Archive
730 posts
Ensilability of some herbs of intensively used meadows
The ensilability and the silage quality of some common herbs of permanent meadows were investigated. The following herbs were tested: Taraxacum officinale, Anthriscus sylvestris, Heracleum sphondylium, Ranunculus acer and Ranunculus repens. Plant material of the first and third cut was ensiled in laboratory silos. For comparison, the two grasses Lolium perenne and Dactylis glomerata as…
Estimation of herbage yield based on sward height
Sward height measurements were made on a variety of Swiss grassland plots in 1997-98. Between values measured with a French and a New Zealand rising plate meter (RPM), very good correlation was found whereas it was less strong with ruler measurements. For two different grassland types, regression analysis was applied to estimate dry matter (DM)…
Effect of management on nutritive value of meadows
The effects of management intensity on the content of net energy for lactation and crude protein of grass-clover mixtures, cocksfoot ( Dactylis glomerata L.), perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.), white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) were investigated. Increasing cutting frequency from four to five times per year resulted in a higher content of net…
Phenological retrospective for the year 1998
Anche il 1998 può di nuovo venir considerato un anno molto caldo. L’inverno 1997/1998 fu ancora una volta molto mite, ciò che portò a uno sviluppo molto precoce della vegetazione. L’anticipo dello sviluppo vegetativo venne frenato da un ritorno di freddo solo per Pasqua ma in estate fu di nuovo osservato un vantaggio di una…
Timothy and red fescue variety trials between 1996 and 1998
In the years 1998 until 2000 the two research stations Zürich-Reckenholz and Nyon-Changins tested 71 varieties of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) under our growth conditions. Considerable progress was observed in agronomically relevant properties like competing ability, persistence and resistance to bacterial cancor and rust.<br><br>Based on the achieved results the following varieties are recently recommended…
Only the best varieties are good enough: Results and experience of 30 years of variety testing
Over the years, enormous differences in terms of yielding ability were found between poor and good varieties of forage plant species. This fact proves the decisive importance of making the right choice. There are other important qualities of varieties deciding upon the acceptance for the „list of recommended varieties of forage plants”. The procedure of…
Production of fern plants
At the University of Applied Sciences Wädens-wil (HSW) every year about 70‘000 fern plants (55 species) are produced. Occasionally, the production shows some serious defiencies: fungal infections and contaminations by algae or mosses. In collaboration with the Swiss Federal Research Station at Wädenswil (FAW) the reasons of these problems were partly determined. Three pathogenic fungi…
Field inspections 1998
The field inspections for seed certification of cereals, hybrid maize, grain legumes, red clover and forage crops were carried out on 9’431 ha in 1998. In cereals 92 % of the registered area was admitted during field inspection. Presence of other cereals, drought damage and varietal impurities were the most important factors for rejection. The…
Experiences with the soil separation technique in potato cropping
“The question whether a new cultivation method is compatible with the soil fertility is twofold: Firstly, is there a way to handle the technique in order not to endanger the soil fertility? And if yes, secondly, is the application done in that way?<br>Soil separators were introduced in the German speaking part of Switzerland in 1995.…
Viticulture in Eastern Switzerland: Where from and where to?
This review follows the historic development of viticulture in Eastern Switzerland. It is not clear, whether wine making in this area dates back to the Romans. Written proof concerning local vineyards is available from the the 9th century on mainly from monasteries, which were instrumental in propagating viticulture. Later vineyard area grew rather uncontrollably and…
The influence of weather conditions on growth, maturation and nutritive value of silage maize
For 20 consecutive years, the maize cultivar LG 11 has been serving as reference variety at the Federal Research Station for Animal Production (RAP). The collected data and observations provided an appropriate basis to investigate the influence of weather conditions on growth and development of this variety.<br>The Temperature sum (basis 6°C) for the time interval…
New cultivars of hybrid ryegrass: Antilope, Dorcas and Redunca
Three new Swiss cultivars of hybrid ryegrass (Lolium x boucheanum) have been released recently: Antilope, Dorcas and Redunca. These tetraploid cultivars originate either from crosses between Italian and perennial ryegrass at the diploid level, followed by a colchicine treatment, or from crosses between tetraploid parents. All three cultivars consistently outyield Gazella, the previously most used…
Nutritive value of forage plants in alpine pastures
The nutritive value of 30 plant species in alpine pastures was determined. Samples were collected at the beginning of the alpine season and three to four weeks later at two different sites. On the first sampling date the net energy content for lactation of the species was between 4.7 and 6.8 MJ/kg dry matter (DM).…
Important plant communities and plant species of alpine pastures
The changing natural conditions such as water and nutrient supply, temperature and the various intensities of grazing enable many plant species to grow and numerous plant communities to establish. The following types of pastures were distinguished: High yielding, carefully utilized fertile pastures of the vegetation types Cynosurion, Poion alpinae. Low yielding, poor pastures on acid…
Net energy content of different grass species
The content of net energy for lactation, crude protein and crude fibre of fifteen grass species were compared. Samples were collected in field trials during the first, second and third growth cycle of a total of five growth cycles per year. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) produced the forage with the highest content of net…
Optimisation of nitrogen fertilisation and seed density in hemp crop
To study the influence of nitrogen fertilisation and seed density in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) field trials were carried out in Switzerland and South Germany. A high seed density (30-60 kg/ha) and nitrogen fertilisation did increase stem and bast yields. Nitrogen also increased seed yield, plant height but also lodging. Seed yield was higher at…
Gene technology and its application in agriculture
To study the influence of nitrogen fertilisation and seed density in hemp (Cannabis sativa I.) field trials were carried out in Switzerland and South Germany. A high seed density (30-60 kg/ha) and nitrogen fertilisation did increase stem and bast yields. Nitrogen also increased seed yield, plant height but also lodging. Seed yield was higher at…
Zero tillage – an element of a different cultivation system
“Farmland is increasingly stressed with high axle loads and intensive soil tillage techniques. The structure of the soil is thereby becoming more and more Unstable, whereas above all its load capacity has to be markedly increased. Zero tillage – a cultivation system without any soil tillage – offers a solution to this dilemma: it goes…
Effect of soil characteristics, farming system and weather on optimum nitrogen application in winter barley and winter wheat
Data from 822 plots were used to test different methods of estimating the optimum nitrogen application in winter barley and winter wheat. No method could estimate with sufficient accuracy the optimum amount as determined with the Nmin-method. Possible explanations are the non-additive effect of the different factors and the almost innumerable combination possibilities of the…
The nutritive value of red clover
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) had a higher content of protein and of digestible organic matter than orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L) during the first, second and third growth cycles. With advancing maturity, the protein content and the digestibility decreased in both species. Red clover showed approximately 40 % less cell wall content than orchard…
Varieties of red clover and meadow fescue in tests
Between 1995 and 1997, 38 varieties of red clover and 24 of meadow fescue have been evaluated in a comparative variety test program. The criterias looked at were properties as yielding ability, competitive ability, resistance to diseases and persistence. Based on the achieved results, the following varieties are newly considered for the <<List of Recommended…
Phenological retrospective for the year 1997
Per molte localité della Svizzera, il 1997 è risultato tra i quattro anni più caldi di questo secolo. Di particolare rilievo sono state le temperature elevate di marzo e di agosto, ma anche l’invasione di aria fredda alla fone di aprile con danni per gelo a diverse colture. In primevera si poteva osservare un anticipo…
Direct-mulch-planting of potatoes
The possibilities of dead and living mulch were checked in three years trials comparing direct-mulch-planting and the traditional cropping system of potatoes. It is the aim to develop herbological methods in the new cropping system and to minimize N-leaching. The pre-forming of ridges after cereal harvest in the late summer and the type of green…
