Trifolium mutabile as New Species of Annual Legume for Mediterranean Climate Zone: First Evidences on Forage Biomass, Nitrogen Fixation and Nutritional Characteristics of Different Accessions

Mariano Fracchiolla, Cesare Lasorella, Vito Laudadio and Eugenio Cazzato
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Mariano Fracchiolla: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari, Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
Cesare Lasorella: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari, Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
Vito Laudadio: Department of DETO, Section of Veterinary Science and Animal Production, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
Eugenio Cazzato: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari, Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy

Agriculture, 2018, vol. 8, issue 7, 1-8

Abstract: The present study evaluated the forage production, nitrogen fixation and the qualitative characteristics of different accessions of Trifolium mutabile , a new species of annual clover, collected in southern Italy. Forage traits were assessed by harvesting plants at the vegetative stage (stem elongation) and the subsequent regrowth at the flowering stage (inflorescence emergence-main shoot). From results, significant differences were found among the accessions of T. mutabile in terms of forage biomass production (from 5.1 to 8.2 t ha −1 dry matter), capacity of nitrogen fixation (58.2–76.8% Ndfa) and forage nutritional characteristics. Besides the high forage yield, the investigated accessions showed favourable values of production and quality, representing also worthy germplasm for selection programs as well as the application for possible plant cultivar registration. Moreover, it is interesting to underline that T. mutabile may represent a valuable alternative to commonly cultivated annual clover species due to its prolonged vegetative cycle. However, further investigations are needed to assess the self-reseeding capacity of T. mutabile when utilized as pasture species.

Keywords: annual clover; N fixation; biomass production; forage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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