From Paul October 25, 1999

Summary of Agroforestry Project Activities Related to Forages, 1999.

The 1999 growing season began with favorable weather for forage regrowth. Stands of fall 1998 drilled white clover (var. >Osceola=) were observed with between 50 and 75% ground coverage across all locations. First hay harvests occurred from June 17, 1999 through July 2, 1999. Total yields were 52 round bales weighing 49100 lbs (22291 kg).

After the first hay harvests, the weather became hot and dry. By August, drought conditions existed and only one other hay harvest was possible due to low forage production. Second harvest yields were only 24 bales, less than half of the first harvest. Total hay yield for 1999 was 76 round bales weighing 71500 lbs (32461 kg). At regional hay market values of $20 per bale, hay harvest value in 1999 was only $1520.00.

Outreach activities for the forage component of the study were a paper presentation at the Sixth North American Agroforestry Conference, June 12-16, Hot Springs, Arkansas entitled >Forage Production in a Newly Established Clustered-Tree Agroforestry System=. A field tour of the study site was held on July 15, 1999 in conjunction with the Agroforestry Conference meeting in Hot Springs. Approximately 175 people from across the United States and about 16 foreign countries toured the agroforestry project. There was considerable interest in the clustered-tree arrangement, the excellent stand of white clover, and fire ants (most notably from participants outside the region of fire ants).

Project Title: AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS WITH STRUCTURED TREE CLUSTERS AND ROWS

Principal Investigators: Zeide, B.; Francis, P.; Kluender, R.

Grant Number: 97-35108-5126

Proposal Number: 9703786

Reporting Year: 1999

Specific Aims

1. Implement a study to determine the best spatial configuration of two-species tree clusters and rows in the framework of an improved agro-silvicultural system and an agro-silvo-pastoral system.

2. Initiate monitoring of the economics and ecological impacts of these agroforestry systems to be continued over the life cycle of the systems (the 25-year timber component is the longest).

3. Use the results of monitoring for adaptive management and modify the original designs on the basis of that feedback.

Results

This study, established during the dormant season of 1997-1998 on a 30-acre field located at the Southwest Research and Extension Center of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station in Hope, AR, has withstood the second very dry summer. At the beginning of the growing season, we replaced the trees that died (February-March 1999). Overall survival determined during the fall inventory (October 1999) was fair (83% for loblolly, 82% for the interior shortleaf and 80% for the exterior shortleaf). Nearly three percent (2.6%) of the clusters lacked loblolly pine in the center, most of these were in area four where 18.2% of the 110 clusters had no survival.

The trees were suffering from competition by horsenettle, a particularly pernicious weed resistant to chemical control. The problem was solved when we solicited help from Carroll Walls of Timberland Co., an expert in chemical control. The chemical (Escort), the amount, and the timing of application that he suggested worked very well.

As far as forage regrowth is concerned, the spring was favorable. Stands of fall 1998 drilled white clover (var. >Osceola=) were observed with between 50 and 75% ground coverage across all locations. First hay harvests occurred from June 17, 1999 through July 2, 1999. Total yields were 52 round bales weighing 49100 lbs (22291 kg).

1999 was 76 round bales weighing 71500 lbs (32461 kg). At the regional hay market values of $20 per bale, hay harvest value in 1999 was only $1520.00.

Outreach activities for the forage component of the study were a paper presentation at the Sixth North American Agroforestry Conference, June 12-16, Hot Springs, Arkansas, entitled >Forage Production in a Newly Established Clustered-Tree Agroforestry System=. A field tour of the study site was held on July 15, 1999 in conjunction with the Agroforestry Conference meeting in Hot Springs. Approximately 175 people from across the United States and about 16 foreign countries toured our agroforestry project. There was considerable interest in the clustered-tree arrangement, the excellent stand of white clover, and fire ants.

Plans for the Coming Year

In addition to the planned activities (measuring trees, cutting, raking, baling, and weighing of hay, fertilizing forage alleys), we will again replant missing trees in February-March of 2000.

Publications

Cassida, K.A., P.B. Francis, B. Zeide, and R. Colvin. 1999. Forage production in a newly established clustered-tree agroforestry system. Pages 33-34 in Abstracts of The Sixth Conference on Agroforestry in North America. June 12-16, 1999, Hot Springs, Arkansas. 53 p.

Zeide, B. 1999. Evolution of agroforestry: from uniformity to diversity. Page 12 in Abstracts of The Sixth Conference on Agroforestry in North America. June 12-16, 1999, Hot Springs, Arkansas. 53 p.

Zeide, B. 1999. Evolution of agroforestry: from uniformity to diversity. Proceedings of The Sixth Conference on Agroforestry in North America. June 12-16, 1999, Hot Springs, Arkansas. In press.

Zeide, B. 1999. Long-term study of agroforestry systems based on structured tree clusters. Proceedings of Long term Observations and Experiments in Forestry. IUFRO International Symposium, CATIE, Costa Rica, February 23-26, 1999. In press.

Other products

We tested and refined the procedure to control horsenettle, which includes the amount and timing of application of Escort to improve growth and survival of young pine trees.

Students supported

None.