Herbage yield and botanical composition of grass-legume mixture at different time of establishment

For comparative testing of the total productivity of mixtures (intercrops) of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), a trial was carried out during the 2007-2009 growing seasons at experimental fields of the Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun. Intercrops included two red clover varieties (?-17 and Una) and tetraploid Italian ryegrass (?-29t) in different proportional ratios (100:0%, 75:25%, 50:50%, 25:75% and 0:100%). Italian ryegrass sown alone was top-dressed with nitrogen rates of 100 and 200 kg ha-1. Herbage yields and botanical composition were influenced by different sowing times in the first production year. Spring seeded red clover was more persistent and cumulatively yielded, autumn seeded Italian ryegrass produced more dry matter in the mixture than red clover. The trial demonstrates the potential of two red clover cultivars grown either alone or with a suitable Italian ryegrass to achieve and maintain a high output of herbage of good quality in the first production year, with different time of stand establishment. The practical agricultural implications of using ryegrass/clover are discussed.