Rates of Seeding Rambler Alfalfa with Dryland Pasture Grasses

Abstract

Rambler alfalfa, crested wheatgrass, and Russian wild ryegrass were combined to give five rates of seeding. These rates were achieved by mixing 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 lb of the alfalfa with 3 lb of seed of each grass and seeding the mixtures at these rates per acre. In four of the seven harvest years the mixture seeded at 1 lb/acre of alfalfa significantly outyielded those seeded at 0.25 and 0.5 lb/acre, however, there was no difference in yield between the three highest rates of seeding treatments. Increasing the seeding rate of alfalfa resulted in increased plant density of the mixture by increasing the alfalfa component while not affecting the density of the grass component. It was concluded that the creeping-rooted Rambler alfalfa need not be seeded at a rate exceeding 1.0 lb/acre when grown in combination with grass for dryland forage production.