Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription or Fee Access

Response of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Varieties to NPS Fertilizer Rate in Mid Altitude of Southern Ethiopia

Kamil Temam Mossa

Abstract


Forage legume species adaptation has been done across Ethiopia; however, information on agronomic practice like fertilizer rate is generally scarce. So, the current study was to determine the influence of NPS fertilizer rate and varieties on dry matter yield, agronomic trait and nutritional value of Alfalfa at Werabe Agricultural Research Center (WARC). Experiment was applied factorial arrangement by using randomized complete block design with three replications. Fertilizer rates were (25, 50, 75) kg/ha and Varieties (Magna 801 FG (F), Hairy Peruvian, and FG-10-09(F)). The result indicated that Interaction effect of varieties with NPS fertilizer rate was significant (P>0.05) for number of branches and LSR at Silti and for plant height at Sankura. Variety effect was significant (P>0.05) for number of branches and dry matter yields. Hairy Peruvian had highest number of branches (18 NB/p) and dry matter yield (4 ton/ha) than the rest varieties at Sankura. Plant height and dry matter yield were significantly affected by varieties and NPS fertilizer rate at Silti. According to composite chemical composition, FG-10-09(F) with 25 kg/ha NPS rate (15.49%) and Magna 801 FG (F) with 75 kg/ha NPS rate had higher crude protein (16.89%) value than the rest. In general Both Hairy Peruvian with 50 kg/ha NPS and Hairy Peruvian with 75 kg/ha NPS have not significant difference in quantitative parameters. So, Hairy Peruvian and 50 kg/ha NPS was recommended for both study area.


Keywords


Chemical composition, Dry matter yield, Legume species, Nutrient, Quantitative Parameters.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Dereje F, Seyoum B, Zinash SCharacterizing and predicting chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of crop residue using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume. 2010; 22, Article #29.

Solomon M, Peters KJ, Azage T. Intake, digestibility and passage rate in Menz sheep fed teff (Eragrostis tef) straw supplemented with dried leaves of selected multipurpose trees, their mixtures or wheat bran. Small ruminant Research. 2005; 56: 139-149.

Acikgoz, E. Forage plants textbook. Uludag University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Field Crops, Bursa (in Turkish); 2001.

Kamalak A, Canbolat O, Erol A, Kilinc C, Kizilsimsek M, Ozkan CO, Ozkose E. Effect of variety on chemical composition, in vitro gas production, metabolizable energy and organic matter digestibility of alfalfa hays. Livestock Research for Rural Development. 2005; 17(77).

Annicchiarico P, Pecetti L, Abdelguerfi A., Bouizgaren A, Carroni A.M, Hayek T, M’Hammadi B, Mezni M. Adaptation of landrace and variety germplasm and selection strategies for lucerne in the Mediterranean basin. Field Crops Research. (2010); 120: 283–291.

Alemayehu Mengistu. Forage production in Ethiopia: A case study with implications for livestock production. 2002; pp 1-111. Ethiop. Soc. of Anim. Prod. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Monteros JM., Bouton H.J. The future of alfalfa and forage crops Proceedings of the Western Alfalfa & Forage Conference, December. 2009; 2-4, Reno, Nevada

Van Soest, P.J. 1994. Nutritional Ecology of Ruminants, 2nd edition. Cornell University press. London.

Altinok S, Karakaya A. Forage yield of different alfalfa cultivars under Ankara conditions. Turk. J. Agric. 2002; 26: 11-16.

Sengul S. Yield components, morphology and forage quality of native alfalfa ecotypes. Online Journal of Biological Sciences. 2002; 2: 494498.

Heidarian AR, Mostafavi K. Investigating of phosphorus, potassium and weed management effects on dry matter production and morphological traits of alfalfa ecotypes (Medicago Sativa L.). Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences. 2012; 6: 793-801.

Monirifar H. Path analysis of yield and quality traits in Alfalfa. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 2011; 39: 190-195.

Hayek T, Loumerem M, Nagaz K, Thabet M. Growth development and dry matter yield of 16 Lucerne genotypes cultivated in South Tunisia. In: Porqueddu C. and Tavares de Sousa M.M. (eds.). Sustainable Mediterranean Grasslands and their multifunctions. Zaragoza: CIHEAM/FAO/ENMP/SPPF. 2008; P.299- 302 (Options Mediterraneennes: Serie A. Seminaires Mediterraneens; n.79).

Lamb JFS, Sheaffer CC, Samac DA. Population density and harvest maturity effects on leaf and stem yield in alfalfa. Agronomy Journal. 2003; 95: 635-641.

Sun Y, Yang Q, Kang J, Guo W, Zhang T, Li Y. Yield evaluation of seventeen Lucerne cultivars in the Beijing area of China. Journal of Agricultural Science. 2011; 3: doi.10.55391jas.v3n4 p.215.

Marijana T, Popovic S, Grljusic S, Cupic T, Kozumplik V, Simic B. Variability and relationships of important alfalfa germplasm agronomic traits. Periodicum Biologorum. 2008; 110: 311-315.

Julier B, Huyghe C and Ecalle C. Within- and among-cultivar genetic variation in alfalfa: forage quality, morphology and yield. Crop Science. 2000; 40 (2): 365-36

Monirifar H Path analysis of yield and quality traits in Alfalfa. Not Bot Horti Agrobo 2011; 39: 190-195.

Mohammad janloo MM, Gholipouri A, Tobeh A, Mostafavi H. Study of effects of different levels of nitrogen and potassium on yield and yield components of rain-fed lentil. Plant Ecophysiol. 2009; 2: 91-94.

Ullah F, A Alam, S Yamamoto, N Khan, T Honna. Screening for agronomic performance of six indigenous cultivars of alfalfa (Medicage sativa L.) at Karina northern areas of Pakistan. EJEAFChe. 2009; 8: 950-968.

Dineshkumar SP. Effect of fertilizer levels and seed rates on growth, forage yield and quality of Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) under irrigation. Thesis submitted to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Agriculture. 2007.

Diriba Geleti1, Mekonnen Hailemariam, Ashenafi Mengistu and Adugna Tolera. 2014. Biomass yield potential and nutritive value of selected Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars grown under tepid to cool sub-moist agro-ecology of Ethiopia.

Nizamettin Turan, A Esen Celen, Mehmet Arif Ozyazici. Yield and quality characteristics of some alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Varieties grown in the Eastern Turkey; 2017.

Nsahlai IV, Zinash S, Seyoum B, Umuna NN. Nutritional characteristics and strategies to enhance utilization of tropical feeds for low resource livestock producers. In: Proc. 4th Conference, Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP), held 18-19 April 1996, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.on calcareous s soil in Turkey. J. Plant Nutr. 1996; 32, 516-535.

Mustafa A, Selehattin Ç, Celal Y and İlker İ. Evaluation of some selected alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) lines for herbage yield and forage quality. Jour. of Food, Agri. & Envir. 2010; 8 (3&4), 545 – 549.

Katić S, Mihailović V, Milić D, Karagić Đ, Glamočić D and Jajić I. Genetic and seasonal variations of fiber content in lucerne. Proceedings of the XXVIIth EUCARPIA Symposium on Improvement of Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses, Copenhagen, Denmark. 2008; Pp.130-135. www.eucarpia.org.

Laura MD, Ioan R, Andre T, Roxana V, Vasile F, Anamaria C. Determination of alfalfa crude fiber, NDF, ADF and Lignin content by NIR Spectrometry. Lucrari Ştiinţifice-seria Agronomie. 2012; 55: 245-249.

Yu P, Christensen DA, Mckinnon JJ, Markert JD. Effect of variety and maturity stage on chemical composition, carbohydrate and protein sub fractions, in vitro rumen degradability and energy values of timothy and alfalfa. Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 2003; 279-290

Markovic J, Radovic J, Lugic Z, Sokolovic D. The effect of development stage on chemical composition of alfalfa leaf and stem, Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry. (2007); 23: 383 -388.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2021 Research & Reviews: Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology