Forage Yield, Canopy Characteristics, and Radiation Interception of Ten Alfalfa Varieties in an Arid Environment.

ABSTRACT: An increasing demand for new and improved livestock forage products is driving the development of forage systems in arid regions. Our study evaluated the productivity of 10 alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) varieties and the relationship between forage yield and canopy structure traits, such as plant height, branch number, stem/leaf ratio, and leaf area index in the arid Hexi Corridor, north-west China. Here, plant height, primary branch number per plant, and stem/leaf ratio were positively correlated with forage yield. In terms of a two-year total yield, Gannong No. 5 produced the highest value (13,923 kg ha^-1), followed by the WL342HQ (12,409 kg ha^-1), Phabulous (11,928 kg ha^-1), and Xinjiang Daye (11,416 kg ha^-1) varieties. Therefore, these

SUBMITTER: Jia X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9101258 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature