info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Water table depth affects persistence and productivity of alfalfa in Central Argentina
Fecha
2019Registro en:
Berhongaray, Gonzalo; Basanta, Maria del Valle; Jáuregui, José Martín; Water table depth affects persistence and productivity of alfalfa in Central Argentina; Elsevier Science; Field Crops Research; 235; 2019; 54-58
0378-4290
CONICET Digital
CONICET
Autor
Berhongaray, Gonzalo
Basanta, Maria del Valle
Jáuregui, José Martín
Resumen
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most sown perennial legumes in the world. Water table depth can be both an opportunity and a threat for this crop. In this study we analyzed 20 years of field experimental data taken in Rafaela (Argentina) to study the impact of water table depth on productivity and persistence (plant cover; %) of alfalfa. The average 4-year cumulative above-ground productivity of different alfalfa genotypes was 51.8 Mg DM ha −1 , with a mean final persistence of 54%. Water table depth explained 49% of the variance for productivity and 47% of that of persistence, and maximum productivity and persistence were observed when the water table depth was below 4 m depth. Our results indicated that there was a negative impact of shallow water tables on alfalfa production under rain-fed production conditions. These results could be used to inform management decisions and crop simulation models.