Abstract
Alfalfa is crucial for dairy farms, but its potential production and persistence can be hindered by waterlogging, poorly drained soils, and high-water tables. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate herbage mas and quality of different forage species on poorly drained soils, and (b) to evaluate root biomass accumulation and their impacts on soil physical properties. The study was conducted in Santa Fe, Argentina, on an Aquic Argiudoll. Four treatments were established in March 2017: Alfalfa (control), Fescue, Annual (Ryegrass and Sorghum rotation regime), and Mixture (a mixture of Brome, Chicory, Red clover, and White clover). Aboveground herbage mass and nutritive quality were analyzed frequently, while roots and soil samples were collected after 2 years for further analysis. Root biomass was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Annual and Mixture pastures compared to Alfalfa and Fescue. Lower root biomass in Alfalfa was attributed to temporary waterlogging and low plant density. Fescue exhibited reduced root biomass due to higher bulk density and lower soil porosity. Soil bulk density was lowest in Mixture, and no significant differences in soil penetration resistance were found among treatments (p > 0.05). There are alternatives to alfalfa with high production and quality that ensure a good economic return to farmers. The choice of forages for its root biomass accumulation has effects on the physics of the soil that ultimately modify the water dynamics. These findings have implications for sustainable forage management strategies, particularly in areas prone to waterlogging and poorly drained soils.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by-nc-nd. 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 7
Claim · model-written summary
Annual pasture had significantly higher root biomass than alfalfa and fescue.
Verbatim
e0“Root biomass was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Annual and Mixture pastures compared to Alfalfa and Fescue”
e1“The study was conducted in Santa Fe, Argentina, on an Aquic Argiudoll.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixture pasture had significantly higher root biomass than alfalfa and fescue.
Verbatim
e0“Root biomass was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Annual and Mixture pastures compared to Alfalfa and Fescue”
Claim · model-written summary
Lower alfalfa root biomass was attributed to temporary waterlogging and low plant density.
- Taxon
- Alfalfa
Medicago sativae0 - Outcome
- Lower root biomasse0
- Qualifier
- temporary waterlogging and low plant densitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lower root biomass in Alfalfa was attributed to temporary waterlogging and low plant density”
Claim · model-written summary
Fescue reduced root biomass was attributed to high bulk density and low soil porosity.
Verbatim
e0“Fescue exhibited reduced root biomass due to higher bulk density and lower soil porosity”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixture pasture had the lowest soil bulk density.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density was lowest in Mixture”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil penetration resistance did not differ significantly among treatments.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae1
- Outcome
- soil penetration resistancee0
- Direction
- no significant differencese0
- Comparator
- treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no significant differences in soil penetration resistance were found among treatments (p > 0.05)”
e1“Alfalfa (control)”
Claim · model-written summary
Alternatives to alfalfa offered high production and quality with good economic return.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- high production and quality that ensure a good economic return to farmerse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“There are alternatives to alfalfa with high production and quality that ensure a good economic return to farmers”