Studies of Native Fodder Grasses in Japan

[摘要] II The investigation of Cassia mimosoides-an annual wild leguminous plant which grows throughout Japan-has been carried out regarding the agricultural characteristics from the standpoint of improving it as a forage crop. The following items were investigated. 1. Flowering and fertilization. 2. Relation between flowering time and maturity. 3. Height of plant. 4. Hard seed. 5. Difference of characteristics among the strains of different habitats. 6. Yield of green grass and seeds. 7. Palatability. The type of corola is not papilionaceous as the other leguminous plants. We investigated the rate of self-fertilization of this species and found that it is mainly self-fertilizaed. Three types of grass form-bowl-shaped, cup-shaped and turbinal shaped-were observed. We recognized that there are remarkable differences in the flowering time, maturing time, days needed for maturation and number of hard seeds among the different strains of the species which were collected throughout Japan. The flowering time of the strains collected from the warmer districts is later and requires more days to mature than the strains collected from the colder districts. The results show that Cassia mimosoides produces high yields of green grass and is palatable for livestock, especially for cows.

[学科分类] 农业科学（综合）