131Vicia sativa and Trifolium resupinatum are indigenous in the Mediterranean area and Asia (Mansfeld 1986). Both legumes are annual under Central European conditions (Uehling 1973) and are cultivated in a pure stand or in a mixture (Mansfeld 1986). Li�le information about the forage quality of V. sativa grown under European conditions (e.g. Wivstad et al. 1990) is available in contrast to the well-documented forage value of T. resupinatum (Puffe et al. 1984, Nonn 1988/1989. The voluntary intake of both, T. resupinatum (Ziegenbein 1965) and V. sativa, is high. Thomson et al. (1990) found a higher voluntary intake of V. sativa compared with other legumes such as Lathyrus sativus and Pisum sativum with a comparable digestibility. Compared with T. resupinatum the seed costs of V. sativa are nearly twice as high, but growing V. sativa in a mixture with grass or another supporting crop reduces the costs considerably. L. multiflorum gaudinii is apparently a suitable companion to the legumes. Its growth and quality aspects in pure stands are well documented (Herrmann 1999). The aim of this experiment was to analyse the performance of V. sativa in relation to dry ma�er yield and forage quality when compared with T. resupinatum and L. multiflorum gaudinii grown under Central European conditions as catch crops either in pure stand or in mixture at early and late sowing and harvest dates. MATERIAL AND METHODSIn order to determine the development of important quality aspects of V. sativa and T. resupinatum grown as catch crops in pure stand and in mixture with L. multiflorum gaudinii, a two year field experiment designed as a split plot with four replications (Table 1) was carried out near Giessen, Central Germany, 160 m above see level. The soil is a Pseudogley with a pH-value of 6.0. The meteorological data of July to March in both years of the study are shown in Figure 1. The weather station at Giessen gives mean annual rainfall and temperature values of 609 mm and 9.0°C. The summer and autumn of year 1 were warm and dry in contrast to spring and summer ABSTRACTIn a field experiment the development of dry ma�er yield and forage quality of the catch crop Vicia sativa L. compared with Trifolium resupinatum L. was investigated and the suitability for cultivation in a mixture with Lolium multiflorum ssp. gaudinii (Parl.) Schinz et Keller was tested. The legumes and mixtures sowed in early July or August, respectively, were harvested at different dates from early September until late October/early November. The sowing date had the greatest impact on dry ma�er yield, crude protein content and net energy for lactation (= NEL). Vicia sativa yielded more dry ma�er than Trifolium resupinatum, especially at low temperatures and under short-day conditions. At late sowing Vicia sativa should be preferred to Trifolium resupinatum due to a be�er stability of yield. Vicia sativa had a higher crude protein content but a lower NEL than Trifolium resupinatum. In a mixture with Lolium multiflorum the differences in energy concentration bet...

The course of N-NO 3 -concentrations in soil, N transfer from the catch crops Vicia sativa L. and Trifolium resupinatum L.to the companion grass Lolium multiflorum ssp. gaudinii (Parl.) Schinz et Keller, and the preceding crop effect on Lolium multiflorum ssp. italicum (A. Br.) Volkart were studied in a field experiment. Catch crops were sown in pure stands and grass/legume swards (= two species in alternating rows) at two sowing dates and harvested at different dates from August to November. Vicia sativa was more effective concerning N 2 fixation than Trifolium resupinatum, this was also evident from above ground N yield and N-NO 3 -amount of the soil. The factor sowing date had the greatest influence on N yield. N transfer to the companion grass was generally low. Early sown legumes in pure stands and in mixture temporarily caused slightly increased N-NO 3 -amounts in soil compared with unfertilized grass in winter and following spring, whereas late sown legumes apparently had no effect on N-NO 3 -amounts. Both legumes had a considerable preceding crop effect in the mixture and in the pure stand for both sowing dates.