John Jennings, Danny Griffin, Michelle Mobley, Kenny Simon, John Boyd, and Shane Gadberry. University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Univ.of Arkansas-Coop.Ext.Serv, Po Box 391, Little Rock, AR 72203
Fertilizing tall fescue for stockpiled winter pasture is an effective practice for reducing winter hay costs and has produced average savings of $20 per animal unit in Arkansas. With increased interest in adding clover to fescue pastures, a common question is will N fixed from clover in a fescue/clover pasture be adequate to promote a desirable yield of stockpiled pasture in fall without N fertilizer. White clover was established on two north-central Arkansas farms into fescue pastures in February, 2007 and 2008 in two treatments; clover planted at a 4X rate in strips to equal 25% of the pasture or solid-seeded at a 1X rate across the entire pasture. Fertilizer was applied at 50 lbs/acre of N in September of 2008. Dry matter samples were harvested from each treatment on October 13, and October 20. At Location 1 where clover had been established for two growing seasons, no significant differences were measured between fertilized or unfertilized areas in the 4X strips, in the unseeded area between the clover strips, or in the area seeded at the 1X rate. At Location 2 where clover has been established for one growing season, dry matter yield of the fertilized and unfertilized areas in the 4X clover strips was not different, but the fertilized treatment had 737 lbs/acre and 487 lbs/acre greater dry matter yield in the unseeded area between the strips and in the 1X seeded treatment, respectively. Results suggest low or no dry matter yield response to N applied in fall to tall fescue/clover mixtures.