Understory pasture in apple orchard: forage yield, species composition and quality along shade gradients

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate if understory pastures in apple orchards differed along a gradient of shade intensities. Species composition, forage yield, quality, and soil fertility were measured from high, medium, and low shade intensities. Species composition of understory pasture mixture was not affected by shade intensities and soil quality. Shade intensity had significant effect on dry matter (DM) yield and nutritional properties of understory pasture. DM production under high shade intensity was significantly lower than the DM yield of pasture under medium and low shade intensities. Pasture under high shade had significantly higher CP content than pastures under medium shade. Pastures with high shade also had significantly higher ash content compared to pastures under medium and low shade. DM production of pasture and shade intensities were negatively correlated. Light intensity was positively correlated with forage quality (CP and ash content). The study results suggest that low to medium shade intensities are suited for optimal forage yield and quality of temperate pastures in apple orchards.