pastures, because while fixing N it is able to withstand the sress of grazing.
In raising grassland productivity, new varieties play an important role. Adapted varieties with high yield potential must be used.
For developing such varieties in. the western region of Hungary breeding work at the Agricultural University of Keszthely during the past twenty years has progressed rapidly.
At present, breeding of 12 widespread cultivated herbage species is carried out at the University, The main aim in grass breeding is to develop varieties with different seasonal patterns of growth better nutritive value, and winterhardiness. Legume breeding objectives include improving dry matter yield, increase seed production disease resistance and persistency under grazing.
For Hungary grassland is of great economic and ecological significance. It is the most prevalent crop: 18 % of the agricultural area of Hungary is grassland.
Experts in Hungary agree that is necesary to maintain the existing area of grassland. However, this will be guaranteed only if farmers are able to get a sufficient income from it. One prerequisite to reach this aim is the maintenance of good swards with a high conversion capacity into animal products.
In hungary about 7o-8o % of meadows and pastures require renovation. One of the methods which is used in Hungary to improve degraded grassland is direct sowing.
Herbage grasses are usually grown, in association with other herbage species in pastures. But populations which are very productive under pure grasslands do not necessarily show high productivity under the mixed ones. Thus competitive ability becomes important in determining the productivity of component species in mixed grasslands.
Based on habitat, soil type and moisture content, the following species of grass and legumes have been rekommended by the Agricultural University of Keszthely, since 1970.
Tall grasses: Bromus inermis, Phalaris arundinacea, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca pratensis, Phleum pratense,
Short grasses: Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra
Legumes: Trifolium repens, Lotus corniculatus, Medicago sativa, Trifolium pratense
It has been proved by recent experiences that a small number of components constitute the preconditions for obtaining high yields.
When reseeding our native grasslands, we start, with one species frequently. By excludink competition with certain species we may considerably increase yields, e.g. drougt resistant tall grasses.
These are the following: Smooth Bromegrass, Orchardgrass, Reed Canarygrass, Tall Fescue
The grassland consisting of fescue grass and smooth-stalked meadow although providing forage of good quality, do not give satisfactory yields, and in the summer they are often drought stricken owing to the lack of rain and the high temperatures. Consequently, we deemed it desirable to start growing more drought-resistant species in order to obtain higher yields
Várhegyi, J. 1989. Nutritive value of some grass species in Hungary. Proceedings of the XVI. International Grassland Congress, Nice, France, pp. 855-856,
Table 1. Hay production in pure stands and mixture 1987 - 1991/Mean/
|
Grass and Legume |
N= 13o kg/ha |
N = 300 kg/ha |
||||||
|
Total DM/t/ha |
Total DM/t/ha |
|||||||
|
1 |
2 |
5 |
total |
1 |
2 |
3 |
total |
|
|
Smooth bromegrass |
5.5 |
3.0 |
0,5 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
5.5 |
1.1 |
15.6 |
|
Reed canarygrass |
4.0 |
3.6 |
0.7 |
10.3 |
7.0 |
7.0 |
1.4 |
15.4 |
|
Tall fescue |
3.6 |
4.0 |
0.8 |
8.4 |
7.7 |
6.8 |
1.0 |
15.5 |
|
Orchardgrass |
4.6 |
3.7 |
0.7 |
9.0 |
6.7 |
4.1 |
0.0 |
11.6 |
|
Medow fescue |
3,2 |
1.9 |
0.5 |
5.6 |
5.7 |
3.5 |
0.5 |
9.7 |
|
Timothy |
4.5 |
3.0 |
0.5 |
8.0 |
7.0 |
3.9 |
0.8 |
11.7 |
|
Smooth stalked |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
meadow grass |
3.3 |
2.9 |
0.4 |
6.6 |
6.2 |
4.2 |
0.7 |
11.1 |
|
Ryegrass |
1.9 |
0.5 |
0.1 |
2.5 |
2.7 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
3.5 |
|
No. 1. Mixture |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medow fescue |
4.8 |
2.4 |
0.7 |
7.9 |
5.9 |
3.5 |
0.7 |
10.1 |
|
Ryegrass |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smooth-stalked |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
meadow grass |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
White clover |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. 2. Mixture |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smooth bromegrass |
5.7 |
3.6 |
0.6 |
9.9 |
9.0 |
5.2 |
0.8 |
15.0 |
