The yield and feed capacity of alfalfa varieties in the conditions of the West Kazakhstan region

The purpose of the research is to conduct the comparative assessment of variable alfalfa varieties and to identify the most productive and adapted varieties to the conditions of the region with a view to their further zoning. The results of research on the study of alfalfa varieties – Karabalykskaya 18, Rambler, Ural’skaya sinyaya, Semirechenskaya mestnaya, Krasnovodopadskaya 8 are presented in this article. Data of the seed germination and plant preservation by years of life, yield and forage capacity of crops are given. Methods: field and calculation (to determine the feed capacity). Results. In the 2011 crops, according to the field germination, the variety of Karabalykskaya 18 (45.8 %) and Semirechenskaya mestnaya (42.8 %) were distinguished. According to 4-year data, the highest percentage of preservation in the variety of Karabalykskaya 18 (14.2 %) and Ural’skaya sinyaya (13.9 %). And the smallest number of preserved plants was noted in the alfalfa variety of Krasnovodopadskaya 8, it is amounted to 10.4 %. The crops produced more mass shoots in next year, due to somewhat high rates of spring precipitation and air temperature. And in terms of the percentage of preservation, the 2012 crops surpassed the previous ones. Thus, in the variety of Karabalykskaya 18 and Rambler, this indicator was equal to 15.1 % and 13.7 %, and in the zoned variety Ural’skaya sinyaya, 15.7 % of the herbage was preserved. The data of green mass yield determination and hay shows that three of the four varieties evaluated were exceed to the standard variety from 1.6 to 8.5 per 1 ha for the collection of green mass and from 0.2 to 2.4 c/ha for the hay harvest. In terms of feed capacity, the highest indicators are in the Karabalykskaya variety 18, and the lowest – in Krasnovodopadskaya 8. So, at the 5th year of life (sowing 2011), 48 cattles can be fed on 10 ha of crops of the first variety for a month, and the second – 41. On the grass stands of the zoned Ural’skaya sinyaya variety, the content of 43 cattles are permissible.

SEED PRODUCTIVITY OF ALFALFA IN NON-CHERNOZEM REGION

The results of selection studies conducted at the Central Experimental Base of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production and Agroecology in the Non-Chernozem Zone of the Russian Federation are presented. Brief data on promising samples and hybrids of alfalfa created in the department of alfalfa breeding for seed productivity are presented. For a long time, alfalfa breeding was mainly in the direction of obtaining new varieties with high yields of fodder mass and little attention was paid to seed yields, which led to the creation of good varieties for collecting green mass and medium or even poor seed productivity. Therefore, the creation of varieties with high feed and seed productivity is the primary task of alfalfa breeding. For this purpose, the main methods of selection are used — polycross, interspecific and intervariety hybridization and selection. In the obtained populations, a careful selection for early ripeness, pollen fertility, plant flowering friendliness is carried out, the power of hybrids, their foliage and other useful indicators are taken into account. By the nature of flowering and pollination, alfalfa refers to cross-pollinating plants. For agricultural production, it is necessary to have alfalfa varieties not only with high, but also stable seed productivity, which does not depend on the conditions of the growing environment and the presence of pollinators.

Physiological and Proteomic Responses of Contrasting Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Varieties to High Temperature Stress

High temperature (HT) is an important factor for limiting global plant distribution and agricultural production. As the global temperature continues to rise, it is essential to clarify the physiological and molecular mechanisms of alfalfa responding the high temperature, which will contribute to the improvement of heat resistance in leguminous crops. In this study, the physiological and proteomic responses of two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) varieties contrasting in heat tolerance, MS30 (heat-tolerant) and MS37 (heat-sensitive), were comparatively analyzed under the treatments of continuously rising temperatures for 42 days. The results showed that under the HT stress, the chlorophyll content and the chlorophyll fluorescence parameter (Fv/Fm) of alfalfa were significant reduced and some key photosynthesis-related proteins showed a down-regulated trend. Moreover, the content of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and the electrolyte leakage (EL) of alfalfa showed an upward trend, which indicates both alfalfa varieties were damaged under HT stress. However, because the antioxidation-reduction and osmotic adjustment ability of MS30 were significantly stronger than MS37, the damage degree of the photosynthetic system and membrane system of MS30 is significantly lower than that of MS37. On this basis, the global proteomics analysis was undertaken by tandem mass tags (TMT) technique, a total of 6,704 proteins were identified and quantified. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that a series of key pathways including photosynthesis, metabolism, adjustment and repair were affected by HT stress. Through analyzing Venn diagrams of two alfalfa varieties, 160 and 213 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) that had dynamic changes under HT stress were identified from MS30 and MS37, respectively. Among these DEPs, we screened out some key DEPs, such as ATP-dependent zinc metalloprotease FTSH protein, vitamin K epoxide reductase family protein, ClpB3, etc., which plays important functions in response to HT stress. In conclusion, the stronger heat-tolerance of MS30 was attributed to its higher adjustment and repair ability, which could cause the metabolic process of MS30 is more conducive to maintaining its survival and growth than MS37, especially at the later period of HT stress. This study provides a useful catalog of the Medicago sativa L. proteomes with the insight into its future genetic improvement of heat-resistance.

ALFALFA – HIGH-PROTEIN FORAGE CROP

The results of selection studies conducted at the Central Experimental Base of the V.R. Williams in the Non-Chernozem Zone of the Russian Federation are presented. Brief data on promising varieties of alfalfa created in the department of alfalfa breeding for the yield of green and dry mass, crude protein and other indicators are presented. Alfalfa varieties of a new generation adapted to local soil and climatic conditions have been created. Alfalfa is one of the best legume grasses for the preparation of high-protein feed. Alfalfa is a culture that is characterized by ecological plasticity, longevity, capable in many regions of Russia to solve the problem of eliminating the deficiency of vegetable protein in the diets of farm animals. It can be used as a legume component of grass mixtures on pastures and hayfields of the Non-Chernozem zone of Russia. The level of productivity and sustainability of fodder agrophytocenoses is determined by the competitiveness of species and varieties. Alfalfa varieties have a low competitive ability, do not withstand three or four times mowing, quickly fall out of the grass stand. It is known that the use of mineral nitrogen in meadow and field feed production is limited due to high energy costs in the production of nitrogen fertilizers. Therefore, the need for nitrogen in meadows and pastures should be met by legume-cereal grass mixtures, for which it is necessary to create new varieties of legumes, in particular alfalfa variable or hybrid.

Establishment and First Year Yield of Interseeded Alfalfa as Influenced by Corn Plant Density and Treatment with Prohexadione, Fungicide and Insecticide

Interseeding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) into a silage corn (Zea mays L.) companion crop can increase the yield and profitability of forage production and reduce the risk of nutrient and soil loss from cropland, but unreliable establishment of alfalfa hampers the adoption of this practice on dairy farms. This study evaluated plant survival, foliar health, and dry matter yields of two alfalfa varieties when established in corn sown at populations ranging from about 47,500 to 100,000 plants per ha−1 and when treated with prohexadione (PHD), PHD followed by fungicide and insecticide (PHD-FI), or not treated with agrichemicals. The plant density of alfalfa during establishment was adversely impacted by above average precipitation and high corn populations, but substantially improved by PHD-FI treatment, which limited alfalfa etiolation, disease, and defoliation. First-cut dry-matter yields of interseeded alfalfa after corn were maximized at a stand density of approximately 200 plants m−2 or 850 stems m−2 and total first year yield exceeded conventionally spring-seeded alfalfa by 59 to 75%. Overall, our results indicated that PHD-FI treatment promoted good establishment and subsequent forage production of interseeded alfalfa. Applications of PHD-FI must, however, be fine-tuned, and additional management practices must be developed to ensure both good yields of corn silage and reliable establishment of interseeded alfalfa, especially during wet growing conditions.

Issues and prospects of alfalfa cultivation in the Far East

Многолетними исследованиями с люцерной (1997–2020 годы) показано, что в перспективе эта культура может занять достойное место среди кормовых культур, возделываемых в хозяйствах Дальнего Востока. В связи с приоритетным развитием животноводства актуально внедрение люцерны в научно обоснованные кормовые севообороты, что стабилизирует посевные площади кормовых культур, покроет дефицит белка, снизит себестоимость животноводческой продукции. Люцерна — универсальная культура, имеющая огромное значение в системе устойчивого сельского хозяйства, в решении проблемы производства энергонасыщенных высокобелковых кормов и восстановления почвенного плодородия Дальневосточного региона. Агромелиоративная роль люцерны заключается в обогащении почвы питательными веществами, увеличении количества ценных водопрочных агрегатов, увеличении коэффициента структурности почвы. Это обеспечивается хорошо развитой подземной массой, способствующей снижению водной и ветровой эрозии. Для обеспечения высокой продуктивности люцерны в условиях Приморского края наряду с агроприёмами большое значение имеют правильно подобранные участки и организованная система использования травостоев в строгом соответствии с биологией культуры. Современные сорта люцерны более продуктивны, зимостойки, менее требовательны к термическим и эдафическим факторам окружающей среды, устойчивы к повышенной кислотности почвы, т.е. вполне реально подобрать сорта люцерны для почвенно-климатических условий Дальневосточного региона. При соблюдении технологических приёмов возделывания, таких как известкование, внесение минеральных и органических удобрений (птичьего помёта), инокуляция семян перед посевом, подбор травосмесей, оптимальный способ и срок посева и т.д., можно создать высокопродуктивный травостой длительного пользования, обеспечивающий сельскохозяйственных животных сбалансированными кормами отличного качества. Long-term experiments on alfalfa (1997–2020) have shown that it is a promising crop for the farms of the Far East. Due to the active development of animal husbandry, it is important to introduce alfalfa into optimized feed crop rotations. This will stabilize the stands of feed crops, cover the protein deficit, and reduce the cost of livestock products. Alfalfa is a universal crop for sustainable agriculture, producing energy-rich high-protein feed and restoring soil fertility in the Far East. Alfalfa is a meliorative crop: it enriches the soil with nutrients, increases the number of valuable water-resistant aggregates and the coefficient of soil structure. This is obtained by a well-developed underground mass, which helps to reduce water and wind erosion. To obtain high productivity of alfalfa in the Primorsk Territory, besides cultural practices, effective field and sward usage is of great importance. Modern alfalfa varieties are more productive and resistant to frost, soil stresses and increased soil acidity, i.e. it is possible to choose alfalfa varieties for the soil and climatic conditions of the Far East. Developing a long-term highly productive swards, providing farm animals with balanced feed of excellent quality, is directly dependent on cultural practices, such as liming, application of mineral and organic fertilizers (bird droppings), seeds inoculation, selection of grass mixtures, optimal method and time of sowing, etc.

Alfalfa breeding to increase productivity, disease resistance

The cultivation of alfalfa varieties that are relatively resistant to the effects of negative biotic and abiotic environmental factors sharply reduces crop losses and the cost of forage. Work on the study of productivity, disease susceptibility of alfalfa, longevity, as well as the creation of a promising source material has been carried out by us for more than 30 years under natural conditions and against an artificial background, in clean sowing and in a grass mixture, on acidic soils and at normal acidity. Long-term work made it possible to identify and create in this culture sources of resistance to fusarium, brown spot with increased productivity and use them in further breeding work.

Net Aerial Primary Productivity Models for Alfalfa Varieties (Medicago sativa L.) Derived from the Red Vegetation Index

The present study is aimed at quantifying and comparing the net aerial primary productivity (NAPP) of two alfalfa varieties (Medical sativa L.) by determining the Radiation Use Efficiency (Ɛ) for each variety, estimating the NAPP though the Red Vegetation Index and relating it to the quantified NAPP. Significant differences between the individual NAPP of each variety were not found: G969 = 1564 g dm m-2 and M901 = 1636 g dm m-2 (T = 0.92; p>0.05). The Ɛ of the G969 was 0.56 g Mj-1 while that of M901 was 0.58 g Mj-1. Significant direct relationships between the quantified NAPP and that calculated using the Red Vegetation Index were found. The models obtained were: NAPPG969 = 506.06x – 343.25 (R2 = 0.88; p<0.001) and NAPPM901 = 420.28x + 37.82 (R2 = 0.98; p<0.001). The Ɛ values of the alfalfa varieties under study, determined at local level, reduce uncertainty when generating predictive models of productivity. The NAPP of alfalfa varieties can be non-destructively predicted using the Red Vegetation Index obtained by a reflex RGB digital camera. Keywords: radiation use efficiency, digital camera, canopy reflectance, RGB indices

Co-infection by Soil-Borne Fungal Pathogens Alters Disease Responses Among Diverse Alfalfa Varieties

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. medicaginis (Fom) and Rhizoctonia solani (Rs) are the major soil-borne fungal pathogens that pose severe threats to commercial alfalfa production in China. However, the effects of Fom and Rs co-infection on alfalfa and whether co-infection alters disease resistance responses among diverse varieties remain unknown. A collection of 80 alfalfa varieties (Medicago sativa) originated from seven countries were used to study the effects of Fom and Rs co-infection on alfalfa and host resistance responses. The co-infection resulted in more severe disease and reductions in growth and biomass allocation across varieties in comparison with either single infection by Fom or Rs; in addition, root morphology was much more strongly altered by the co-infection. Principal component analysis based on all plant traits showed that varieties under the co-infection were related to the single infection by Rs, being separated from Fom, and hierarchical clustering found differential response patterns among varieties upon co-infection compared with either single infection, with most varieties being highly susceptible to the co-infection. Furthermore, varieties that were most resistant to either single infection were not effective to co-infection, and there was no individual variety with resistance to both pathogens singly and co-infected. This study reveals for the first time that the co-infection by Fom and Rs alters disease resistance responses among diverse alfalfa varieties and provides useful information for developing alfalfa varieties with resistance to the co-occurrence of different soil-borne pathogens.

Effects of Autotoxicity on Alfalfa (Medicago sativa): Seed Germination, Oxidative Damage and Lipid Peroxidation of Seedlings

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a highly valuable perennial forage legume that suffers from autotoxicity, which decreases plant resistance, reduces soil fertility, causes serious soil-borne diseases, and promotes ecological imbalance. We evaluated the effects of autotoxicity on the seed germination of 22 alfalfa varieties, and then elucidated the oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in two alfalfa varieties with contrasting autotoxicity tolerances. The technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method was used to rank the germination of the 22 alfalfa varieties when exposed to six autotoxic concentrations (0, 0.025, 0.075, 0.125, 0.175, and 0.225 g∙mL−1). We found WL656HQ and 3105C to be autotoxicity-tolerant and autotoxicity-sensitive varieties, respectively. The germination index mainly affects the comprehensive allelopathic index of WL656HQ and 3105C, which were the simple vigor index and radicle length according to the random forest model, respectively. 3105C eliminates reactive oxygen species (ROS) via antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants under T1 (0.025 g∙mL−1), but the oxidative stress system and the oxidative scavenging system cannot maintain the balance under T2 (0.125 g∙mL−1), causing oxidative bursts. In comparison, WL656HQ used its oxidative scavenging system (peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)) to maintain its redox dynamic balance by removing excess ROS at all concentrations. In conclusion, the positive and negative indicators of autotoxicity for the two varieties were ascorbate (ASA) and hydroxyl free radicals (OH•), and proline (Pro) and dehydroascrobate (DHA), respectively. The most sensitive autotoxic concentrations of 3105C and WL656HQ were T2 (0.125 g∙mL−1) and T1 (0.025 g∙mL−1), respectively.