2004•Canadian Journal of Plant ScienceRequires access
Farmer-directed on-farm experimentation examining the impact of companion planting barley and oats on timothyalfalfa forage establishment in central Newfoundland
D. Spaner and A. G. Todd
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Abstract
Oats (Avena sativa L.) or barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sown at increasing seeding rates of 23, 45 and 68 kg ha-1 with a timothy (Phleum pratense L.)-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) mixture (harvested at cereal soft dough) resulted in increasing forage yields containing decreasing alfalfa, crude protein, P and Ca percentage in the planting year. Barley out-yielded oats by 11% in the planting year. Oats or barley sown at seeding rates up to 68 kg ha-1 do not impede underseeded forage establishment or forage production in the subsequent year in central Newfoundland. The implications of farmer-directed on-farm experimentation are discussed. Key words: Hordeum vulgare L., Avena sativa L., Phleum pratense L, Medicago sativa L., underseeding