Effects of film mulching on growth and crown and root characteristics of alfalfa in an alpine meadow

doi:10.11686/cyxb2014295

Abstract

Abstract: The lack of cold-resistant alfalfa varieties and appropriate cultivation techniques has greatly restricted the development of dry land alfalfa production and animal husbandry in alpine areas. This study compared four establishment treatments; plastic film mulching on ridges and furrows (A); film mulching parallel to the ground (B); film mulching on ridges and furrows+soil cover (C) and standard ridge and furrow planting (D). The study was conducted in an alpine region at Tianzhu. The growth characteristics of alfalfa were assessed in year 1 and crown and root characteristics in year 2. Treatment ‘A’ significantly (P<0.05) increased alfalfa growth in the 1st year (249.37 kg/hm²) compared to all other treatments. Total root volume (9.288 cm³/plant) root surface area (466.287 cm²/plant), root biomass (7.76 g/plant), root length (85.55 cm), root diameter (8.36 mm) and lateral root number (26.27) of treatment A were significantly higher than that of all other treatments (P<0.05). Crown bud numbers, crown diameter, root volume, root surface area and root biomass of treatments B and C were not significantly different but were significantly higher than treatment D (P<0.05). There were no differences in tap root depth, diameter and root biomass between treatments B, C and D. The present study showed that film mulching on ridges and furrows greatly improved alfalfa crown diameter, crown bud numbers, tap root depth, root volume, root surface area, root biomass and forage yield indicating considerable potential for the use of this technique in alpine areas.

YU Xiao-Jun, JING Yuan-Yuan, XU Chang-Lin, SHI Shang-Li, ZHANG Jian-Wen, CHEN Lu-Jun, YANG Hai-Lei, XIAO Hong. Effects of film mulching on growth and crown and root characteristics of alfalfa in an alpine meadow[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2015, 24(6): 43-52.

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