Abstract
Although alfalfa is moderately tolerant of salinity, the effects of salinity on nutrient composition and forage parameters are poorly understood. In addition, there are no data on the effect of salinity on the antioxidant capacity of alfalfa. We evaluated four non-dormant, salinity-tolerant commercial cultivars, irrigated with saline water with electrical conductivities of 3.1, 7.2, 12.7, 18.4, 24.0, and 30.0 dS·m−1, designed to simulate drainage waters from the California Central Valley. Alfalfa shoots were evaluated for nutrient composition, forage parameters, and antioxidant capacity. Salinity significantly increased shoot N, P, Mg, and S, but decreased Ca and K. Alfalfa micronutrients were also affected by salinity, but to a lesser extent. Na and Cl increased significantly with increasing salinity. Salinity slightly improved forage parameters by significantly increasing crude protein, the net energy of lactation, and the relative feed value. All cultivars maintained their antioxidant capacity regardless of salinity level. The results indicate that alfalfa can tolerate moderate to high salinity while maintaining nutrient composition, antioxidant capacity, and slightly improved forage parameters, thus meeting the standards required for dairy cattle feed.
Highlights
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.) is the most cultivated legume worldwide and the fourth most cultivated crop in the United States
We evaluated four commercial alfalfa cultivars, tolerant to salinity, for their response to salinity when cultivated in outdoor sand tanks and irrigated at six salinity levels with water high in sodium, chloride, and sulfate
The effect of salinity in irrigation water on the suitability of alfalfa as a forage was based on shoot levels of macro- and micronutrients, and the forage quality estimated from acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and Crude protein (CP)
Summary
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.) is the most cultivated legume worldwide and the fourth most cultivated crop in the United States. In the USA, it is among the top three field crops cultivated in 26 states, contributing more than US $10 billion a year to the farm economy, primarily as an animal feed [2]. Feeding of alfalfa hay to lactating dairy cows has decreased sharply in the past 10 years, primarily as a result of economic issues associated with high water use, the costs of multiple harvests, and storage [3]. These authors mentioned the increased use of corn and cereal silages in animal diets to replace alfalfa. Dry matter intake is significantly higher for cows fed alfalfa and barley silages than for cows fed oat and triticale silages [4]
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