1Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Kansas, Manhattan, United States.
2College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
3Department of Animal Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea.
4Institute of Animal Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea.
5University of Missouri Extension, Missouri, Columbia, United States.
*Corresponding Author: Byong Wan Kim, Department of Animal Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea. Email: bwkim@kangwon.ac.kr
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cutting interval on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) production and nutritive value in the central region of South Korea under rainfed conditions.
Alfalfa was sown using a drill seeding method at a rate of 20 kg ha-1 on March 18, 2020. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with three cutting interval treatments (28-, 36- and 48-day intervals). A regression model was developed to analyze both accumulated dry matter yield (DMY) and average crude protein (CP), as well as average relative feed value (RFV).
Accumulated DMY at 48- and 36-day intervals appeared higher than the 28-day interval (P<0.05). In terms of nutritive value, the 48-day interval resulted in significantly lower CP, compared to the other cutting intervals (P<0.05). RFV of 28- and 36-day intervals were significantly higher than the 48-day interval (P<0.05). The crossover of the linear regression model between accumulated DMY with average CP and average RFV indicated a cutting interval of 32-day, respectively. Taken together, the field study and regression results support a recommended cutting interval of around 36 days, which is about two weeks shorter than the conventional cutting interval under rainfed conditions in the central region of South Korea.
Alfalfa, Cutting interval, Dry matter yield, Nutritive value, Rainfed conditions
