Implications of a Doubling in Ambient Carbon Dioxide Levels of Herbage Quality in Perennial Ryegrass and White Clover

Digestibility (DMD) and crude protein (CP) percentage in leaf and stem of 4 cultivars each of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens) grown at 3 day/night temperatures (12f7, 18/ 13, 28/23°C) and 2 CO2 concentrations (35 0 or 700 ppm) was estimated using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (N[RS). Differences between cultivars in DMD and CP were small and non-significant. Higher temperatures reduced DMD andCP in both species. DMD was unaffected by CO2 concentration in either species. The higher concentration of CO2 reduced leaf and stem CP by 14.6 and 10% respectively in white clover and leaf CP by 21.5% in perennial ryegrnss. The implications for animal performance are briefly discussed.