Aalfalfa yield and chemical composition under different fertilization

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine changes in alfalfa yield and content of biophilic and toxic elements under the influence of various fertilizers in the southern zone of the Amur region.

Location and time of the study. The experimental part of the study was carried out in the Educational and Experimental Farm of the Far Eastern State Agrarian University (Gribskoye village), Amur Region, in 2005-2006.

Methods. Microplot field experiments were carried out, plant and soil samples collected and soil physicochemical properties determined using universally accepted methods, the elemental chemical composition of soil and plant samples was determined by atomic adsorption. Variation statistics was used to process the data obtained.

Results. The yield of alfalfa in different treatments increased control<mineral fertilizers<peat-humic fertilizers, and was about the same in the first and second years of the experiment. Alfalfa was found to most actively accumulate zinc and boron, and the more so under peat-humic fertilizers. The zinc content in alfalfa in all cases exceeded the regulated reference values. Mineral fertilization resulted in the increase in molybdenum content to the values exceeding the permissible level. The cadmium and selenium concentration in plants was minimal, with no statistically significant differences between the treatments; the maximal permissible level for cadmium was not exceeded.

Conclusions. Peat-humic fertilizers led to a greater increase in green phytomass as compared with mineral fertilizers. Alfalfa actively accumulated zinc and boron, and the content of potentially toxic elements (cadmium and lead) did not exceed the maximum permissible values. Revealing production peculiarities and chemical composition of alfalfa, and specifically biophilic and toxic chemical elements under fertilization, is very important for the development of technologies to improve the quantity and quality of the fodder production in the Amur region.