Forage yield and persistence of chicory and English plantain

Graziers in the northeast USA often face forage shortages in mid-summer. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and English plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) have been introduced in the USA as sumer-active perennial herbs for pastures. We conducted two experiments at Rock Springs, PA, to evaluate chicory and plantain for yield and persistence under clipping. 'Grasslands Puna', 'Lacerta', and 'Forage Feast' chicory, and 'Ceres Tonic' and 'Grasslands Lancelot' plantain were sown in field plots in May 1997 (Exp. 1) and 1999 (Exp. 2). Plots were cut every 3 or 5 wk in 1998 and 1999 in Exp. 1 and every 4 wk during 2000 and 2001 in Exp. 2. Dry matter yield was determined at each harvest. Stand densities were determined in each experiment. Forage Feast chicory yielded 25% less than Puna (6000 vs. 8100 kg dry matter ha^-1; P < 0.05) in 1998, whereas yields of both cnitivars were similar (P > 0.05) in 1999 and 2000. Lacerta chicory yielded 9 to 16% less than Puna and Forage Feast in Exp. 2. Forage Feast and Puna chicory had 20 to 50% stand loss in Exp. 1 and 40 to 60% stand loss in Exp. 2. Lacerta chicory lost 80% of the stand during Exp. 2. The plantain cultivars yielded 6 to 14% less dry matter than Puna chicory in 1998 and 33 to 39% less in 2000. Both plantain cultivars, however, suffered a nearly complete loss of plants during the second winter after establishment in both experiments. Ceres Tonic and Lancelot plantain are not suited for the northeastern USA.