Vegetative propagation of kura clover on mine spoils
Kura clover has an extensive root and rhizome system that makes it well adapted to grazing. However, kura clover is difficult to establish because of low seedling vigor and initial partitioning of photosynthate to rhizome production. A split plot design was used to evaluate kura clover establishment by vegetative propagation. Whole plots were mulched or not mulched with straw and subplots consisted of sprigs incorporated by disking, cult packing, disking plus cultipacking, or conventional seeding. A water converging-mycorrhizal coating treatment of sprigs incorporated by disking plus cultipacking was added in 1998. Stand counts were taken during establishment and plots were harvested for yield the year following establishment. Mulching increased plant density in the sprigged treatments in both years (P<0.02). At the last stand count, mulched and unmulched plots had 9 and 2 plants/m{sup 2} in Trial 1 and 42 and 18 plants/m{sup 2} in Trial 2. In the spring following the seeding year the conventionally seeded plots had a plant density of 69 plants/m{sup 2} compared to 5 plants in {sup {minus}2} for the sprigged treatments. The conventionally-seeded treatment always had higher plant densities (P<0.01). Separate analysis of the sprigged treatment always had higher plant densities (P<0.01). Separate analysis of the sprigged treatments indicated that treatments involving disking had greater stand densities (P<0.03) than those achieved by cultipacking alone. In Trial 1 only the mulched, conventionally-seeded treatment had satisfactory stands one year after seeding.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20026867
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16th annual national meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, Scottsdale, AZ (US), 08/13/1999--08/19/1999; Other Information: PBD: [1999]; Related Information: In: Mining and reclamation for the next millennium. Proceedings of the 16th annual national meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, by Bengson, S.A.; Bland, D.M. [eds.], 745 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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