Biomass Yield Dynamics and Nutritional Quality of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) Cultivars at Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
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2014-06
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Abstract
The study was conducted at Debere Zeit Agricultural Research Center (DZARC) of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)located 47.9 km from Addis Ababa. The objective was to determine biomass yield dynamics and nutritional quality of five alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) cultivars. The cultivars were planted on 12 m2 plots (4 m long and 3 m wide) in randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were: FG10-09(F), FG9-09(F), Magna 801-FG(F), Magna 788 and Hairy Peruvian. The leaf and stem yield were determined by harvesting a central section of two adjacent middle rows with a sampling area of 0.2 m2 (0.5 m length x 0.4 m width). For forage quality analysis, four randomly selected adjacent middle rows with a net area of 3.2 m2 were harvested. The four replications were pooled into one and properly homogenized and one representative subsample was taken for each cultivar within each cutting cycle. The analysis of variance indicated that; interaction of cultivar and cutting cycle was not significant for leaf, stem and total biomass dry matter yield and chemical composition of the cultivars (P>0.05). Similarly, cultivars effect was not significant (P>0.05) for leaf, stem and total biomass DM yields. Magna 788, Hairy Peruvian and FG9-09(F) had higher leaf yield (1129 kg/ha), stem yield (1984 kg/ha) and herbage total DM yield (2861.5 kg/ha respectively other than the rest cultivars. Cutting cycles had significant effect (P<0.05) on leaf, stem and total DM yield. The 8th cycle had higher leaf, stem and total DM yields followed by 7th cycle, while the rest cycles had intermediate and comparable values. On the contrary the leaf to stem ratio was lowest. Cultivar and cutting cycles had significant effect (P<0.05) for leaf and stem proportion and leaf to stem ratio. The 6th cutting cycle had higher leaf to stem ratio comparable with second and fourth cycles. The effect of cultivar for chemical composition was not significant (P ≥ 0.05). Though Magna 801-FG(F) had higher nutritional value other than the rest cultivars. Cutting cycles had significant effect (P< 0.05) for acid detergent fiber, digestible dry matter and cellulose content but not other chemical composition parameters. In general the cultivars had higher nutritional value and had lower biomass yield during drier season while higher during wetter season.
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Alfalfa, Leaf and stem yield, chemical composition