UDC 630.181
In the arid zone of southern Russia, where natural hayfields are highly dependent on weather conditions, alfalfa is a stable and sustainable alternative. This study examines the impact of agrometeorological factors on the formation of alfalfa yields, which helps optimize its cultivation in the Volgograd region. This study was conducted at the experimental field of the Research Center for Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences from 2022 to 2024. The field experiment was conducted on light chestnut heavy loamy saline soils. The experiment, records, analyses, and statistical processing were conducted using the methodology of field and agrotechnical research with forage crops. The study revealed that soil moisture is the primary factor that determines the yield of alfalfa hay and seeds. It has been revealed that moisture plays an important role in the formation of yield during the period of maximum growth, in the phase of branching. This period lasts for three decades from the beginning of regrowth to the end of May; the correlation coefficient was r=0.72. In years with average moisture during the growing season, there are two maxima of linear growth and mass growth in the phase of branching and the phase of budding. Unfavorable meteorological conditions during the phase of budding reduce the growth rate and the final yield of hay. In the area under consideration, the average yield of alfalfa hay is 1.73 t/ha, with annual fluctuations ranging from 1.45 to 2.03 t/ha. The yield of alfalfa hay is less than 1.0 t/ha, and it occurs once every 10 years. In 5 out of 10 years, the yield is 1.0-2.0 t/ha, and in 3 out of 10 years, the yield is more than 2.0-3.0 t/ha.
alfalfa, arid conditions, sandy and heavy loamy soils, soil moisture, development phases, yield formation, and hay yield
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