Chemical composition dynamics of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) at different plant growth stages

摘要

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a valuable forage species because of its high yield and nutritional value. The production and quality are influenced by the management, soil and pedoclimatic conditions. An essential factor of alfalfa forage quality isthe plant growth stage at harvesting. Research was conducted in the forest steppe of NE Romania (47°05'-47°10' N and 27°28'-27033' E). We recorded the influence of fertilization and plant growth stage at harvest on production of dry matter (DM) per hectare, the leaves/stems ratio and on components of feed quality. The results showed that fertilization influenced positively the DM production, with variations of the leaves/stems ratio, whereas the plant growth stage at harvest influenced the feed chemical composition.