Forage productivity of bastard alfalfa as affected by cover crop and seed treatment
Optimization of alfalfa production for cattle feeding is of high interest in the Udmurt Republic. Seed treatment prior to planting is a simple and low-cost procedure that improves plant mineral nutrition in the beginning of its life cycle and increases its productivity. The investigation aimed at testing the effectiveness of seed treatment and cover crop when growing bastard alfalfa. Soil - sod-podzolic, medium clay content, medium and high humus content (2.3-2.8%), high concentrations of soluble phosphorus (265-284 mg/kg) and potassium (171-252 mg/kg), рН - 5.3-5.5. Annual grasses for green fodder and spring wheat performed as cover crops. Alfalfa seeds were treated with ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate (300 g/t), “Rizotorfin” bacterial preparation (0.5 l/t), NV-101 growth regulator (1 ml/t), Agree`s “Forsazh” complex fertilizer (1.2 l/t). Seeding alfalfa with annual grasses provided the highest yield of dry matter (DM). Microfertilizer, bacterial preparation and growth regulator had positive effect on alfalfa. By the end of the first life cycle alfalfa root nodule number varied within 9-31 pcs/plant, in the control variant - 9-16 pcs/plant, in the experimental variants - 17-23 pcs/plant. In the first year seed treatment increased DM yield by 1.06-2.71 t ha<sup>-1</sup> (14-34%) for two cuts, in the second one - by 1.35-3.45 t ha<sup>-1</sup> (13-33%).