Abstract
The existing recommendation to avoid harvesting alfalfa during a critical fall rest period, based on calendar dates, is under review in Canada and adjacent areas of the United States. The effect on yield and persistence of four fall cutting management treatments (based on cumulative growing degree-days between harvests) was investigated for two cultivars of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. 'Apica' and 'Oneida VR') at five sites in Atlantic Canada. The average seasonal DM yield for the five sites in the first production year was 1.6 to 2.3 t ha −1 greater with an additional harvest as compared with the two-harvest system (Truro, Nappan, Fredericton, and Charlottetown) and the one-harvest system in St. John's. Seasonal DM yield benefits were reduced over time; by the third production year, there was no increase in seasonal DM yield with an additional harvest. The seasonal DM yield increased with increasing the interval between the final harvest and the previous one. Taking an additional harvest resulted in higher winter plant mortality between the first and second production years in Truro and Nappan, and the third and fourth production years in St. John's. At the other two sites (Charlottetown and Fredericton), and for the first three production years in St. John's, winter plant mortality was unchanged with an additional harvest but regrowth potential in the following year was reduced. At the two sites that experienced a severe winter (Nappan and Truro), the cultivar Oneida VR was more adversely affected by the additional harvest than Apica. Our results indicate that in Atlantic Canada, taking an additional harvest increases the risk of winterkill. If an additional harvest is to be taken, increasing the interval between the final harvest and the previous one to at least 500 growing degree-days will decrease the risk of winterkill and might have a positive effect on next year's regrowth. Key words: Medicago sativa L., alfalfa, yield, persistence, harvest management, cultivar
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
An additional harvest increased first-year seasonal DM yield by 1.6 to 2.3 t ha −1.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- seasonal DM yielde0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 1.6 to 2.3 t ha −1e0
- Comparator
- two-harvest systeme0
- Setting
- Truro, Nappan, Fredericton, and Charlottetowne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The average seasonal DM yield for the five sites in the first production year was 1.6 to 2.3 t ha −1 greater with an additional harvest as compared with the two-harvest system (Truro, Nappan, Fredericton, and Charlottetown) and the one-harvest system in St. John's.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The yield benefit of an additional harvest declined over time, with no increase by the third production year.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- seasonal DM yielde0
- Direction
- no increasee0
- Qualifier
- third production yeare0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Seasonal DM yield benefits were reduced over time; by the third production year, there was no increase in seasonal DM yield with an additional harvest.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Seasonal DM yield increased as the interval between final and previous harvest increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- interval between the final harvest and the previous onee0
- Outcome
- seasonal DM yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The seasonal DM yield increased with increasing the interval between the final harvest and the previous one.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
An additional harvest increased winter plant mortality at Truro and Nappan between years one and two.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- winter plant mortalitye0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- between the first and second production yearse0
- Setting
- Truro and Nappane0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Taking an additional harvest resulted in higher winter plant mortality between the first and second production years in Truro and Nappan, and the third and fourth production years in St. John's.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
An additional harvest increased winter plant mortality at St. John's between years three and four.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- winter plant mortalitye0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- third and fourth production yearse0
- Setting
- St. John'se0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Taking an additional harvest resulted in higher winter plant mortality between the first and second production years in Truro and Nappan, and the third and fourth production years in St. John's.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
An additional harvest did not change winter mortality at Charlottetown and Fredericton or during the first three years at St. John's.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- winter plant mortalitye0
- Direction
- unchangede0
- Setting
- Charlottetown and Frederictone0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At the other two sites (Charlottetown and Fredericton), and for the first three production years in St. John's, winter plant mortality was unchanged with an additional harvest but regrowth potential in the following year was reduced.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
An additional harvest reduced next-year regrowth potential at Charlottetown and Fredericton and in the first three years at St. John's.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- regrowth potential in the following yeare0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Setting
- Charlottetown and Frederictone0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At the other two sites (Charlottetown and Fredericton), and for the first three production years in St. John's, winter plant mortality was unchanged with an additional harvest but regrowth potential in the following year was reduced.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Oneida VR was more adversely affected by an additional harvest than Apica at Nappan and Truro after a severe winter.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Material
- Oneida VRe0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- more adversely affectede0
- Direction
- more adversely affectede0
- Comparator
- Apicae0
- Setting
- Nappan and Truroe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At the two sites that experienced a severe winter (Nappan and Truro), the cultivar Oneida VR was more adversely affected by the additional harvest than Apica.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
An additional harvest increased the risk of winterkill in Atlantic Canada.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- additional harveste0
- Outcome
- risk of winterkille0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Setting
- Atlantic Canadae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Our results indicate that in Atlantic Canada, taking an additional harvest increases the risk of winterkill.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
If taking an additional harvest, the authors recommend an interval of at least 500 growing degree-days to reduce winterkill risk.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- increasing the interval between the final harvest and the previous one to at least 500 growing degree-dayse0
- Value
- 500 growing degree-dayse0
- Qualifier
- decrease the risk of winterkille0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“If an additional harvest is to be taken, increasing the interval between the final harvest and the previous one to at least 500 growing degree-days will decrease the risk of winterkill and might have a positive effect on next year's regrowth.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest that an interval of at least 500 growing degree-days might improve next-year regrowth.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- positive effect on next year's regrowthe0
- Value
- 500 growing degree-dayse0
- Qualifier
- mighte0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“If an additional harvest is to be taken, increasing the interval between the final harvest and the previous one to at least 500 growing degree-days will decrease the risk of winterkill and might have a positive effect on next year's regrowth.”
t0“alfalfa”