WEED-CONTROL IN OAT (AVENA-SATIVA)-ALFALFA (MEDICAGO-SATIVA) AND EFFECT ON NEXT YEAR CORN (ZEA-MAYS) YIELD

Field experiments were conducted from 1985 through 1989 to evaluate herbicide selectivity and impact on seeding-year yields of spring oat and underseeded alfalfa, and carryover weed control benefits from increased legume-fixed N for second-year dryland no-till com. PRE metolachlor, pendimethalin, and prodiamine controlled green foxtail and POST bromoxynil or 2,4-DB controlled broadleaf weeds. These herbicides caused 0 to 20% alfalfa injury and 0 to 17% oat injury, and increased oat yield one of three years but did not increase the yield of underseeded alfalfa. POST pyridate, thifensulfuron, and tribenuron were too injurious to either oat, alfalfa, or both crops. Forage yields of annual 'Nitro' and perennial 'Wrangler' alfalfa seeded alone were greater than when they were underseeded in oat, with herbicides applied in both systems. As a result of drought in 1988 and 1989, yield of second-year com planted after one-year alfalfa was not increased from potentially greater legume-fixed N. Dryland com yield following monoculture oat or com was 254% higher than com following alfalfa.