Influence of cutting and management regimes on fodder galega for forage and seed production

Field trials were designed to identify the most sui table time for the last cut and to ascertain whether it is possible to alleviate the c onsequences of improper timing of the cut by using the young and old sward under mixed management for forage and seed. Due to the autumn cut of the aftermath, a significant reductio n in herbage dry matter yield and metabolizable energy was obtained in the first and second cuts in the following year. When autumn aftermath had been taken annually for four y ears, the productivity of the sward significantly declined when the cuts had been taken during the August 15 - October 15 period. The most unsuitable cutting time, when the greatest yield reduction occurred and the adverse effect of autumn aftermath cutting persisted longes t, was found to be mid August - beginning of September. When the sward had been cut during the period middle August - beginning of September, a sharp, significant reduction occurred in the content of total and protein nitrogen, water-soluble carbohydrates and starch in roots. Th e greatest reduction in root mass in the 20 cm soil layer occurred in galega sward when it had been used for forage for four years. In the case of mixed management for forage and seed galega root mass was higher. When old sward of galega was used under mixed management for forage and seed, the negative effects of autumn aftermath cutting were alleviated or elimina ted more rapidly.