INTERPRETATION DES RELATIONS ENTRE LE CLIMAT ET LA SURVIE À L’HIVER DE LA LUZERNE PAR L’ANALYSE DES CORRELATIONS

Abstract

The relationships between climatic data for the whole year (May to April) and the winter survival of alfalfa were examined with the use of simple correlation analysis for 48 station-years in Eastern Canada. It was found that the winter period is most critical. The most important meteorological factors are low soil temperatures, high air temperatures, lack of snow cover and rain during periods without snow cover. The vegetative growth and the hardening periods were found to be of equal importance. The most limiting factors during the growth period are: low soil temperatures from April to June and high temperatures during July and August, low insolation and excess rain. During the hardening period high soil temperatures and abnormal precipitation are most important. This analysis over a whole year should help in the development of a model for predicting annual damages and in planning research on alfalfa survival.