Pea Companion Crop for Red Clover Establishment

Abstract

This study was conducted under irrigated conditions to determine the effects of seeding rate and harvest stage of pea (Pisum sativum ssp. arvense L. Poir), which was used here as a companion crop, on the hay yield, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) densities and weed densities. Field studies were conducted as two separate experiments between 2004- 2008. Red clover was sown together with pea at the rate of 20, 40, 60 and 80 seed m-2. Plots were cut either at the 50% flowering stage for pea or when 70% of pea pods reached at typical lenght. Also, red clover was sown alone as a control and harvested at 50 % flowering stage. In the establishment year, companion crop had increasing effect on hay yield. Regarding total yield at the end of the 3 years, it is suggested that red clover was able to sown with pea at the seeding rate of 40 or 60 seed m-2 and it was harvested at 70% of pea pods reached typical lenght.