SOME RESPONSES OF ALFALFA–BIRD’S-FOOT TREFOIL MIXTURES TO SEEDING YEAR MANAGEMENT

The effect of different seeding ratios, drainage conditions, and seeding year harvest management practices on control of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ’Iroquois’) competition in mixtures with bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L. ’Leo’) were investigated in four field experiments. Near-optimum temperature and moisture conditions prevailed for alfalfa growth during the study. As a result, alfalfa plants grew larger and outcompeted the trefoil even on drainage conditions that favored the survival of trefoil and reduced alfalfa stands. When the seeding ratio of alfalfa to trefoil was low, alfalfa compensated by producing larger plants and dry matter yields. The contribution to trefoil to yield was only marginally improved by increasing the proportion of trefoil in the mixture, by raising the cutting height, and by cutting the mixtures at the bud stage of alfalfa development.