A study was conducted at two locations to evaluate the effects of cheat (Bromus secalinus L. ♯3 BROSE) competition on four seeding rates (4.5, 9.0, 13.5, and 22 kg/ha) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ‘Riley’). Three stages of first harvest (early bud, early bloom, and late bloom) were imposed on fall-planted alfalfa, with and without cheat overseeding, to determine the effects of harvest stage on alfalfa yield and quality. Cheat infestations significantly decreased alfalfa production and forage quality. Increasing the seeding rate of alfalfa only partially offset these losses. Harvesting early helped minimize the effect of cheat competition. First-harvest protein yield of forage was significantly decreased by, cheat overseeding. Total protein yield at first harvest was not affected by cutting stage but did increase with the two higher seeding rates of alfalfa.

Integrated pest management (IPM) initially focused on insect pest control. More recently, IPM encompasses a broader concept of management, one which crosses several disciplinary boundaries. This article reports results of research dealing with four integrated management decisions for alfalfa (cultivar selection, inset control, weed control, and end-of-season harvest options).