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Agronomy
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Multifunctional Forages
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Multifunctional Forages

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Grassland and Pasture Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 28274

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jose G Franco

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Guest Editor
Agricultural Research Service ARS, US Department of Agriculture USDA
Interests: agroecology, environment; sustainability; agriculture; sustainable agriculture; plant physiology; plant biology; crop production; plant ecology; cropping systems; organic crop production; low-input agriculture
Dr. Valentin Picasso

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Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1575 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agriculture is faced with the challenge of feeding 7.8 billion people and must increase production to meet the demands of a projected 9.1 billion people by the year 2050. Worldwide, arable farmland has been in decline, and crop production on existing farmland and marginal land must compensate by increasing output per unit land area. Now, more than ever, there is immense pressure on agricultural producers to increase provisioning services such as food, feed, fuel, and fiber while concurrently reducing negative environmental consequences. Forage crops have the potential to serve multiple functions and may play a significant role in the sustainable intensification of agroecosystems. These functions include the provisioning of forage and feed for livestock, perennial grain production for human consumption, production on marginal lands, enhanced soil stability and reduced soil erosion, enhanced soil quality, reduced nitrate-nitrogen leaching into waterways, and enhanced pollinator resources such as forage and habitat. The identification and adoption of multifunctional and dual-use perennial and annual forages will play a critical role in increasing production while reducing adverse impacts on the environment. This Special Issue will seek contributions from colleagues interested in promoting the use of perennial and annual forages to achieve multi-functionality in agricultural landscapes.

Dr. Jose G Franco
Dr. Valentin Picasso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Multifunctional agriculture
  • dual-use forages
  • perennial grains
  • annual cover crops
  • sustainable intensification
  • ecosystem services

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Is Harvesting Cover Crops for Hay Profitable When Planting Corn and Soybean in Tennessee?
by Hence Duncan, Jacob Eicher, Weston M. Bracey, Virginia R. Sykes, Christopher N. Boyer, Frank Yin, Gary E. Bates, David M. Butler and Alison R. Willette
Agronomy 2022, 12(6), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12061353 - 01 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1740
Abstract
Winter cover crops can improve the soil’s moisture-holding capacity, reduce soil water evaporation, and mitigate water-induced soil erosion; however, economic studies show mixed results on cover crop impacts on profits. One way to potentially increase the profits from planting cover crops is to [...] Read more.
Winter cover crops can improve the soil’s moisture-holding capacity, reduce soil water evaporation, and mitigate water-induced soil erosion; however, economic studies show mixed results on cover crop impacts on profits. One way to potentially increase the profits from planting cover crops is to harvest the cover crop for hay. The objective of this study was to determine the profitability of planting and harvesting cover crops when planting corn (Zea mays) or soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) as a cash crop. We determined the difference in net returns among 15 cover crop species when planted before corn and soybeans. We then calculated the breakeven hay price if the cover crop was harvested. Data were collected from an experiment in Tennessee, from 2017 to 2019, at two locations. There was no difference in net returns across cover crop treatments for both corn and soybeans, thus indicating that planting a cover crop does not reduce profits. The breakeven prices for harvesting cover crops suggest that this system would not likely be profitable for corn but might be profitable if planting soybeans, depending on labor availability and local demand for hay. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
15 pages, 10451 KiB  
Article
Establishment and First Year Yield of Interseeded Alfalfa as Influenced by Corn Plant Density and Treatment with Prohexadione, Fungicide and Insecticide
by John H. Grabber, Damon L. Smith, William R. Osterholz and Mark J. Renz
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2343; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112343 - 19 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2212
Abstract
Interseeding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) into a silage corn (Zea mays L.) companion crop can increase the yield and profitability of forage production and reduce the risk of nutrient and soil loss from cropland, but unreliable establishment of alfalfa hampers the [...] Read more.
Interseeding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) into a silage corn (Zea mays L.) companion crop can increase the yield and profitability of forage production and reduce the risk of nutrient and soil loss from cropland, but unreliable establishment of alfalfa hampers the adoption of this practice on dairy farms. This study evaluated plant survival, foliar health, and dry matter yields of two alfalfa varieties when established in corn sown at populations ranging from about 47,500 to 100,000 plants per ha−1 and when treated with prohexadione (PHD), PHD followed by fungicide and insecticide (PHD-FI), or not treated with agrichemicals. The plant density of alfalfa during establishment was adversely impacted by above average precipitation and high corn populations, but substantially improved by PHD-FI treatment, which limited alfalfa etiolation, disease, and defoliation. First-cut dry-matter yields of interseeded alfalfa after corn were maximized at a stand density of approximately 200 plants m−2 or 850 stems m−2 and total first year yield exceeded conventionally spring-seeded alfalfa by 59 to 75%. Overall, our results indicated that PHD-FI treatment promoted good establishment and subsequent forage production of interseeded alfalfa. Applications of PHD-FI must, however, be fine-tuned, and additional management practices must be developed to ensure both good yields of corn silage and reliable establishment of interseeded alfalfa, especially during wet growing conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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14 pages, 1823 KiB  
Article
Optimal Planting Date of Kernza Intermediate Wheatgrass Intercropped with Red Clover
by Oluwakorede Olugbenle, Priscila Pinto and Valentin D. Picasso
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2227; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112227 - 03 Nov 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2501
Abstract
Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) is a new perennial dual-use crop for grain and forage with growing interest among farmers. Intercropping IWG with red clover may increase yield and nutritive value through nitrogen transfer. IWG and red clover planting timing can affect grain and forage [...] Read more.
Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) is a new perennial dual-use crop for grain and forage with growing interest among farmers. Intercropping IWG with red clover may increase yield and nutritive value through nitrogen transfer. IWG and red clover planting timing can affect grain and forage yield, and there has not been previous research on this management practice. At two locations (Arlington and Lancaster, WI, USA) a factorial experiment was established two years with two factors: (1) IWG planting date (August through October, and April) and (2) red clover planting season (in the fall with IWG or frost seeded in the next spring). Yield data were collected for two subsequent years. Grain yield was maximized at 515 kg ha−1 and 423 kg ha−1 at Arlington and Lancaster when planted by 26 August and 13 September, respectively. Planting date influenced grain yields in the first harvest year but not in the second. Seeding red clover in the spring increased IWG and red clover biomass compared to seeding it in the fall. In Wisconsin, planting IWG by early September at the latest and planting red clover in the spring is recommended to maximize grain yield. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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15 pages, 648 KiB  
Article
Intercropping Alfalfa into Silage Maize Can Be More Profitable Than Maize Silage Followed by Spring-Seeded Alfalfa
by Marisol T. Berti, Johanna Lukaschewsky and Dulan P. Samarappuli
Agronomy 2021, 11(6), 1196; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061196 - 11 Jun 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3132
Abstract
Intercropping of silage maize (Zea mays L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is not a common practice because alfalfa generally reduces maize grain and biomass yield. The objective of this research was to evaluate the productivity and profitability of silage maize–alfalfa [...] Read more.
Intercropping of silage maize (Zea mays L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is not a common practice because alfalfa generally reduces maize grain and biomass yield. The objective of this research was to evaluate the productivity and profitability of silage maize–alfalfa intercropping, with a goal to establish alfalfa and increase alfalfa productivity in the first year of production. The experiment was conducted in Fargo and Prosper, ND, USA, in 2014–2017. The design was a randomized complete block with four replicates and a split-plot arrangement. The main plot had two maize row-spacing treatments (RS), 61 and 76 cm, respectively. Treatments in the subplot were: (1) maize monoculture, (2) maize intercropped with alfalfa, (3) maize intercropped with alfalfa + prohexadione-calcium (PHX), and (4) spring-seeded alfalfa in the following year (simulating a maize–spring-seeded alfalfa crop sequence). Both alfalfa and maize were seeded the same day in May of 2014 at both locations. Prohexadione-calcium, a growth regulator to reduce internode length and avoid etiolation of alfalfa seedlings, did not improve alfalfa plant survival. Averaged across locations, RS did not have an effect on silage maize yield and alfalfa forage yield. Alfalfa established in intercropping with maize had almost double the forage yield in the following year compared with spring-seeded alfalfa following a crop of silage maize. Considering a two-year system, alfalfa intercropped with maize had higher net returns than a silage-maize followed by a spring-seeded alfalfa sequence. This system has the potential to get more growers to have alfalfa in the rotation skipping the typical low forage yield of alfalfa in the establishment year. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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14 pages, 708 KiB  
Article
Agronomic and In Vitro Quality Evaluation of Dual-Purpose Cereals Clipped at Variable Ages and Their Utilization in Rabbit Feeding
by Heba S. A. Salama, Assem M. Safwat, Osama H. Elghalid and Ahmed M. Abd El-Hady
Agronomy 2021, 11(6), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061147 - 03 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1970
Abstract
The present study included two experiments; the first one investigated the forage productivity and in vitro quality of a single cut taken at different plant ages (45, 60, and 75 days after sowing—DAS) from four prominent cereal crops, namely, barley, oat, triticale, and [...] Read more.
The present study included two experiments; the first one investigated the forage productivity and in vitro quality of a single cut taken at different plant ages (45, 60, and 75 days after sowing—DAS) from four prominent cereal crops, namely, barley, oat, triticale, and ryegrass, grown during two successive winter seasons in Northern Egypt. In addition, the effect of plant age at forage removal on the crop’s regrowth ability and final grain yield was quantified. The second experiment studied the biological in vivo effects of the four crops’ hay cut at the optimum plant age on growth performance, feed utilization, and apparent nutrients’ digestibility of growing rabbits. Despite the progressive increase in the fresh and dry matter yields produced from the four crops with later forage removal and the relatively high quality of the forage removed at 45 DAS, 1st experiment concluded that forage removal at 60 DAS produced a reasonable amount of fresh and dry matter yields with appropriate in vitro quality. Meanwhile, the gain in forage yield, when forage was removed at 60 DAS, was enough to compensate for the consequent reduction in grain yield of the four evaluated crops. The inclusion of variable percentages (0, 10, and 20%) of the four tested crops’ hay, when cut at 60 DAS, in the rabbit’s diet (2nd experiment), resulted in non-significant variations in the rabbit’s final body weight. Meanwhile, regardless of the percentage, the rabbits that were fed on diets including ryegrass hay and barley hay had the highest significant daily weight gain. The best feed conversion ratios were obtained by the rabbits that were fed on diets containing 10 and 20% ryegrass hay as well as 20% triticale hay. The highest dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein digestibility coefficients were obtained by both groups of rabbits that were fed on diets containing 20% ryegrass hay and barley hay. The inclusion of any of the four crops’ hay in the rabbits’ diet resulted in significantly higher digestibility coefficients for all nutrients compared to the control rabbits except for ether extract digestibility. Among the four evaluated crops’ hay, ryegrass hay was found to have an outstanding impact on the productive performance and digestibility of growing rabbits. In growing dual-purpose cereals, it is recommended to cut the crops at 60 DAS to achieve the optimum balance between forage yield and quality on the one hand and final grain yield on the other hand. Moreover, when cut at 60 DAS, the evaluated hay of the four crops was adequate to be included in the rabbits’ diet up to 20% substitution of the commercial fiber sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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14 pages, 1876 KiB  
Article
Post-Harvest Management Practices Impact on Light Penetration and Kernza Intermediate Wheatgrass Yield Components
by Priscila Pinto, Lee De Haan and Valentin Picasso
Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 442; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030442 - 27 Feb 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2685
Abstract
Kernza intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) is the first commercially developed perennial grain crop in North America, with multiple environmental and economic benefits. One of the major challenges for adoption of this dual-use forage and grain crop is the decline in grain [...] Read more.
Kernza intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) is the first commercially developed perennial grain crop in North America, with multiple environmental and economic benefits. One of the major challenges for adoption of this dual-use forage and grain crop is the decline in grain yield in subsequent harvest years. Post-harvest management practices (e.g., chopping, burning, chemical, and mechanical thinning) could reduce the intraspecific competition for light and maintain Kernza grain yields over time. We aimed to identify management practices that improve light penetration and propose a conceptual model to explain the mechanisms contributing to Kernza grain yield. We applied 10 management practices after the first Kernza grain harvest in a randomized complete block design experiment with three replications, at two different locations in Wisconsin, USA. Light penetration increased when post-harvest management practices were applied. Mechanical or chemical thinning had relatively lower lodging and increased yield components per row, but not per area due to a reduction in the number of productive rows. Threshed grain yield per area in the second year of Kernza was similar among the treatments despite the differences in vegetative biomass generated. Further research is needed to optimize management practices to maintain Kernza grain yield over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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23 pages, 3504 KiB  
Article
Fodder Yield, Quality and Growth of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) as Affected by Sowing Density and Top-Dressing Nitrogen Fertilization
by Roberta Rossi, Rocco Bochicchio, Rosanna Labella, Giovanni Bitella and Mariana Amato
Agronomy 2020, 10(12), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10121980 - 16 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2217
Abstract
Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds are considered a superfood, but research on vegetative biomass uses is scarce. We conducted a two-year trial under the hypothesis that short-day flowering black chia would provide quality forage at high latitudes and tested sowing density (D1 [...] Read more.
Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds are considered a superfood, but research on vegetative biomass uses is scarce. We conducted a two-year trial under the hypothesis that short-day flowering black chia would provide quality forage at high latitudes and tested sowing density (D1 = 125, D2 = 25, D3 = 8 and D4 = 4 plants m−2) and top-dressing N fertilization (N = 0, N = 20 kg ha−1) at three stages (EV = early vegetative, LV = late vegetative and EF = early flowering). Forage yield reached 9.0 and 5.64 t ha-1 of total and 2.07 and 1.56 t ha−1 of leaf dry mass at EF in 2013 and 2014, respectively. High plant density corresponded to higher biomass but to lower plant relative growth rate, stem diameter, branching, proportion of leaves and lipid and crude protein content. Crude protein declined from 18% at EV to about 8% at EF and was lower in D1 than in D4. Lipids ranged between 33.83 g kg−1 (D4, EV) and 17.34 g kg−1 (D1, EF) (p < 0.005). N topdressing affected forage quality but not yield. Alpha-linolenic acid was the most abundant fatty acid (FA) (608 g kg−1 FA at EV). The long vegetative growth of short-day flowering chia in southern Europe is favorable to fodder production, and management should be optimized by seeking balance between growth rate and stand density while optimizing vegetative stage growth for the highest forage quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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14 pages, 665 KiB  
Article
Balancing Forage Production, Seed Yield, and Pest Management in the Perennial Sunflower Silphium integrifolium (Asteraceae)
by Alejandra E. Vilela, Luciana González-Paleo, Damián A. Ravetta, Ebony G. Murrell and David L. Van Tassel
Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101471 - 25 Sep 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2856
Abstract
The perennial sunflower Silphium integrifolium Michx. (Asteraceae), also known as silflower, is a prospective dual-purpose forage plus grain crop. Pre-flowering biomass harvest for animal feed and the subsequent delay in plant growth and anthesis has the potential to benefit seed yield and/or offset [...] Read more.
The perennial sunflower Silphium integrifolium Michx. (Asteraceae), also known as silflower, is a prospective dual-purpose forage plus grain crop. Pre-flowering biomass harvest for animal feed and the subsequent delay in plant growth and anthesis has the potential to benefit seed yield and/or offset yield loss from native pests, such as the native North American Eucosma giganteana (Lepidopera: Tortricidae). The aim of this study was to develop a cropping technology for silflower to (A) balance forage and grain production and (B) minimize seed loss. Silflower produced high-quality forage, but biomass harvest in early spring reduced same-season seed production by 45%. Despite significantly delaying flowering, forage harvest alone did not effectively reduce Eucosma colonization, although treating plants with the insecticide permethrin did reduce colonization. Our results do not support the proposal that S. integrifolium could be profitably harvested for both high quality forage and as an oilseed grain within the same season. Nevertheless, our findings suggest the possibility of developing a strategy of alternating between forage or seed production, depending on their differential economic values. The choice between harvesting biomass vs. seed could be made much later in the season for this perennial crop than the choice of planting an annual forage vs. annual grain crop. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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15 pages, 771 KiB  
Article
Water-Use Efficiency of Forage Crops in the Southeastern United States
by Christine H. Gelley, Amanda J. Ashworth, Patrick D. Keyser, Renata L. G. Nave and Justin D. Rhinehart
Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1377; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091377 - 12 Sep 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2567
Abstract
Preparing agricultural producers to cope with volatile weather changes, specifically drought, requires a better understanding of forage water-use efficiency (WUE) potentials. Options to improve farm resiliency to drought may include the use of C4 annual and perennial forages, which have greater production [...] Read more.
Preparing agricultural producers to cope with volatile weather changes, specifically drought, requires a better understanding of forage water-use efficiency (WUE) potentials. Options to improve farm resiliency to drought may include the use of C4 annual and perennial forages, which have greater production efficiency during drought than commonly used C3 forages. Our objective was to measure WUE through real-time gas exchange measurements of photosynthesis and transpiration in (1) a greenhouse study and (2) under field-grazing conditions. Growth parameters, instantaneous water use efficiency (iWUE), and mass-based WUE (mWUE) data were collected under greenhouse conditions in Study 1 for the following species: crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis cv. ‘Red River’), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum cv. ‘Alamo’), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii cv. ‘OZ-70’), indiangrass (Sorghastum nutans cv. ‘Rumsey’), eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides cv. ‘Pete’), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon cv. ‘Vaughn’s #1’), sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor (L.) × Sorghum sudanese (P.) cv. ‘Greengrazer’), and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort). Study 2 occurred from 2014 to 2016, and evaluated iWUE of crabgrass, switchgrass, bermudagrass, eastern gamagrass, and a big bluestem/indiangrass mix under field conditions. Overall, in situ iWUE of crabgrass, switchgrass, eastern gamagrass, and bermudagrass did not differ, while iWUE of the big bluestem/indiangrass was less than switchgrass and crabgrass, an advantage for these species if the standardized precipitation index drops below zero. Bermudagrass, switchgrass, sorghum-sudangrass, pearl millet, and indiangrass had comparable mWUE values under greenhouse-simulated drought. These results will aid in the development of forage species recommendations for mitigating drought and improving resiliency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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Review

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25 pages, 1241 KiB  
Review
Ecological Intensification of Food Production by Integrating Forages
by José G. Franco, Marisol T. Berti, John H. Grabber, John R. Hendrickson, Christine C. Nieman, Priscila Pinto, David Van Tassel and Valentín D. Picasso
Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2580; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122580 - 18 Dec 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4338
Abstract
Forage crops have the potential to serve multiple functions, providing an ecological framework to sustainably intensify food production, i.e., ecological intensification. We review three categories of forages (annual forages, perennial forages, and dual-use perennial crops/forages) we believe hold the greatest promise for ecologically [...] Read more.
Forage crops have the potential to serve multiple functions, providing an ecological framework to sustainably intensify food production, i.e., ecological intensification. We review three categories of forages (annual forages, perennial forages, and dual-use perennial crops/forages) we believe hold the greatest promise for ecologically intensifying food production. Annual cover crops can provide additional forage resources while mitigating nutrient losses from agricultural fields when they are intercropped with, interseeded into, or following an annual crop, for instance. The integration of perennial forages either temporally, such as annual crop rotations that include a perennial forage phase, or spatially, such as the intercropping of perennial forages with an annual cash crop, provide weed suppression, soil quality, and yield and crop quality benefits. Dual-use crops/forages can provide forage and a grain crop in a single year while providing multiple ecological and economic benefits. However, tradeoffs in balancing multiple functions and limitations in reducing the risks associated with these practices exist. Advancing our understanding of these systems so we can overcome some of the limitations will play a critical role in increasing food production while promoting positive environmental outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Forages)
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