THE EFFECT OF AGRONOMIC FACTORS ON SEED AND FORAGE PRODUCTION IN PERENNIAL LEGUMES SAINFOIN (ONOBRYCHIS-VICIIFOLIA SCOP) AND FRENCH HONEYSUCKLE (HEDYSARUM-CORONARIUM L)

Perennial legume varieties and ecotypes belonging to the species sainf oin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and French honeysuckle (Hedysarum co ronarium L.) were investigated under different management treatments ( two regimes of irrigation, cutting and seeding densities) at the Forag e Crops Institute in Foggia, Italy (which has a typical Mediterranean environment) for two seasons, 1990 and 1991. Dry-matter production, se ed production and seed yield components were affected more by harvest year and irrigation than by seeding density. Mean increases due to irr igation were 2.8% and 60.6% respectively for dry-matter and seed yield in sainfoin and 35.3% and 32.5% respectively in French honeysuckle. U nder both cutting regimes, the higher seeding density was more suitabl e for sainfoin, increasing stems m-2 with irrigation and seed yield wi thout irrigation. In French honeysuckle the lower seeding density was more suitable for production of inflorescences per tiller and for seed weight without irrigation. Higher seeding density positively influenc ed seed yield under irrigation. The seed yield components most influen ced by irrigation were: 1000-seed weight, seeds per inflorescence and inflorescence per stem. French honeysuckle genotypes were potentially more productive in dry matter and seed yield under both irrigation reg imes than the sainfoin, which was more productive in seed yield when c ut. The ecotypes of both legumes represent a genetic resource, particu larly for seed yield after forage cutting, to be utilized in breeding programmes for developing varieties well adapted to Mediterranean envi ronments.