Soybean growth traits suitable for forage production in an Italian ryegrass living mulch system

• Suitable traits of soybean for forage production in living mulch systems were evaluated by comparing the growth of eight soybean varieties. • Reduction of whole-plant yield was larger in early-maturing than in late-maturing varieties. • Whole-plant yield of soybean was highly correlated with the v...
Ausführliche Beschreibung

• Suitable traits of soybean for forage production in living mulch systems were evaluated by comparing the growth of eight soybean varieties. • Reduction of whole-plant yield was larger in early-maturing than in late-maturing varieties. • Whole-plant yield of soybean was highly correlated with the vegetation cover ratio at flowering stage. • Some varieties showed severe lodging which would cause marked yield loss when machine-harvested. • The varieties with high whole-plant yield, protein content and lodging resistance are suitable for forage soybean production in living mulch systems. Ausführliche Beschreibung