Paper · 1986 · New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science

Effect of topping pastures 1. Pasture accumulation and quality

R.C. McDonald

11
claims
25
verbatim quotes
4
citations
1
research areas
—
Not open access

Abstract

Abstract Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer. Topping improved herbage quality when the seed head density on pastures was 1200‐ 2000/m 2 but it had no effect when the density was < 600/m 2 . The main effect of topping was to reduce pasture dead matter levels, which improved herbage nitrogen and digestibility. On a pasture containing 2000 seed heads/m 2 , topping reduced the dead matter content (including seed heads) during summer and autumn from 44 to 21–35% and increased the clover content from 6 to 11%. In a second trial where there were 1200 seed heads/m 2 , topping reduced dead matter during summer from 50 to 26–44% and increased clover content from 1 to 2.5%. Pasture quality was improved more by topping ryegrass inflorescences early (between mid emergence and flowering) than late (between the watery ripe and hard dough stages). There were only minimal improvements in pasture quality when pastures were topped more than once, and summer herbage quality was better when pastures during spring were set stocked rather than rotationally grazed. Total herbage accumulation was temporarily reduced after topping, whereas green pasture accumulation and vegetative tiller production were usually similar on topped and non‐topped pastures.

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The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 11

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping improved herbage quality when seed head density was 1200-2000 seed heads/m2.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
Toppinge0
Outcome
herbage qualitye0
Direction
improvede0
Qualifier
seed head density on pastures was 1200‐ 2000/m 2e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Topping improved herbage quality when the seed head density on pastures was 1200‐ 2000/m 2 but it had no effect when the density was < 600/m 2”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 205–347 · show in text ↑
e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping had no effect on herbage quality when seed head density was below 600 seed heads/m2.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
Toppinge0
Outcome
herbage qualitye0
Direction
no effecte0
Qualifier
the density was < 600/m 2e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Topping improved herbage quality when the seed head density on pastures was 1200‐ 2000/m 2 but it had no effect when the density was < 600/m 2”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 205–347 · show in text ↑
e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping reduced dead matter content in summer and autumn on a pasture with 2000 seed heads/m2, from 44% to 21-35%.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
toppinge2
Outcome
dead matter contente2
Direction
reducede2
Value
44 to 21–35%e2
Qualifier
2000 seed heads/m 2e3

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e2

“topping reduced the dead matter content (including seed heads) during summer and autumn from 44 to 21–35%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 516–621 · show in text ↑
e3

“On a pasture containing 2000 seed heads/m 2 , topping reduced the dead matter content”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 470–555 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping increased clover content from 6% to 11% on a pasture with 2000 seed heads/m2.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
toppinge3
Outcome
clover contente4
Direction
increasede4
Value
6 to 11%e4
Qualifier
2000 seed heads/m 2e3

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e3

“On a pasture containing 2000 seed heads/m 2 , topping reduced the dead matter content”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 470–555 · show in text ↑
e4

“and increased the clover content from 6 to 11%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 622–668 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping reduced dead matter during summer from 50% to 26-44% on a pasture with 1200 seed heads/m2.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
toppinge5
Outcome
dead mattere5
Direction
reducede5
Value
50 to 26–44%e5
Qualifier
1200 seed heads/m 2e5

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e5

“In a second trial where there were 1200 seed heads/m 2 , topping reduced dead matter during summer from 50 to 26–44% and increased clover content from 1 to 2.5%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 670–830 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping increased clover content from 1% to 2.5% on a pasture with 1200 seed heads/m2.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
toppinge5
Outcome
clover contente6
Direction
increasede6
Value
1 to 2.5%e6
Qualifier
1200 seed heads/m 2e5

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e5

“In a second trial where there were 1200 seed heads/m 2 , topping reduced dead matter during summer from 50 to 26–44% and increased clover content from 1 to 2.5%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 670–830 · show in text ↑
e6

“and increased clover content from 1 to 2.5%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 787–830 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping ryegrass inflorescences early (between mid emergence and flowering) improved pasture quality more than late topping (between watery ripe and hard dough stages).

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Organ / stage
ryegrass inflorescencese7
Treatment
topping ryegrass inflorescences earlye7
Outcome
Pasture qualitye7
Direction
improved moree7
Comparator
late (between the watery ripe and hard dough stages)e7

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e7

“Pasture quality was improved more by topping ryegrass inflorescences early (between mid emergence and flowering) than late (between the watery ripe and hard dough stages)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 832–1002 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Topping more than once gave only minimal improvements in pasture quality.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
topped more than oncee2
Outcome
pasture qualitye2
Direction
minimal improvementse2

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e2

“There were only minimal improvements in pasture quality when pastures were topped more than once”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1004–1100 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Summer herbage quality was better when pastures were set stocked in spring than when rotationally grazed.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
set stockede2
Outcome
summer herbage qualitye2
Direction
bettere2
Comparator
rather than rotationally grazede2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e2

“summer herbage quality was better when pastures during spring were set stocked rather than rotationally grazed”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1106–1216 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Total herbage accumulation was temporarily reduced after topping.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
toppinge2
Outcome
Total herbage accumulatione2
Direction
reducede2
Qualifier
temporarilye2

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e2

“Total herbage accumulation was temporarily reduced after topping”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1218–1282 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Green pasture accumulation and vegetative tiller production were usually similar on topped and non-topped pastures.

Taxon
Lolium perenneLolium perennee1
Treatment
toppede2
Outcome
green pasture accumulation and vegetative tiller productione2
Direction
similare2
Comparator
non‐topped pasturese2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Lolium perenne
Lolium perenne · TaxonRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“Three trials examined the accumulation and quality of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.)‐ white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) pastures mechanically topped at various stages of flowering during summer”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 9–203 · show in text ↑
e2

“green pasture accumulation and vegetative tiller production were usually similar on topped and non‐topped pastures”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1292–1406 · show in text ↑

pruning · quality: general · Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass)Positive and negative results

5 papers: 2 positive, 3 negative or no effect

1 paper in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction

  1. no effect
  2. no effect
  3. negative

1 paper more in this group

See all 5 papers →

pruning · molecular: metabolites · Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass)Positive and negative results

11 papers: 5 positive, 6 negative or no effect

4 papers in the same direction as this paper · 5 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. negative
  2. negative
  3. negative

7 papers more in this group

See all 11 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.