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Optimizing the nutritional quality and phosphorus use efficiency of alfalfa under drip irrigation with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization
Author(s) -
Zhang Qianbing,
Liu Junying,
Liu Xuanshuai,
Sun Yanliang,
Li Shengyi,
Lu Weihua,
Ma Chunhui
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.1002/agj2.20267
Subject(s) - phosphorus , human fertilization , zoology , medicago sativa , agronomy , irrigation , field experiment , nitrogen , drip irrigation , nutrient , chemistry , biology , organic chemistry
Appropriate fertilization is an important management practice for optimizing the nutritional quality and increasing the phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of field‐grown alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.). A 2‐yr field experiment in 2017 and 2018 in Xinjiang, China, involving fertilization with different amounts of N (0, 105, and 210 kg ha −1 , referred to as N 0 , N 1 , and N 2 , respectively) and P (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha −1 , referred to as P 0 , P 1 , P 2 , and P 3 , respectively) was established and resulted in the production of high‐quality alfalfa under drip irrigation. The crude protein (CP) content in the N 1 treatment was greater than that in the N 2 treatment under the P 0 , P 2 , and P 3 treatments. Compared with that in the N 1 P 0 and N 2 P 3 treatments, the relative feed value (RFV) in the N 1 P 2 treatment increased by 9−21% and 8−18%, respectively. The annual total CP yield in the N 1 P 2 treatment was the greatest. Compared with that in the N 1 P 3 treatment, the total PUE in the N 1 P 2 treatment increased by 76.69−99.69%. At each clipping, the CP yield and PUE of alfalfa were significantly different between the N and P treatments. Therefore, we conclude that when N was applied at 105 kg ha −1 and P was applied at 100 kg ha −1 , alfalfa presented the greatest nutritional quality and PUE under drip irrigation.