Water use, yield, quality, and dinitrogen fixation of sainfoin and alfalfa under gradient irrigation

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) are perennial forage legumes adapted to the dry, calcareous soils of the western United States. The objectives were to determine irrigation and water stress effects on water use, yield, quality, and dinitrogen fixation of these species. Measurements were made at four points along an irrigation gradient.