Harvest management effects on alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) production and quality in Mediterranean areas

Abstract

The effects of plant harvest stage, autumn harvest dateand cultivars on alfalfa production and quality weredetermined in a 3‐year field experiment established in1992. Harvesting stage influenced annual yield andquality. Late bud‐first flower harvests increased harvestfrequency and forage quality in comparison with har‐vestingat the full bloom stage while decreasing dry‐matteryield by 18% (25·5 vs. 21·6 t ha 21 ). Harvestingstage significantly affected autumn forage productionand quality and yield at the first spring cut. Harvests atfull bloom allowed greater autumn and spring regrowththan cutting at the late bud stage, possibly because ofthe accumulation of higher root reserves. Autumn har‐vestsand cultivar significantly influenced the yields atthe first spring cut in any growing season. Cuttingbefore the first frost in autumn reduced the vigour ofboth cultivars, and the subsequent yield at the first cutin any year, in comparison with harvests taken after ornear the first autumn frost. It is concluded that theeffects of the stage of harvesting alfalfa on dry‐matterproduction and quality are important in theMediterranean environment of the Ebro Valley; theeffects of autumn management were observed mainlyon the yields of the subsequent first cut in spring but noton the total annual production.