The Effect of Cutting Treatments on Birdsfoot Trefoil 1

M O S T legumes are short-lived under grazing conditions and it is necessary to reseed them at frequent intervals in order to maintain maximum production. There is need for a productive perennial pasture legume because much of the open permanent bluegrass pasture in the United States is located on rolling or steep terrain subject to erosion. A perennial legume would tend to eliminate the erosion hazards as well as the labor and expense involved in the reestablishment of short-lived species. Observations by Hughes (I), MacDonald (2), and others indicate that birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniczllutzls L.) often maintains a stand indefinitely after it becomes established in a permanent pasture. Little is known about the management of birdsfoot trefoil; therefore, this investigation was designed to study the effect of cutting treatments on the yield, botanical composition, plant survival, chemical composition and root growth of birdsfoot trefoil seeded alone and in mixture with grasses. Numerous studies with other perennial legumes and grasses have shown that both the height and frequency of cutting influence the yield, quality of forage produced, root growth and survival of the species. Preliminary trials of (L . corniculatus L.) , (L . uliginosus Schk.) and ( L . tenais L.) in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri by Pierre and Mott3 have shown that L. covniculatus, the broadleaf species, is superior to the others in this climatic area. There are two recognized forms of broadleaf birdsfoot trefoil. According to Robinson ( 3 ) , the erect form is widely distributed in continental Europe and the prostrate form is indigenous to England. The erect form and a late semi-prostrate form were used in this study. The erect form, imported from Italy, is referred to in this paper as the Italian strain. The semi-prostrate form is the Empire variety from New York and is referred to as the New York strain.