Ra. Zemenchik et al., RUNOFF, EROSION, AND FORAGE PRODUCTION FROM ESTABLISHED ALFALFA AND SMOOTH BROMEGRASS, Agronomy journal, 88(3), 1996, pp. 461-466
Surface sealing of soils in established alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) m
ay produce runoff during intensive rainstorms, resulting in soil loss
and reduced yield. We hypothesized that smooth bromegrass (Bromus iner
mus Leyss.) grown in mixture with alfalfa would reduce on-site runoff
and soil loss, and that this should offset any negative effect on fora
ge quality. Alfalfa, smooth bromegrass, and an alfalfa-smooth bromegra
ss mixture were established in 1992 on Rozetta silt loam (moderately w
ell drained, fine-silty, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalfs) near Lancaster
, WI. A 72-mm h(-1) simulated rainfall was applied for 1 h during the
growing seasons of 1993 and 1994 to forage regrowth at 4 and 6 wk afte
r first harvest and immediately after second harvest. The addition of
smooth bromegrass to alfalfa did not significantly reduce runoff volum
e, sediment concentration, or total soil loss at any rainfall event at
any stage of regrowth in either year. Furthermore, forage yield and c
oncentrations of acid-detergent fiber and crude protein in the forage
were not affected. Averaged over both years and the three sward types,
runoff at 6 wk was significantly less than at 0 wk, which was signifi
cantly less than at 4 wk. Total soil loss from all sward types summed
over six simulated rainstorms was between 0.19 and 0.61 Mg ha(-1), muc
h less than the 11.2 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1) considered tolerable for this so
il. Neutral-detergent fiber (NDF) concentration of bromegrass (534 g k
g(-1)) was greater than either the mixture (441 g kg(-1)) or alfalfa (
404 g kg(-1)). Soil loss and forage quality results do not support add
ing smooth bromegrass to alfalfa, especially since increased NDF resul
ts in lower forage intake by ruminants and reduced milk yield in dairy
tattle (Bos taunts); however livestock operations that could efficien
tly utilize smooth bromegrass monocultures could reduce soil loss and
runoff by doing so.