Interseeding for Pasture Improvement

Interseeding is seeding a legume or more productive grass into a permanent grassland with minimum tillage of the existing sod (see figures 1 and 2). ln some cases alfalfa may be interseeded to replace the native legumes that have been killed by misuse of the pasture. In other cases it may be interseeded into a tame grass sod. In each case the most important function of the legume is to take nitrogen out of the air and make it available in the soil where it can be utilized for increased quality and quantity of grass forage. The USDA estimates that a proportion of 35% alfalfa in a pasture will maintain the nitrogen content in the soil. In addition, the legume contributes to the yield of forage