Abstract

DEMIN, Pablo Enrique  and  AGUILERA, Juan José. Effect of irrigation on the yield of alfalfa for hay in Valle Central of Catamarca, Argentina. Rev. Fac. Cienc. Agrar., Univ. Nac. Cuyo [online]. 2012, vol.44, n.1, pp.173-181. ISSN 1853-8665.

In the province of Catamarca there is a large area planted with alfalfa. Lack of knowledge of crop water requirements in this area constitutes a serious problem. An irrigation experiment was conducted in randomized blocks in Valle Central with four treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted in replenishing soil moisture content at different thresholds: 75, 50, 25 and 0% of the total soil water storage capacity. Dry-matter production per treatment was evaluated in seven cuttings. Results showed that when irrigating with a 75 and a 50% threshold, similar dry-matter yields were obtained equivalent to 25,674.4 kg ms.ha-1 and 24,215.4 kg ms.ha-1, respectively. Significant differences were found (p < 0.0001) between the means of these treatments and the other two treatments. An irrigation threshold of 25% yielded less than16,366.7 kg.ha-1 and an irrigation threshold of 0% yielded less than 9,970.9 kg.ha-1. It can be concluded that alfalfa production is significantly reduced when irrigation intervals are very long.

Keywords : Alfalfa; Dry matter; Yield; Irrigation.

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