Nitrogen Content and Protein Yield of Alfalfa as Influenced by Variety

• Main Author: Bennett, William H.
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 1948
• Subjects: nitrogen; protein; alfalfa; Life Sciences; Other Plant Sciences; Plant Sciences
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1897; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2896&context=etd

Twenty-four alfalfa varieties, representing four varietal groups, were compared for nitrogen content and protein yeild. A highly significant difference between varieties was noted for nitrogen content, and a sinificant difference for protein yield. Saskatchewan 666 had the highest content in the first cutting, but Ledak 22009 had the hightest content in the third. Group differences were not significant. Crop differences were highly significatn for nitrogen content, yield of forage, and of protein. In the case of every variety, the third cutting was richer in nitrogen than the second and the seemd was richer than the first. Protein yield, however, was affected more by forage weight than by nitrogen conent, and most varieties gave more than 45 percent of their total annual production of protein in the first cutting. High forage yield was associated with a low percentage of nitrogen. The data obtained in this study are for one year only and pertain to crop material harvested the first year after planting.