Efficiency of Different Implements for Pasture Interseeding

Pasture renovation with grasses and legumes appears to be a good practice to increase primary and secondary production. Trials were planted in 6 locations in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, 2 in Pergamino and 4 200 and 300 km south east of Pergamino, to evaluate 3 different implement combinations: a) rigid chisel coulter, b) spring tooth heavy duty coulter, with teeth 30 cm apart followed by spring tooth cultivators, and c) spring tooth heavy duty coulter 30 cm used twice in the same direction. The species sown were: fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), brome (Bromus uniolides H.B.K.), chicory (Cichoriu, intybus L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.). Plots were split and half were fertilised with calcium superphosphate at 100 kg/ha. Total plant populations/m1, 2 months after seeding were a) 437 b) 415 and c) 395 respectively. For fertiliser the results were: fertilised 412, and not fertilised 410 (not significant). Plant densities differed among implement treatments, but there were no differences among trial locations, although each location had different levels of plant populations.