Effects of seedbed preparation and potassium application on alfalfa yield

Abstract EN

A field experiment was conducted at the Demonstration farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Omdurman Islamic University during the period from December 2004 to May 2006 to evaluate the effects of three seedbed preparation (sowing on flat, on ridges and on mustaba), and two levels of potassium fertilizer (0 and 50kg ha-1), using two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars, Hegazi (a local cultivar) and Alfanafa (an exotic cultivar).

A Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications in a factorial experiment was used to layout the experiment in the field.

The first cut was done 70 days after sowing and the subsequent ones were done monthly.

Parameters measured include plant height, fresh and dry weight and yield and yield components.

Seedbed types significantly increased fresh and dry yields.

And plant height in 3rd , 5th and 7th cuts.

Potassium application was significant effect on plant height in the 6th cut and on fresh weight in the 1st and 7th cut.

Addition of K has no significant effect in most cut.

However, it increase plant height, fresh and dry weight and seed yield of both cultivar.

Hegazi outscored for fresh yield, dry yield, while alfanafa gave significant effect on plant height and fresh weight in 2nd cut.

KEY WORDS: potassium, Seedbed, Alfalfa.