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GRASS‐ALFALFA SEEDING RATIOS AND CONTROL OF ALFALFA DOMINATION IN MIXTURES *
Author(s) -
Kilcher† M. R.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1959.tb00991.x
Subject(s) - agronomy , seeding , biology , forage , yield (engineering) , bromus inermis , materials science , metallurgy
Three grasses, bromegrass, slender wheatgrass and reed canary grass were sown on irrigated land with Ladak alfalfa in varying ratios with the object of determining what effect different proportions of alfalfa to grass would have in preventing alfalfa domination. The total number of seeds, irrespective of the proportions used, was held constant at 2.5 per linear inch of row. The influence of alfalfa on total yield was such that no significant yield differences due to grasses were established. However, the relative stand of grass varied considerably in the different mixtures. Slender wheatgrass did not compete with Ladak alfalfa, and had nearly disappeared from all stands after five crop‐years. Smooth bromegrass swards were dominated by the alfalfa, partrcularly where small amounts of the griass were sown. Reed canary grass and alfalfa maintained strong stands at all ratios of seed mixtures. The best overall ratio of grass to alfalfa by seed numbers was about 2.5: 1, although a higher ratio of grass was found desirable where brome was the grass component. Ratio of grass seed to alfalfa seed offered some measure of control for alfalfa domination, but choice of grass species was more important.