The effect of way of stand establishment on dry matter production of clover-grass mixtures

The aim of treatment was to evaluate effect of different soil tillage technologies and various portion of red clover (20-40-60% portion) on dry matter yield of clover-grass mixtures. The field treatments were carried out in 1995, 1996 and 1997 on Fluvi-Eutric Gleysol on the East-Slovakian Lowland (south-eastern part of the Slovak Republic). The locality is situated in moderate warm and moderate moist area. Variants of stands establishment: - konv. - conventional. After harvest of forecrop (spring barley) was made stubble ploughing, mean ploughing in autumn. In spring the soil was prepared by combined machine. After sowing of clover-grass mixture by Pneusej Accord sowing machine was rolled; red. - reduced. In spring the soil was prepared by rotary tiller Mars and clover-grass mixture was sowed by sowing machine Pneusej Accord; nespr. - no-tillage. Clover-grass mixture was sowed by no-tillage sowing machine SE-2-024 in spring directly into stubble of barley. In the 1st and 2nd crop years the clover-grass mixture stands were cut three-times, in the 3rd crop year twice. The 1st cutting was realised when flowering of red clover started, the 2nd cutting about 45-50 days after the 1st one and the 3rd cutting 50-55 days after the 2nd one. The dry matter production of clover-grass mixtures was determined separately for the 1st crop years, for the 2nd for the 3rd one, than for three crop years together and for whole treatment. The results from whole experimental season show that differences of dry matter yield between variants of stand establishment were statistically no significant. It means that minimising technologies, which introduce lower economic and energetic claims of production, for heavy soils of the East-Slovakian Lowland, are suitable. The yields of clover-grass mixtures with 20% portion of red clover were significantly lower in comparison with yields of clover-grass mixtures with 40% and 60% portion of red clover. That clover-grass mixtures is recommended to establish with minimum 40% portion of red clover