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Effect of Timing of Irrigation on Total Nonstructural Carbohydrate Level in Roots and on Seed Yield of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)¹

This study was undertaken in order to assess the effect of certain soil moisture regimes, manipulated by timing of irrigation, on the seed yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Sprinkler-irrigated alfalfa (cv ‘Hairy Peruvian’) was cut once and the regrowth was left for seed production or cut periodically for forage during the spring to midsummer period. Seed plots were irrigated either at day 10 or 23, or both (following cutting) to 180-cm soil depth. Forage plots were irrigated once immediately after each cutting.

Irrigation at day 23 resulted in a considerably lower rate of foliar regrowth during the 1st 3 weeks following cutting than when irrigation was applied at day 10. Slow regrowth was conducive to greater accumulation of total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) in roots than quick regrowth. High TNC level in the roots was associated with high percentage of pods set and with high seed yield. Irrigation both at day 10 and also at day 23 increased the flowering intensity that was associated with a lower percentage of pods set than the other treatments. The seasonal decline of TNC in the roots of plants harvested for seed was smaller than that in the roots of plants cut for forage.

It was concluded that timing of irrigation that leads to an increase in the root reserves during the period of initial regrowth is likely to increase the seed yield potential of alfalfa.

Key Words: Vegetative regrowth • Components of seed yield • Soil moisture content

² Instructor, Senior Irrigation Scientist, Institute of Soils and Water, The Volcani Center, Beit Dagan, and Associate Professor, Dept, of Field and Vegetable Crops.

Received for publication March 4, 1972.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. C. Shock, E. B. G. Feibert, L. D. Saunders, and J. Klauzer Deficit Irrigation for Optimum Alfalfa Seed Yield and Quality Agron. J., June 5, 2007; 99(4): 992 - 998. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]