Tag Archives: alfalfa

344-356 G. Argenti, S. Parrini, N. Staglianò and R. Bozzi
Evolution of production and forage quality in sown meadows of a mountain area inside Parmesan cheese consortium
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Evolution of production and forage quality in sown meadows of a mountain area inside Parmesan cheese consortium

G. Argenti*, S. Parrini, N. Staglianò and R. Bozzi

University of Florence, School of Agriculture, DAGRI, P.le delle Cascine 18, IT50144 Firenze, Italy
*Correspondence: giovanni.argenti@unifi.it

Abstract:

Sown meadows, encompassing alfalfa and grass-legume mixtures, are the forage crops on which is based Parmesan cheese production system in the mountain area of the Apennines (central Italy). These grassland types experience, during their development, deep changes in terms of production potentiality, botanical composition and forage quality, thus these meadows have to be periodically renewed to guarantee adequate productive and qualitative performances. To have an accurate assessment of this evolution along time, a survey was performed in different mountain farms inside the Parmesan cheese consortium, analysing alfalfa meadows and grass-legumes mixtures of different ages. Grasslands were monitored during 2019, performing three samplings during growing season. Aboveground biomass production, botanical composition and crude protein content were collected during the survey. Results permitted to evaluate the level of production decrease along years, the evolution of analysed parameters among cutting dates and the dependence of productive and qualitative features on botanical composition and presence of sown species in the swards. Results were useful to hypothesize the composition of future mixtures, to improve management issues and to delineate the possible duration of sown meadows for the area with respect to different purposes in terms of desired productive or qualitative objectives.

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65–72 R. Lillak, A. Linke, R. Viiralt and T. Laidna
Invasion of broad-leaved weeds into alfalfa stand during time of utilisation of alfalfa stands in low-input farming system
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Invasion of broad-leaved weeds into alfalfa stand during time of utilisation of alfalfa stands in low-input farming system

R. Lillak, A. Linke, R. Viiralt and T. Laidna

Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian Agricultural University, Kreutzwaldi 56, 51014 Tartu, Estonia; e-mail: rein_lillak@hotmail.com

Abstract:

The objective of the investigation was to determine the percentage and yield of weeds in lucerne stands during the productive period. Different cutting regimes (first and final cut date and cutting frequency) were applied as treatments for estimating the extent of the invasion of weeds. Experiment 1 was conducted in 1980–1995 with the locally-bred alfalfa cv. Jõgeva 118 to study the connection between the invasion of broad-leaved weeds in the stand and weather conditions. Experiment 2 was carried out in 1991–2003 to investigate the impact of the first cut date and cutting frequency on the total DM yield of the alfalfa stand (cv. Karlu), partial DM yield of weeds, and the percentage of weeds in the stand. Experiments 3 and 4, Medicago sativa type WL 252 HQ variety (US), were sown in Tartu and Koonu to study weed spreading and alfalfa production at different locations. The results showed that management system had a strong impact on the productivity and competition ability of alfalfa and the invasion of weeds into the stand. Decreasing cutting frequency to 2–3 harvest times per season and performing the final cut in the second half of September or in early October allowed us to successfully depress the weeds in the alfalfa stands under Estonian pedoclimatic conditions. It is especially important to avoid more intensive management when extremely rainy and cool, or opposite droughty, weather conditions (total precipitation from May to September below the equivalent of 200 mm) dominate during vegetation period.

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