Overseeding temperate legumes is one of the most practices to increase the quantity, quality and sustainability of perennial pastures in Southern Brazil. During the years of 2000 and 2001 the response of six temperate legumes (Adesmia latifolia (wild), Lotus corniculatus, L. subbiflorus, L. uliginosus and Trifolium repens cv. Yi and cv. Regal) was evaluated in mixture with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). There was a period of 475 days between sowing date and the last cut and six cuts were made; on the autumn-winter/2000 only one cut was made, on the spring-summer, three cuts and on the autumn-winter/2001, two cuts. The intervals between cuts ranged between 43 and 91 days, being reduced in the warm season. During the total assay period, the average of the mixtures yielded 15038 kg/ha of DM; in the warm season 54% of this total was produced, with an average growth rate of 46 kg/ha/day of DM. In the cold season of 2000 and 2001 this rate was of 22 and 24 kg/ha/day of DM. The birdsfoot trefoil and white clover cv. Yi were the most productive legumes; the former was the best in the warm season (3500 kg/ha of DM) and the last participated with 86,3% in the mixture in the autumn-winter/2001, with 2300 kg/ha/day of DM. The mixtures containing these legumes presented the smallest quantity of weeds and produced 13663 and 11,184 kg/ha of DM respectively, being 82% and 71% of these totals composed of legumes, fescue and ryegrass. A. latifolia did not have a good establishment and its contribution was only 0,84% in the first cut. The L. subbiflorus had a good establishment on the first year, but it disappeared from the mixture in the second year. L. uliginosus had a good establishment and persistence producing up to 1400 kg/ha of DM in the autumn/2001.
mixtures; establishment
