Book of Abstracts
11th IFOAM
Scientific Conference
11-15 August 1996
Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract front page
Subject index
Athor index

Extra Papers

A weather Based Model for Forage Production E17

Wachendorf, M. ; Kornher, A. & Taube, F.

Institute of Crop Science and Plant Breeding, Department of Grass and Forage Science, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24098 Kiel

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The traditional way in fodder production research is to get evidence from the conduction of experimental field trials. The numerous they are conducted the more they cover the natural variability of environmental conditions. In view of increasing costs in research and shrinking resources in the future, the conduction of sufficient and informative field trials will become more difficult. In order to achieve a maximum efficiency of experimental trials, the department of grass and forage science has developed a weather based model («foproq«) to simulate yield and quality of fodder stands under a great variability of weather and site conditions. The principle of the model is as follows:

I. Adjustment of parameters, which are related to a certain type of sward (different species or cultivars), by a few systematic field trials for a special site during some years. II. Integration of meteorological (precipitation, temperature, radiation) and soil parameters (available water capacity). III. Model calibration by simultaneous optimizing of all parameters. IV. Validation of model by means of independant data sets. V. Application of the model on the research and advisory level.

Since more than ten years recommandation organisations in Northern Germany together with the German meteorological office use this model as a tool to determine the optimal date of grazing or ensiling of permanent grassland crops in practice. The present paper proves the suitability of the model for red clover/grass mixtures as short-term rotational fodder crops and demostrates the influence of various climatic conditions (dry vs. humid climate), soil properties (sandy vs. loamy soil) and harvest regimes (3 vs. 4 cuts per year) on yield and quality of herbage.

Angus, J. F.; Kornher, A. & Torssell, B. W. R. (1980): A Systems approach to estimation of Swedish ley production. Progress report 1979/80. Rapport 85.Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Husbandry.

Kornher, A. & Nyman, P. (1992): A model for prediction of growth and quality change of grass swards. 14th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Lahti/Finland, 378-382.

Wachendorf, M.; Kornher, A.; Taube, F. & Teten, J.-H. (1995): Ertragsbildungund Qualitaetsentwicklung von Rotklee und Rotklee-Gras-Gemengen, simuliertmit witterungs-basierten Modellen, Schriftenreihe derAgrarwissenschaftlichen Fakultaet der Universitaet Kiel, Heft 78, 55-64.