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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (2): 147-158.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021236

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The effect of sowing rate and row spacing on the yield and quality of alfalfa in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area

Bin WANG1,2(), Yu-qi YANG1,2, Man-you LI1,2, Wang NI1,2, Yi-rui HAI1,2, Shun-xiang ZHANG3, Xiu DONG4, Jian LAN1,2()   

  1. 1.College of Agriculture,Ningxia University,Yinchuan 750021,China
    2.Ningxia Grass and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center,Yinchuan 750021,China
    3.Ningxia Longde County Chengguan Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Work Station,Guyuan 756000,China
    4.College of Grassland Agriculture Science and Technology,Lanzhou University,Lanzhou 730020,China
  • Received:2020-12-08 Revised:2021-05-06 Online:2022-02-20 Published:2021-12-22
  • Contact: Jian LAN

Abstract:

This research explored the optimal sowing rate and row spacing configuration for high-quality and high-efficiency production of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation area. In a three-year experiment, a two-factor randomized block design was used to study the effects on the yield and quality of alfalfa, of different sowing rates (S1: 13.5 kg·ha-1, S2: 18.0 kg·ha-1, S3: 22.5 kg·ha-1) and row spacing configurations (R1: 15 cm equal row spacing, R2: 20 cm equal row spacing, R3: rows spaced two narrow and one wide 15 cm+15 cm+20 cm, R4: rows spaced one narrow and one wide 15 cm+20 cm). It was found that the number of branches, leaf∶stem ratio, hay yield, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber content and relative feeding value of alfalfa were significantly affected by both sowing rate and row spacing (P<0.05). The results of three-year experiment showed that the sowing rate and row spacing had significant effects on the branch number, leaf stem ratio, hay yield, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber content and relative feeding value of Alfalfa (P<0.05). The hay yield (18.41 t·ha-1) and crude protein content (21.00%) were the highest when sowing rate was S2 and row spacing was R3. The contents of neutral detergent fiber (36.50%) and acid detergent fiber (26.59%) were the lowest when the row spacing was R2. Relative feeding value (171.98) was the highest when sowing rate was S2 and row spacing was R2. These findings are based on averaged data from the three years. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the drymatter yield, leaf∶stem ratio, branch number and neutral detergent fiber level of herbage were more responsive to the alfalfa sowing rate and row spacing treatments contribution rate of alfalfa were larger, and the plant height and acid detergent fiber responses were smaller. The treatment combination S2R3 (sowing rate of 18.0 kg·ha-1 and row spacing of 15 cm+15 cm+20 cm) was the optimal sowing rate and row spacing combination for alfalfa forage production in this region for maximization of hay yield and forage nutritional quality.

Key words: alfalfa, Yellow River irrigation area, sowing rate, row spacing, yield, quality