erates frequent defoliation in monoculture (Peterson et al., 1994) or in binary mixture with grass (Kim, 1996) Improved dry matter (DM) production of cool-season grass monoand is suitable for hay or pasture production in this cultures may result from either N fertilization or the addition of legumes such as kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) or birdsregion (Sheaffer and Marten, 1991; She...

The role of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in explaining the less efficient utilization of metabolizable energy (ME) in growing lambs fed forage rather than concentrate-based diets was investigated by feeding forage (legume-grass silage) and concentrate (whole shelled maize) diets, at isoenergetic intakes (ME basis), using five groups of lambs. One group of seven lambs was an initial slaughte...

Integrating cover cropping into crop–fallow rotation has been considered a key component of ecological intensification that could mitigate negative productivity and sustainability challenges associated with conventional fallow practices. However, the adoption crops in water-limited environments limited by potential soil water nitrogen (N) costs resulting yield penalties. We examined impacts div...

Intercropping legume with cereal is an extensively applied planting pattern in crop cultivation. However, forage potential and the degradability of harvested mixtures from intercropping system remain unclear. To investigate the feasibility of applying an intercropping system as a forage supply source to ruminants, two consecutive experiments (experiments 1 and 2) involving a field cultivation t...

Forage plant breeding has been largely based on phenotypic selection following sexual recombination of natural genetic variation found between and within ecotypes. Advances in plant genetic manipulation over the last 15 years have provided convincing evidence that these powerful technologies can complement and enhance plant breeding programs. Significant progress in the establishment of the met...

Silage is not a replacement for good pasture management, but it is a means of making the most of a sound grassland programme. It is an effective method of preserving surpluses of immature forage for use when pasture is in short supply or completely lacking. While quality silage is an excellent feed it is still a substitute .for the original product-pasture herbage. The problem in making silage ...

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) has great agronomic potential as grain and forage legume, and presently is considered as a model crop for sustainable agriculture. However, the development into an important food legume has been hindered by the presence of the neurotoxic amino acid β-N-Oxalyl-α, β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP). Recent studies reported that homoarginine (Har) can counteract this ...