محمود یوسفی
گلمحمد گریوانی
خداداد عابدی
صفر صفری
حسین توکلی

The rangland areas of Khorasan is estimated about 12.5 million ha. The natural vegetation of some of these areas is limited by cultivation and overgrazing. Alfalfa has been suggested as suitable plant for improvement of rangland. In this expriment, 11 cultivars of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) including Kharvadeh, Gharoghlogh, Gharahyongeh 1, Gharahyongeh 2, Cancreep, Cody, Maupa, Krisary, Ranger, Simer and Hamadani (as standard cultivar) were grown by seed and treated as with and without weed control for three years in North Khorasan Natural Resource Station. In first years weeds occupied more than 40% of land area, but alfalfa dominated weeds in secand and third years. In general, weeding had no effect on alfalfa forage production. In second year, Kharvandeh, Simer, Krisary and Hamadani produced higher forage than other cultivars. Althougth the differences were not significant in third year. The height and leaf percentage of cultivars were different in second years Simer, Kerisary and Hamadani were the tallest and Cady, Gharahyongeh 1 and 2 had the greatest leaf percentage among cultivars. Forage yield showed positive and negative correlation with height and leaf percentage respectively. It seems that in North Khorasan Krisary, Simer and Hamadani cultivars are more suitable for rangeland improvement.