Publication Date
1993
Description
This research evaluated effects of 2 alfalfa (Medicago sativa L,) cultivars (winter hardy and moderately winter hardy), 3 levels of fertiliser (none, medium, high), 3 levels of herbicide (none, medium, high), and 2 harvest systems ( 4 harvests and 5 harvests per year) on forage yield and quality, Five years (1987-1991) of an experiment in Michigan, USA, have been completed. During the first production year (1988). forage dry matter (DM) production was similar for the 5-harvest (15.2 Mg/ha) and the 4-harvest system (14.8 Mg/ha), During subsequent years, DM production was greater in the 4-harvest than in the 5-harvest system (13,4 v. 10,9, 12.6 v. 10.1, and 12.1 v. 9.7 Mg/ha for production years 2, 3 and 4, respectively). Forage quality, as measured by crude protein, acid detergent and neutral detergent fibre concentrations, was higher in the 5-harvest system during all years. The moderately winter-hardy cultivar produced more DM than did the winter hardy cultivar during production years 2, 3 and 4. Fertiliser use and DM production were positively correlated. Significant fertiliser x harvest management and fertiliser x herbicide interactions indicated that the beneficial effects of fertiliser were more pronounced under intensive harvest management and when weed pressure was controlled,
Citation
Hesterman, O B.; Kells, J J.; and Tiffin, P L., "Interaction Among Harvest Frequency, Fertilizer and Herbicide Use with Intensively Managed Alfalfa in the North-Central USA" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 25.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session21/25
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Interaction Among Harvest Frequency, Fertilizer and Herbicide Use with Intensively Managed Alfalfa in the North-Central USA
This research evaluated effects of 2 alfalfa (Medicago sativa L,) cultivars (winter hardy and moderately winter hardy), 3 levels of fertiliser (none, medium, high), 3 levels of herbicide (none, medium, high), and 2 harvest systems ( 4 harvests and 5 harvests per year) on forage yield and quality, Five years (1987-1991) of an experiment in Michigan, USA, have been completed. During the first production year (1988). forage dry matter (DM) production was similar for the 5-harvest (15.2 Mg/ha) and the 4-harvest system (14.8 Mg/ha), During subsequent years, DM production was greater in the 4-harvest than in the 5-harvest system (13,4 v. 10,9, 12.6 v. 10.1, and 12.1 v. 9.7 Mg/ha for production years 2, 3 and 4, respectively). Forage quality, as measured by crude protein, acid detergent and neutral detergent fibre concentrations, was higher in the 5-harvest system during all years. The moderately winter-hardy cultivar produced more DM than did the winter hardy cultivar during production years 2, 3 and 4. Fertiliser use and DM production were positively correlated. Significant fertiliser x harvest management and fertiliser x herbicide interactions indicated that the beneficial effects of fertiliser were more pronounced under intensive harvest management and when weed pressure was controlled,
