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Delayed Sowing Dates Affected Alfalfa Overwintering Survival Rates by Reducing Soil Temperature Stress

Received: 27 July 2021    Accepted: 26 August 2021    Published: 31 August 2021
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Abstract

This study explored the effect of sowing time on alfalfa overwintering and its mechanisms. Gongnong No. 1 alfalfa was sown on July 1, July 16, August 1 and August 15, 2017, and was not cut at the end of autumn. The soil temperature changes in the 10 and 20 cm soil layers were monitored during the overwintering period, and bare land was monitored as a control. The growth characteristics of alfalfa were observed at the end of autumn, and the overwintering survival rate was measured at the end of April 2018. Research shows that as the sowing delay increased, the alfalfa hay yield, plant height, root collar diameter and overwintering survival rate decreased gradually. The minimum temperature of the 10 and 20 cm soil layers decreased as the sowing delay increased, and the diurnal temperature difference increased. Compared with that of alfalfa sown on August 15, the aboveground biomass of alfalfa sown on July 1 increased the average minimum temperature difference in the 10 and 20 cm soil layers by 3.12°C and 2.99°C, respectively, and reduce the average diurnal temperature difference by 3.33°C and 2.15°C. These results indicated that delaying alfalfa sowing reduces the cover on the field, which results in substantial differences in the minimum temperature and the diurnal temperature difference between the 10 and 20 cm soil layers. Our research has suggested that the minimum temperatures of the 10 and 20 cm soil layers and the increase in the diurnal temperature difference are important reasons for low overwintering survival rates in alfalfa. Therefore, sowing should occur in early July, and mowing should not be performed at the end of autumn in northern China.

Published in Journal of Plant Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22
Page(s) 214-223
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Alfalfa, Overwintering Rate, Soil Temperature, Sowing Time

References
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    Ai-Min Zhu, Qing-Xin Zhang, Xiao-Yan Du, Xian-Guo Wang, Yu-Xia Zhang, et al. (2021). Delayed Sowing Dates Affected Alfalfa Overwintering Survival Rates by Reducing Soil Temperature Stress. Journal of Plant Sciences, 9(4), 214-223. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22

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    ACS Style

    Ai-Min Zhu; Qing-Xin Zhang; Xiao-Yan Du; Xian-Guo Wang; Yu-Xia Zhang, et al. Delayed Sowing Dates Affected Alfalfa Overwintering Survival Rates by Reducing Soil Temperature Stress. J. Plant Sci. 2021, 9(4), 214-223. doi: 10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22

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    AMA Style

    Ai-Min Zhu, Qing-Xin Zhang, Xiao-Yan Du, Xian-Guo Wang, Yu-Xia Zhang, et al. Delayed Sowing Dates Affected Alfalfa Overwintering Survival Rates by Reducing Soil Temperature Stress. J Plant Sci. 2021;9(4):214-223. doi: 10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22,
      author = {Ai-Min Zhu and Qing-Xin Zhang and Xiao-Yan Du and Xian-Guo Wang and Yu-Xia Zhang and Guo-Dong Han and Bai-Ming Cong and Yong-Lei Tian},
      title = {Delayed Sowing Dates Affected Alfalfa Overwintering Survival Rates by Reducing Soil Temperature Stress},
      journal = {Journal of Plant Sciences},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {214-223},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jps.20210904.22},
      abstract = {This study explored the effect of sowing time on alfalfa overwintering and its mechanisms. Gongnong No. 1 alfalfa was sown on July 1, July 16, August 1 and August 15, 2017, and was not cut at the end of autumn. The soil temperature changes in the 10 and 20 cm soil layers were monitored during the overwintering period, and bare land was monitored as a control. The growth characteristics of alfalfa were observed at the end of autumn, and the overwintering survival rate was measured at the end of April 2018. Research shows that as the sowing delay increased, the alfalfa hay yield, plant height, root collar diameter and overwintering survival rate decreased gradually. The minimum temperature of the 10 and 20 cm soil layers decreased as the sowing delay increased, and the diurnal temperature difference increased. Compared with that of alfalfa sown on August 15, the aboveground biomass of alfalfa sown on July 1 increased the average minimum temperature difference in the 10 and 20 cm soil layers by 3.12°C and 2.99°C, respectively, and reduce the average diurnal temperature difference by 3.33°C and 2.15°C. These results indicated that delaying alfalfa sowing reduces the cover on the field, which results in substantial differences in the minimum temperature and the diurnal temperature difference between the 10 and 20 cm soil layers. Our research has suggested that the minimum temperatures of the 10 and 20 cm soil layers and the increase in the diurnal temperature difference are important reasons for low overwintering survival rates in alfalfa. Therefore, sowing should occur in early July, and mowing should not be performed at the end of autumn in northern China.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Delayed Sowing Dates Affected Alfalfa Overwintering Survival Rates by Reducing Soil Temperature Stress
    AU  - Ai-Min Zhu
    AU  - Qing-Xin Zhang
    AU  - Xiao-Yan Du
    AU  - Xian-Guo Wang
    AU  - Yu-Xia Zhang
    AU  - Guo-Dong Han
    AU  - Bai-Ming Cong
    AU  - Yong-Lei Tian
    Y1  - 2021/08/31
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22
    T2  - Journal of Plant Sciences
    JF  - Journal of Plant Sciences
    JO  - Journal of Plant Sciences
    SP  - 214
    EP  - 223
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2331-0731
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210904.22
    AB  - This study explored the effect of sowing time on alfalfa overwintering and its mechanisms. Gongnong No. 1 alfalfa was sown on July 1, July 16, August 1 and August 15, 2017, and was not cut at the end of autumn. The soil temperature changes in the 10 and 20 cm soil layers were monitored during the overwintering period, and bare land was monitored as a control. The growth characteristics of alfalfa were observed at the end of autumn, and the overwintering survival rate was measured at the end of April 2018. Research shows that as the sowing delay increased, the alfalfa hay yield, plant height, root collar diameter and overwintering survival rate decreased gradually. The minimum temperature of the 10 and 20 cm soil layers decreased as the sowing delay increased, and the diurnal temperature difference increased. Compared with that of alfalfa sown on August 15, the aboveground biomass of alfalfa sown on July 1 increased the average minimum temperature difference in the 10 and 20 cm soil layers by 3.12°C and 2.99°C, respectively, and reduce the average diurnal temperature difference by 3.33°C and 2.15°C. These results indicated that delaying alfalfa sowing reduces the cover on the field, which results in substantial differences in the minimum temperature and the diurnal temperature difference between the 10 and 20 cm soil layers. Our research has suggested that the minimum temperatures of the 10 and 20 cm soil layers and the increase in the diurnal temperature difference are important reasons for low overwintering survival rates in alfalfa. Therefore, sowing should occur in early July, and mowing should not be performed at the end of autumn in northern China.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Agricultural College, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, Tongliao, China

  • Agricultural College, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, Tongliao, China

  • Agricultural College, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, Tongliao, China

  • College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

  • Agricultural College, Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities, Tongliao, China

  • College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China

  • Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed, Tongliao Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Tongliao, China

  • Grassland Research Institute, Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, China

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