Warm season forage grasses in mixture with alfalfa cv. Crioula, at two different cutting heights

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in pure stand and the mixtures alfalfa -Paspalum dilatatum Poir., alfalfa - P. guenoarum Arech. and alfalfa - Pensacola (P. saurae (Parodi) Parodi) were cut at two stubble heights (4 cm and 8 cm) and the effect on dry matter productions, crude protein and botanical composition, under field conditions, was evaluated from december 1974 to september 1976, at UFRS Agriculture Experiment Station, Guaíba, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Alfalfa in pure stand. alfalfa - P. dilatatum, and alfalfa - Pensacola had similar dry matter yields, but were superior to the alfalfa - P. guenoarum mixture. Alfalfa in pure stand showed higher crude protein yields than alfalfa - P. dilatatum and alfalfa - Pensacola, but these mixtures yielded more than alfalfa - P. guenoarum. Alfalfa - Pensacola showed the lowest percentages of alfalfa and weeds in the mixture. The 4 cm stubble resulted in higher dry matter and crud protein yields in the alfalfa pure stand and alfalfa - Pensacola mixture. There was a tendency for the 8 cm stubble to increase the percentage of grasses, while for the 4 cm stubble the tendency was to increase alfalfa and weeds in the mixtures.