The effects of deficit irrigations on hay yield and quality of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) irrigated with the subsurface drip irrigation method

This study was conducted to determine the effects of deficit irrigations on hay yield and quality of alfalfa at Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Education, Research and Application Farm in 2017-2018. In this research, five different water levels (I100, I75, I50, I25, I0) were applied to Bilensoy alfalfa cultivar. This study is carried out within the scope of TUBITAK-TOVAG project 215O329. In this project which started on 01.05.2016, field studies are continuing. This study was carried out according to a randomized complete block experiment design with split plot design three replicates. Cuttings in main plots and deficit irrigations in sub-plots were randomly distributed. Hay yield, crude protein content, ADF, NDF ratios, total digestible nutrient (TDN), relative feed value (RFV), phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium contents were determined in this research. According to the analysis of variance, the effect of both deficit irrigation application and cuttings on all investigated features was statistically significant at 1% level. According to the results of the study, as the amount of water applied increased, hay yield, ADF, NDF, phosphorus, potassium ratios increased, crude protein content, total digestible nutrients, relative feed value, calcium and magnesium ratios decreased. With progressed cuttings, hay yield, ADF and NDF ratios decreased while crude protein ratio, total digestible nutrients, relative feed value increased.