EFFECT OF ROW SPACING AND SOWING RATE ON SEED YIELD OF ALFALFA (Medicago sativa L.) UNDER MEDITERRANEAN CONDITIONS

Abstract

The effects of row spacing (25, 50, 75 and 100 cm) and sowing rate (4, 8 and 12 kg ha-1 ) on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seed yield and its components were investigated under Mediterranean conditions throughout the years of 2008-2011. In the study cultivar Nimet was used and it was evaluated for number of pods per raceme, number of seeds per pod, biomass yield, harvest index, thousand seed weight and seed yield. The results of the study indicated that row spacing and sowing rate significantly affected biomass yield and harvest index but no significant differences were found in pod number and thousand seed weight. Seed yield was significantly affected by sowing rate. The highest and the lowest seed yield were recorded in the first and third years of the experiment, respectively. The highest seed yield averaged over three years was obtained from 25 cm row spacing with 4 kg ha-1 seed rate while the lowest one was obtained from 75 cm row spacing with combining 4 kg ha-1 seed rate. Results of this study suggest that among the various row spacing and seeding rates, narrower row spacings (25 cm or 50 cm) with the lowest seeding rate (4 kg ha-1 ) were found to be better treatments for alfalfa seed production under Cukurova ecological conditions.

Keywords

• Alfalfa,row spacing,sowing rates,seed yield components

References

1. Abadouz, G., A., H. Gorttapeh, A. A. Rahnema and A. Behradfar. 2010. Effect of row spacing and seeding rate on yield component and seed yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 2 (1), 74-80.
2. Anonymous, 2009. Meteorological data for Adana.http://www.wunderground.com.
3. Anonymous, 2010. Meteorological data for Adana.http://www.wunderground.com.
4. Anonymous, 2011. Meteorological data for Adana.http://www.wunderground.com.
5. Abu Shakra, S., M. Akhar and D.W. Bray. (1969). Infulence of irrigation interval and plant density on alfalfa seed production. Agronomy Journal. 61:562-571.
6. Askarian, M. 1993. Seed Production Studies in Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cv. Grassland Oranga. PhD Thesis Massey Univ. New Zeland.
7. Askarian, M., J.G. Hampton and M.J.Hill. 1995. Effect of row spacing and sowing rate on seed production of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cv. Grassland Oranga. New Zeland J.of Agrc. Research. 38:289-295.
8. Avci, M., S. Kizil., S. Cinar., R. Hatipoglu., C.Yucel, I. Inal, H. Yucel, R. Gultekin and A. Aktas. 2007. A study on the effects of row spacing on seed yield of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under Cukurova conditions. VII. National Field Crops Congress. Erzurum, Turkey. p.75-78.

9. Avci, M., S.Cinar., C.Yucel., and I. Inal. 2010a. Evaluation of some selected alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) lines for herbage yield and forage quality. Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment Vol. 8, Issue 3&4, pages 545-449.
10. Avci, M., R. Hatipoglu, H. Yucel, R. Gultekin. 2010b. Effect of Pollinator bees on pod and seed setting of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) clones. The Journal of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Univ. of Kafkas. 16 (Supp B):S305-311.
11. Bolanos-Aguilar,E.D., C., Huyghe, C., Ecalle, J.,Hacqet, and B., Julier. 2002. Effect of Cultivar and Environment on Seed Yield in Alfalfa. Crop Sci.42:45-50.
12. Cinar, S., and R. Hatipoglu. 2015. Quality characteristics of the mixtures of some warm season perennial grasses with Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under irrigated conditions of Cukurova. Turkish Journal of Field Crops 20(1) 31-37.
13. Dordas, C. 2006. Foliar Boron Application Improves Seed Set, Seed Yield and Seed Quality of Alfalfa. Agronomy Journal 98:907-913.
14. Gender, T., E. Deleens and A. Fleury. 1997. Infulence of photosynthetic restiriction due to defoliation at fowering on seed abortion in lucerne (Medicago sativa L). J.Exp. Bot. 48:1815-1823.
15. Kowithayakorn, L., and M.J.Hill. 1982. A study of seed production of Lucerne under different plant spacing and cutting treatments in the sowing year. Seed Sci.Technology 10:3-12.
16. Iannucci, A., N. Di Fonzo, P. Martiniello. 2002. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seed yield and quality under different forage management systems and irrigation treatments in a Mediterranean environment. Field Crops Research 78: 65– 74.
17. Lorenzetti F. 1993. Achieving potential herbage seed yield in species of temperate regions. In: Proceedings of the XVII International Grassland Congress, 15-16 February, Lincoln, New Zealand, pp: 1621-1628.
18. Mermer, A. and Y. Serin. 2007. The effects of seeding rates and row distances on seed production of an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) variety (Bilensoy). VII. National Field Crops Congress. Erzurum, Turkey. p.281-284.
19. Rashidi ,M., B. Zand, and M. Gholami. 2009. International J. of Agriculture & Biology.,11:779-782.
20. Rincker, C.M., V.L. Marble., D.E. Brown and C.A. Johansen. 1988. Seed Production Practices. In Hanson, A. A. et al. (eds). Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Agron., ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison 32:985-1021.
21. Rosellini F., E. Lorenzetti, T. Bingham. 1998. Quantitative ovule sterility in Medicago sativa Theor. Appl. Genet. (1998) 97: 1289-1295
22. Sheaffer, C. C., G.D. Lacefield., and V.L. Marble. 1988. Cutting Schedules and Stands In Hanson, A. A. et al. (eds). Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Agron., ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison 29:411-437.
23. Steel, R.G.D. and J.H.Torrie. 1960. Principles and Procedures of Statistics With Special Reference to the Biological Sciences. Mc Graw-Hill Book Co., Inc., London.
24. Wang X.J., X.Li., J. Zhang., G. Feng., S. Zhang., L.Huang., R.J.Zhuo. 2011. Characterization of nine alfalfa varieties for differences in ovule numbers and ovule sterility. Australian Journal of Crop Science AJCS 5(4):447-452.
25. Zhang, T., X.Wang., J. Han., Y.Wang., P. Mao., and M. Majerus. 2008. Effects of Between-Row and Within-Row Spacing on Alfalfa Seed Yields. Crop Science, Vol. 48:794- 803.