Trade‐off between nutritive value improvement and crop water use for an alfalfa–grass system

Madhav Dhakal; Charles P. West; Carlos Villalobos; Jhones O. Sarturi; Sanjit K. Deb

doi:10.1002/csc2.20159

journal article Open Access May 01, 2020

Trade‐off between nutritive value improvement and crop water use for an alfalfa–grass system

Madhav Dhakal

Crop Science Vol. 60 No. 3 pp. 1711-1723 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/csc2.20159

Abstract

AbstractAlfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) can enhance the supply of nutritious forage when interseeded into semiarid native grassland. Alfalfa is a high water‐using species; therefore, a possible trade‐off between soil water depletion and nutritive value merits study. We determined the effects of interseeding three alfalfa cultivars at two densities on crude protein (CP) and digestible organic matter (DOM) accumulations, the water footprint (WF, m3 evapotranspiration kg−1) of CP and DOM accumulation at two row spacings, and the marginal cost (MC) of such trade‐offs. Nutritive values and accumulation of CP and DOM for mixtures with alfalfa planted at 36‐ or 71‐cm row spacing did not differ in 2018 (P > .05), as both spacings reduced the WF over grass only (P < .0001). Alfalfa presence reduced the WF (P < .001) with respect to CP and DOM accumulation from 20.17 and 3.07 m3 kg−1 in the grass‐only control to 10.14 and 2.22 m3 kg−1 in alfalfa–grass mixtures, respectively. Interseeding alfalfa in wide rows had 23 and 26% less MC of revenue increment than interseeding in narrow rows, relative to grass only in Years 2 and 3, respectively (P < .01). Hay‐type cultivars NuMex Bill Melton and WL 440HQ enhanced the forage mixture nutritive value more than the grazing‐type Falcata–Rhizoma blend, mainly driven by greater alfalfa growth. Interseeding alfalfa into native grasses in wide rows can increase the efficiency of water use (lower WF) by enhancing forage nutritive value at low MC, thereby inducing a minimal trade‐off in soil water consumption.

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Details

Published: May 01, 2020
Vol/Issue: 60(3)
Pages: 1711-1723
License: View

Authors

M

Madhav Dhakal

Plant Soil Science Dep. Texas Tech Univ. Box 42122 Lubbock TX 79409 USA; Current address, Sustainable Water Management Research Unit USDA‐ARS 4006 Old Leland Rd. Leland MS 38776 USA

C

Charles P. West

Plant Soil Science Dep. Texas Tech Univ. Box 42122 Lubbock TX 79409 USA

C

Carlos Villalobos

Natural Resources Management Dep. Texas Tech Univ. Box 42125 Lubbock TX 79409 USA

J

Jhones O. Sarturi

Animal Food Science Dep. Texas Tech Univ. Box 42141 Lubbock TX 79409 USA

S

Sanjit K. Deb

Plant Soil Science Dep. Texas Tech Univ. Box 42122 Lubbock TX 79409 USA

Funding

CH Foundation

Cite This Article

Madhav Dhakal, Charles P. West, Carlos Villalobos, et al. (2020). Trade‐off between nutritive value improvement and crop water use for an alfalfa–grass system. Crop Science, 60(3), 1711-1723. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20159

Trade‐off between nutritive value improvement and crop water use for an alfalfa–grass system

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