EVALUATION OF SAINFOIN CULTIVARS ON THE CENTRAL PLATEAU

Six overseas cultivars and a New Zealand selection of sainfoin were compared with WL318 lucerne under 6 and 8 week cutting intervals. Melrose was the highest yielding cultivar of sainfoin and under the 8 week cutting regime produced just over half the yield of lucerne. The slow autumn growth made by all sainfoin cultivars was largely responsible for their poor annual yields and it is suggested that any New Zealand breeding programme on sainfoin should concentrate on improving autumn growth.