Effects of the amount and timing of subsurface drip irrigation on alfalfa seed production

doi:10.11686/cyxb2025039

Abstract

Abstract:

Irrigation is an important management method to improve alfalfa （Medicago sativa） seed yield. In this study， we aimed to elucidate the impact of the timing and volume of drip irrigation on the yield components and actual yield of alfalfa seeds， and to investigate the mechanisms by which water influences seed yield formation. A field irrigation experiment was conducted from 2021 to 2022 using the alfalfa variety ‘Gannong No.4’. The experiment included two factors： irrigation timing （budding stage， full flowering stage， and a combination of budding stage+full flowering stage） and irrigation volume （225 and 450 m³·ha^-1）. Measurements of soil water content， seed yield components， and seed yield were obtained， and the correlations among these variables were analyzed. The findings indicated that： 1） The timing of irrigation was the primary factor influencing seed yield， while the irrigation volume affected the number of seeds per pod. 2） Significant positive correlations were detected between irrigation at the budding stage and the number of inflorescences per stem， and between irrigation at both the budding and full flowering stages and the overall seed yield. 3） The seed yield was directly influenced by several factors， including the soil water content within the 20-40 cm soil layer， the soil water content at the harvest stage， the number of inflorescences per stem， the number of flowers per inflorescence， and the number of pods per inflorescence. These results indicate that the optimal underground drip irrigation strategy for the arid and semi-arid regions of central Ningxia involves applying water at 225 m³·ha^-1 during the budding stage， 225-450 m³·ha^-1 during the full flowering stage， and 450 m³·ha^-1 during the winter stage.

Key words: drip irrigation, irrigation stage, irrigation volume, alfalfa, seed yield, yield components

Hong-qian YU, Xue-peng MA, Han-guo ZENG, Xiao-yan SHAN, Man-li LI, Zhan-jun WANG. Effects of the amount and timing of subsurface drip irrigation on alfalfa seed production[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2026, 35(1): 53-64.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig.1 Mean monthly temperature and precipitation in 2019-2022

Fig.2 Overhead view of the experimental plot in June 2021

Table 1 Alfalfa seed field growth period in 2021-2022 （月-日Month-day）

年份

Year

返青期

Regeneration stage

分枝期

Branching stage

现蕾期

Budding stage

初花期

Early flowering stage

盛花期

Full flowering stage

结荚期

Podding stage

收获期

Harvest stage

Fig.3 Analysis of variance of soil water content from 2021 to 2022

Fig.4 Two-way ANOVA of seed yield factors and seed yield in 2021

Fig.5 Two-way ANOVA of seed yield factors and seed yield in 2022

Fig.6 Point-Biserial correlation analysis between irrigation period with yield factor and yield

Fig.7 Structural equation model of soil moisture， yield factors and seed yield

Fig.8 Structural equation model variable effect sizes

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